The Ryde Harriers based on the Isle of Wight announces the 2009 Marathon, now being run in October! It is an old event with a great deal of history. Established in 1957, the marathon is the longest running organised marathon in the United Kingdom. It is an exciting event in the sport life of all those people interested and taking part as well as for the spectators. The marathon has its devoted runners,  every year they return to it and enjoy the Islands roads. One of the oldest athletics clubs in the UK being Ryde Harriers,  has been organizing club events and runs since 1886.

Photo source: Ryde Harriers Photo Album

On 4th of October, 2009 all trained runners are welcomed to take part, this is a not an event for runners who have no experience or who have not be trained to run this kind of distance. It all kicks off on the Sunday morning  with a 11.00 am  start on the south side of Ryde Boating Lake after registration in Ryde Rowing Club.

The UK Athletics rules the for a marathon dictate it has to be 26 miles 385 yards long. The route of the marathon consists of one anti clockwise circular route of the Island and includes Ryde, Binstead, Wootton, Newport, Arreton, Sandown, Brading and back to Ryde.

Photo source: Ryde Harriers Photo Album

On each mile point the runner will see indicators of the distance covered. During the competition the competitors get rather thirsty and thus break points and water stops are frequent along the route.

If you wish, you can ask for own drink supplies to be placed at various stages but there is a need to register this requirement beforehand.  Of course, some runners are very used to running these type of marathons and thus it becomes second nature, however the Islands route is covered in many hill climbs so is regarded as one of the toughest in the UK.. Though some people really do like and enjoy it, but for the new runners it might be another issue. So, you have to be prepared for some special conditions during your running, preparation preparation preperation as the trainers say.  All finalists are awarded a runners medal at the end of the competition.

Photo source: Ryde Harriers Photo Album

So, everybody is welcomed to take part in this stimulating Running Marathon Race. It is a really splendid spectacle to witness as the runners go past , make sure to clap and cheer them on.

If you are a driver, please be must be more attentive and careful while driving your car as there are people running are tired and can easily make a mistake.

Of course, there is a great desire to win the Marathon but have time to appreciate all that take part for whatever reason they are running. It gives a sense of satisfaction and completion, but I can tell that the process is also exciting and exhausting. So damn the torpedoes full speed ahead  and join in if you dare, open up your hidden capabilities and have fun.

While having a splendid vacation on the seaside, taking the rays and tanning nicely you are more than likely very relaxed and in joyful mood, however you may now be looking for some new and excitement that can satisfy your soul aspirations.

As the days grow shorter the “tanning season” is drawing to a close, but you can still have great fun visiting the Islands thrilling boat races for example.

The Cowes-Torquay-Cowes powerboat race is a big event held from 28th to 30 August this year, 2009. Around  80 craft are going to participate. As you can see by the name the main race starts and finishes in Cowes – the marine capital of the Isle of Wight. This event is organized and supported by the British Powerboat Racing Club (BPRC). Cowes-Torquay-Cowes is considered a very serious and challenging offshore race and not for the weak of heart. Do try and get down to Cowes or along the foreshore as it’s a great and thrilling site to see these thunderbirds of the sea thrash their way forward at super speeds it’s a really thrilling weekend pastime.

photo by leightonian

Another event not to be missed is the Bestival happening on the 11th to the 13th of  September, 2009. Set up in the leafy surrounds of Robin Hill Countryside Adventure Park you can and will have a crazy and wild time. The Bestival is a 3-day boutique music festival supported by Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank. It is a multi award-winning event  producing fun and quirky pastimes for all its visitors and guests. On top of which you will discover the many and varied kinds of music genre, plus many attractions, bars, cocktails, circus and acrobatics performances, all wait to entertain and captivate you. This year’s line-up includes Kraftwerk, Massive Attack, MGMT, Fleet Foxes, Seasick Steve, Klaxons, Soulwax, 2manydjs and Bat for Lashes. Lest not forget the wonderful dressing-up theme as this is always widely embraced (this year the theme is Space, the final frontier!). Further attractions include the Come Dancing Spiegeltent and the Bollywood Bar so be there or be square!. The Bestival is one of the best ways to enjoy your life and give back great energy for the soul!

