We had just *the* best holiday on the Isle of Wight a few weeks ago, our first proper family holiday. We has such a good time that we extended our stay by two nights! We visited an Animal Park where Sophia giggled as she patted rabbits and guinea pigs for the first time, and worked out how to go down the slide by herself amid much laughter from the three of us. She is going to love rollercoasters when she is older; she can't get enough of going upside down/swings/slides/being whizzed around!




We spent a wonderful sunny afternoon on the sands/pebbles at Freshwater Bay, where Sophs paddled in the ocean and ate mouthfuls of delicious crunchy sand after swishing her little hands endlessly through it and relishing the sensation.





















We visited Carisbrooke Castle where King Charles I was held prisoner and saw the room where he spent a year imprisoned; we also walked the castle walls which had spectacular views across the island back to the mainland. The doors at the catle gate were the original medieval ones, incredible to think how many people had passed through them.




We enjoyed the facilites in the place where was stayed, including the indoor, covered heated swimming pool which my little water baby just loved loved loved!



The island is beautiful, we stayed on the west side which is less populated and enjoyed the incredible views everywhere we drove. All in all it was a wonderful, relaxing, much needed break and we all came back refreshed and content.