After being restricted with travel for so long due to covid, having a trip planned was even more exciting- and it was actually the travelling there that I was getting most excited about!
Being able to travel by another means than just a car was such an exciting thought and something the boys hadn’t done until our trip on board the Red Funnel Ferry to the Isle Of Wight the other week.
It was an early start for us as we were only staying over night and I wanted to pack as much in as possible. This was easily done as the Red Funnel ferries run from early hours of the morning until late in the evening.
We had a priority booking slot that meant as we arrived at the port in Southampton we had plenty of time to get our car in line and pop to the on site shop for a toliet stop and to grab a few snacks.
I’m a pretty nervous driver to say the least and the thought of boarding the ferry was leaving me filled with a little dread to say the least! I needn’t have worried though as it was such a well run boarding I was on and parked before we knew it. The kids couldn’t wait to get out of the car and do some exploring; so we headed up to the lounge, found some comfy seats and I relaxed with a coffee in hand as we set sail.
There was an array of hot and cold food on offer, as well as plenty of snacks and even toys to keep the kids busy, although mine were too busy taking in the view as we sailed along. After a while they got itchy feet so we headed to the top deck where the sea breeze hit us and I honestly could have sat there taking it all in for the rest of the trip.
The hours journey flew by and before we knew it we were heading back down to the car where departing the ferry was just as pain free as the boarding.
We headed straight to our first destination of Robin Hill County Park when we arrived, which is only 15 mins from the port and comes hightly recommended from us.
Our return voyage was a night time booking and I’m really glad we got to experience this as the coasttime and the cruise liners we passed where so beautifully lit up it gave us a completely different kind of journey on the way home – and of course being dinner time the boys couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have some sausage and chips to fill their hungry bellies!
We have so much more to discover on the Isle Of Wight and we certainly wouldn’t want to get their any other way!