Next for your notebook is the International Charity Classic Car Extravaganza to be held on the 19th  and 20th  of September in Newport and Ryde. This is the its eighth year of operation and is an extremely popular event,  featuring all types of cars, from vintage and veteran to customized and retro, plus motorbikes and specialist military and commercial vehicles. In total, over 600 cars and other vehicles are expected to feature, including a large contingent of Minis (in celebration of the model’s 50th anniversary) and a number of Rolls Royce Silver Ghosts. The event starts at Newport Quay on Saturday and moves to Ryde Esplanade on Sunday. Make sure to take your camera with you as it’s a fabulous time for posing with the car of your dreams. We wish you a great time and lots of happy memories and pictures.

What can be more romantic than travelling on the top deck with the sun setting in the distance on a warm summers evening sailing to the Isle of Wight for a super holiday with your loved one? Believe me when I say it is a lovely experience, as you glide slowly forward with the thoughts of what a superb trip is in store as you have heard so much about the nonstop entertainment and nightlife guaranteed all across the Isle of Wight in the summertime. The reputation for great sea food cuisine is making it a favourite destination for the seasoned traveller and new holidaymakers.

The IOW is a perfect location offering wonderful natural locations along with great beeches and scenery to match. The islanders are glad to offer to you all kinds of accommodation to suit every pocket and every family. To find out more information on the suitable accommodation awaiting you why not visit the Island Eye portal.

All across the island you will find suitable accommodation parks at your disposal that cater for all tastes, ages and interests. For example, in the Ryde area there are several, the first is situated 3 miles due East from Ryde where we find Field Lane, containing a nice little family park situated in St. Helens where you and all your children can have a splendid holiday.

This fortunate park position allows you to access nice sandy beaches and enjoy days of sun bathing bucket and spade as well as good safe swimming. From here it is also possible to choose many superb walks that cover all parts of the island.

Another superb situation in Ryde is Hillgrove Park. There again you will find many entertaining activities, games and a super swimming pool for children. If you want to be even closer to nature why not try one of the static caravans and bungalows found at Nodes Point which is located just 3.1 miles from Ryde on the road to towards St Helens.

This park is aimed at holidays for families. There are super amusements, entertainments and attractions that will not leave you or your children wanting. The indoor swimming pool is very impressive and really an exciting pastime for the kids. But don’t forget to have a go yourselves; it is an extremely good exercise for the body and its general health. The staff is open and friendly offers a warm welcome to all their guests throughout the season. The services are excellent and the prices are more than suitable for your family budget.

If you want to go away from your routine everyday life, choose the Isle of Wight. It has on offer an ideal coastline, wonderful rural areas and breathtaking natural beauty for you to enjoy your holiday. All accommodation facilities are comfortable and meet high standard of hotel business. Take a break and visit Ryde!

Do you know that on the 27th of June we are going to celebrate a great holiday? The first Armed Forces Day is to held on 27th of June, 2009 here on the Isle of Wight in Ryde. What does this really mean to you and what can you give it? It is a great chance and opportunity for such a great country as Great Britain to stand up as a nation and demonstrate full support for our people in uniform. It is a wonderful occasion to be proud of the Armed Forces of our Community.

As it is a Saturday you can spend a splendid day on the Isle of Wight enjoying this superb event. Many people are involved into this super holiday and occasion: from the communities, businesses, local authorities to government institutions. The ceremony itself begins at 10.30.

Thanks to the Historic Portsmouth Dockyard, you can discover more about the Navy, Army and RAF. It is a very good possibility to meet members of the local societies and widen your knowledge about historical aspect of the Armed Forces. Thus you can have a total and full picture of the Armed Forces as it was, is and will be in the future. Also you can be involved in the process of celebrating this really exciting day.

