The Mission, Vintage Vacations, The Isle of Wight

the-mission-iow-042_optThe founders of the Blackgang Mission on the Isle of Wight would not have approved of me. Within seconds of being in this recently converted hall, I had broken one of the Ten Commandments. Thou shall not covet. I was green with jealousy, wanting it not just for the weekend, but for my own home.

 

Vintage Vacations have pulled it off again.  On the island, they have already restored ten airstream caravans, a beach shack, and now this 1890’s corrugated iron Mission Hall, on the south coast near Chale. It was built to provide spiritual ‘care in the community’ and did so right up to the 1990’s. When it closed, the beneficiaries made the right decision, allowing Helen Carey and Frazer Cunningham of Vintage Vacations to take it over. With its new open plan design, revealing all the original wood-panelled walls, pitched ceiling and stained glass windows, you can feel the open, warm tradition of this building as soon as you enter.

 

Helen and Frazer have added their own ‘religious’ touches. As worshippers of all things kitsch and post-modern, this project must have been heaven. A huge white floor-to- ceiling cube is set into the centre of the hall, with narrow stairs leading up to two suspended double bedrooms. Each has a glass balcony, allowing you to take in the beauty of the hall, as well as all its natural light.  For anyone worried about privacy, this might not be the place for them, but I loved the sense of openness and transparency. the-mission-iow-008_optThere are two private rooms, however. One children’s room with bunks, quilted blankets, soft stripy sheets, and 50’s storybooks on the pillows. Another double room beside it, like all the bedrooms, is decorated with a collection of lovingly sought out vintage blankets, cushions and twee ornaments.

 

Fun is always at the heart of Vintage Vacation’s projects, and this is no exception, yet they still maintain the integrity of the building.  The original owners would have loved the giant wood-burning stove, a perfect focal point under the chandelier and stained glass window, as we lounged around on art deco red velour swivel chairs and black leather sofas. An old shop counter has drawers full of games, maps, CD’s (The Mission soundtrack of course) and DVD’s. Fluffiness is also a core theme here, with a vast white furry rug, feather boa wreathes, and a propensity for poodle paintings.

 

The spacious kitchen still has a church hall feel to it, with old wooden table and chairs, cream metal 30’s units full of china tea sets, pink glassware and funky coffee pots. Modern luxuries of a dishwasher and washing machine have thankfully been snuck in. They have also gone to town on the bathrooms, which are state-of-the-art five star gorgeousness. The sunken bath in place of the original baptismal font might not have made the preachers smile, but it worked for me.  

 

The Mission has a great pub and some of the country’s best coastal walks on the doorstep. I took an early morning walk up to the nearby St. Catherine’s oratory, to take in magnificent seascapes. An ancient place of prayer for those in danger at sea, it is still an extraordinarily peaceful place.  

 

Back at the hall, my hero husband had made Sunday breakfast. He too had found his spiritual home, with a breakfast hamper full of local sausages, bacon, eggs, home-made bread and jams, pre-ordered from The Real Island Food Company. Just as we sat down, snow started to fall. “Do you think we might be snowed in, Mum?” my son asked. I suggested we could try praying, but sadly my prayers weren’t answered and the ferry was bang on time. That’s what you get for breaking Commandments.  

 

(This article was first published in The Observer, 1st March 2009)

Vintage Vacations, Isle of Wight, www. vintagevacations.co.uk

Weekend stays from £395 and weekly stays between £700 and £1600 – for more photos click here


Getting there: SouthWest Trains to
Southampton (southwesttrains.co.uk), and Red Funnel ferry to Cowes (redfunnel.co.uk). Taxi or bus to The Mission.

To order great quality local food to be in the fridge on arrival, see realislandfood.co.uk

 

Treeclimbing with Goodleaf, Isle of Wight

Paul McCathie teaching tree climbing. Photo: Creditableimages.com

(first published in the column, My Life in Travel, The Observer, 8 March 2009)

Interview with Paul McCathie, recreational tree climber, Goodleaf Tree Climbing Adventures, Isle of Wight

 I started climbing trees after a gap year travelling.  I came home to my native New Zealand in search of a ‘real job’, saw an advert for a tree surgery course, and went for that. Very quickly I realised that I liked climbing the trees a lot more than I liked cutting them down. That took me to Georgia in the US to train with Treeclimbers International, learning the techniques of recreational treeclimbing, and here I am. Climbing trees for a living, and sharing their virtues with other people is about as real a job as it gets in my book. .  

 

Most people think that treeclimbing is about high ropes courses, and corporate days out. But this is not our thing at Goodleaf. I work with only one tree, a sixty feet high ancient Oak. Over a period of two and a half hours I teach people how to use harnesses, carabiners, ropes and knots, as well as climbing and abseiling techniques. I also teach them a little about the history of the tree itself, and about tree conservation issues, before guiding them into its canopy at their own pace. They climb higher and higher as they gain confidence and strength. It is a personal, one to one, calm experience. The final abseil is down to a picnic rug laid out with well-deserved local goodies.

 

I love the Isle of Wight because it has the same laid back attitude and green outlook as back home in New Zealand. It has great beaches, fine woodland, and most importantly, my wife Abigail is an Islander. So lovely people, of course. When people visit the island, they leave some of their stresses behind on the mainland, which is a great way to start a holiday too. And an even better way for them to start a day of treeclimbing too.