Why not enjoy the full twelve- hour programme beginning at the North Walk and Appley Park in Ryde, including the Veterans Parade. This is organised and managed by the Committee of representatives from The Royal British Legion, Lord-Lieutenant’s Office, Isle of Wight Council, Ryde Town Council, the Police and Territorial Army.

What kind music will satisfy your requirements for this super day? Well there are going to performances from Cowes Royal British Legion Band, Wight Diamonds Marching Band, Vectis Corps of Drums and Trident Concert Band, so something for everyone.

One more event which is worth exploring, a great collection of military vehicles is going to be on display during the all day celebration. Also public is entertained with the show from 165 Regiment Territorial Army, Ryde Inshore Rescue and RAF. The culmination and peak of the day will be fireworks in Apply Park.

Finally, I would like to add that it is a real chance to connect to the past, present and future, and express the respect they all deserve, as they provide the peaceful skies above our heads and that is worth saluting.

Getting to the Isle of Wight is relatively easy from the English mainland and there are three main travel operators who can get you there in a fairly short space of time. Each of the travel operators has their own colourful history of bringing people between the Isle of Wight and the English mainland and they all have their own unique heritage of being connected with the Island.

They are:

Hover travel

The Isle of Wight has a long history associated with the Hovercraft and in fact the Island was instrumental in its early development. Hover travel operates a fast and effective way of travelling to and from the Island by Hovercraft. This is said to be the fastest way of travelling to the island from the mainland and vice versa. The Hovercraft travels between Ryde and Portsmouth with both destinations being well served by public transport and having generous car parking facilities.

Wightlink

Wightlink has been taking people back and forth between the Isle of Wight and the mainland for the past 160 years. Wightlink operate between Yarmouth to Lymington, Fishbourne to Portsmouth and Ryde to Portsmouth.  The Yarmouth to Lymington route is by way of car ferry offering transportation for people travelling by either by foot or car, coach etc. The Fishbourne to Portsmouth also operates by way of car ferry. You can also travel by Fast Cat between Ryde and Portsmouth this is for foot passengers only but is a much faster way of travelling between the Island and the mainland.

Red Funnel
Red Funnel operates between the Isle of Wight and the mainland from either East Cowes or West Cowes on the island to Southampton on the mainland. The Red Funnel company has transporting people to and from the Island for almost 150 years. You can catch the Red Funnel Car Funnel from East Cowes with Red Funnel operating the largest ferry of its type between the Island and the mainland. If you looking for a faster approach to travelling between the Isle of Wight and the mainland then the Red Jet Hi-Speed service between West Cowes and Southampton is your best option if you choose Red Funnel to get you there.

Whichever travel operator you choose to get you to the Isle of Wight you will find the island a great place to visit with many attractions and places to stay. The Isle of Wight is steeped in history in many ways from its Royal residences to its many monuments and historic buildings. The Island is also full of many modern attractions from its sports facilities to its many places to eat and drink. The Isle of Wight is a beautiful island to visit at whatever time of year you choose to visit.

When you are planning a trip for two people – it is really an easy thing, as many places are setup to cater for couples and thus finding that special deal is often a fairly simple task. However if you want to spend a nice holiday with a family or a group of people, then it is more of a challenge. The vacation must seem to cater for all tastes and meet all requirements of age, sex, interests, social position etc.

Obviously, the main goal of any holiday must be that all should have a good time, plenty of positive emotions where all members of the party will feel great. So planning for such a super event requires you to sit together with the all members of your family and decide in what directions you all wish to go. You must take into consideration the ideas and desires of everyone involved. Once you have realised the wishes, its time to choose the destination, book the hotels and pay for the  flights.

There are some places that can satisfy even the most capricious people and groups. One of these places is the beautiful and idyllic Isle of Wight.

The Isle of Wight is really one of the most favored destinations for UK travelers. Why do we as Islanders make such a big thing about this island? Well we all know it can offer a wide range of activities, wonderful natural beauty, fabulous places of interest many with great historical significance, events, festivals etc. etc. Adults can rest and relax having a great time and the children can be busy playing with so many activities at their fingertips, always looking, learning and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Every town and every village welcomes its visitors and opens their doors to the long-awaited guests at the beginning of each season. We always suggest that visitors should explore the popular towns of Shanklin and Sandown as well as visiting the surrounding bays, which always attract visitors by virtue of their sandy beaches and offerings of super times at the seaside.

Island accommodation is very comfortable and can fit a wide variety of money expenditures and expectations. You can easily find the most suitable hotel and restaurant along the esplanades of both towns. We do suggest exploring the historical places of both locations; take a pleasant stroll along the promenade in the fresh sea air, and then enjoy the picturesque scenery while sipping a glass of beer in a bar or local pub. Those wishing to satisfy their shopping fever should venture into the main town, not forgetting the Sunday market held in Sandown. Those interested in a cultural outing should checkout  Shanklin Theatre for a wonderful matinee or evening performance.

It does not really matter whether you decide to visit Shanklin or Sandown or any other towns of the Isle of Wight like Ryde, Ventnor etc. The most important thing is that you enjoy the pleasures and pastimes of your stay.

As we promised here is some more information with regard to the accommodation within the beautiful Isle of Wight. As before we intend to take you through one of our descriptive tours. Today we want to stop at some really attractive places in Ryde, Ningwood and Ventnor. To tell you the truth, these towns are some of my favourites  on the Isle of Wight. First of all they are nice places to visit.

Ventnor is a very beautiful town with its tropical palms and there is most definately a special spirit you can feel being inside the town. There are a range of restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars for adults to enjoy themselves. The Marina Parade is a good choice in Ventnor. Ventnor is one of the popular destinations among holiday-makers. It ideally suits those who want to see island attractions, exploring historical places and natural beauty, as well as the like for a traditional beach holiday. These apartments are furnished and equipped with a very high criterion. You can sit and contemplate the beautiful view of the sea panorama out of your bedroom. Ventnor Bay is 50 metres from the apartments entrance. All apartments are equipped with autonomous electric heating systems, laundry rooms with washing machines.

Satellite TV, DVD, video and other entertainment facilities are installed in every flat free of charge. A convenient parking space is available for every apartment. If you want to stay at Ningwood, then Orchard Cottage welcomes you. Ningwood is situated halfway between Yarmouth and Newport. You can simply access this small hamlet by road once off the car ferry. It is a four bedroom comfortable thatched accommodation. The house itself refers to the 17th century. It will turn you back to the atmosphere of olden times.

The accommodation provides you with spacious rooms for your rest and relaxation. You can have a nice cup of tea in the beautiful gardens. If you want to have a tasty dinner, nip in the car and around the corner to find the Horse and Groom open for you. Welcoming public houses now have a status for good meals. Onwards on our way is Ryde. Ryde is famous for its many eating places to visit. Ryde Pier is a well-known landmark with its railway, ferry terminal as well as bus station. Anyone should find in this town something very special for his/ her own soul and interests.

Let me present to you the  Ryde Castle. This accommodation is located fortuitously on the seafront but at the same time is still close to the centre of the town. This large and comfortable accommodation provides you with elegantly furnished rooms. Holiday facilities are at qualitative level. You will be I am sure very satisfied. A honeymoon couple or a big family with many children can have a nice beach holiday here. It is the perfect place for children to have fun with road train, mini merry-go-round at Peter Pans Playground…

If you want to find a particular Isle of Wight hotel, simply research in the world of unlimited cyber space this will bring you the answers. We are sure that once you have visited the beautiful Isle of Wight, you will not forget it. And we are doubly sure that you will never be bored as there are so many fabulous things to see and do on the island.