 

If someone gets vertigo I talk to them a lot. There is usually a specific reason why they don’t like heights, so we can talk it through. They are harnessed and connected to the rope at all times, and I can reach them quickly and easily, talking all the time. The field we work in is very tranquil, so that helps calm people down too. Then I help them come down to a height they are comfortable with.

 

I turn from calm to cranky if people do not follow my instructions. I am not a control freak, but people need to be aware of the risks involved in tree climbing, and pay attention to all the details.

 

My hardest day as a treeclimber ended up being one of my best. I was working with a family whose young son had severe learning difficulties. He spent the first hour hiding under our picnic blanket, terrified to come out. One by one, I led his family members up the tree, and slowly but surely he peered out. Finally he donned his helmet and harness, pushed past his fear, and lifted himself up into the canopy. He absolutely loved it in the end. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had.

 

 

The best thing I have seen from the top of a climb is the vast array of indigenous trees which make up New Zealand’s Coromandel Forest. I spent half a day walking through this semi-tropical forest to find the right tree, a Kauri. This is a colossal tree, a conifer about 35 metres high. After scaling this beauty, I looked down into a valley filled with other Kauris, Kahikateas and other native species, all poking their heads through the lower canopy, the Coromandel coastline sparkling in the distance. 

 

A treeclimber’s five year plan is to ‘branch out’ (sorry). Ideally run Goodleaf on the Isle of Wight in summer, and head south to run Goodleaf New Zealand during the ‘winter’ months.

 

The best thing I’ve heard up a tree was “look at those Great Tits”. I wasn’t really allowed to laugh because one of our climbers really had spotted a nestful of them, with babies just learning to fly. Great quote though.

 

  • To book a treeclimbing session with Paul McCathie on the Isle of Wight, see his company’s website, www.goodleaf.co.uk. Climbing season starts 1st April 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A greener shade of Wight

shack3Gone are the purple rinses, the Isle of Wight is the new black. Or should I say green. It surfs, it sculpts, it sings, and it’s shouts sustainability.  It was also the guts of a hundred quid to go there by car ferry on the weekend I wanted to travel, which certainly encouraged me to go green. It was cheaper to travel by train from London with a family railcard, and so began our pickings from a rich menu of green offerings on the Isle of Wight.    It even has a green tourism website with endless suggestions on how to enjoy this beautiful island without destroying what it has to offer.  A website which adds ‘chilling’ to its list of activities wins my green vote straight away and so we started as we meant to go on.

 

I booked a cute little beach shack a few miles from Cowes, booked bike hire through a company which delivers and collects wherever you want, in this case at the ferry terminal, studied cycle maps into the early hours and obsessed over five day weather forecasts.  One small backpack each, no packing the car with ‘stuff’, no stopping on the M25 to adjust our dodgy bike carrier, and no arguments over directions.  So far so chill.  Two and a half hours after leaving home, we were lashing across the Solent on the Red Funnel high speed jet. This is not the cheapest option, but it is only a twenty minute crossing and worth the look on my children’s faces as we took off. It was so fast, I was slightly concerned it wasn’t going to stop.  But we settled gently into the quay at West Cowes, where John, the bike guy, gave us our bikes and took our luggage, to be dropped to us later at the shack.  The Island is cyclist heaven. Just enough hills to push yourself, or your bike and tagged on four year old in my case, varied landscapes of coast, forests and estuarine marshes.  We took the coast road from Cowes, through Gurnard, up quite a few steep hills and, about forty five minutes later, down a dusty track to the sea, and our shack. dscf0169

 

The shack is a gloriously simple wooden summer house, painted in pastel blue and white, overlooking a buttercup filled meadow dipping down to a quiet sandy beach.  The children leapt onto the swingseat hanging from an oak tree in the garden and I had to blink twice to check I was not on the set of a Boden photo shoot.  Our dusty backpacks and sweaty trainers suddenly looked out of place among the collection of carefully chosen vintage bric a brac and funky fifties furniture. . But Helen, the owner with the enviable designer eye, is not precious about her vision – it is a place for having good old fashioned ‘Enid Blyton’ fun.  She leaves antique board games, binoculars and even a copy of the Famous Five itself, for sticky sandy hands to explore. With its solar powered lighting, no electricity, wood burning stove amply supplied with driftwood, composter, recycling, and environmentally friendly cleaning products provided, this ticks many of the green boxes. And the solar powered mobile charger is inspired.

 

A pre-ordered hamper of Island goodies awaited the hungry cyclists, enabling us to prepare a gastronomic evening picnic watching the sunset over the bay.  The menu included locally made organic pasta served with the Island Garlic Farm’s Confit de Tomates.  To drink, a chilled rosé from Rossiters Vineyard, and local apple juice.  The cheese course was a coup.  A blue cheese from the Isle of Wight cheese company which was recently awarded the Fortnum & Mason Best English cheese award 2007.  We finished off with cake and biscuits baked only a few miles away and the children used the, now nearly empty, canvas style bucket (ordered instead of traditional hamper, as it was easier for us to bring home) to collect driftwood. You can also order a splendid breakfast hamper, with local muesli, bacon, sausages and eggs. The strapline here should really be ‘fill before you chill’.

 

It would not be difficult to fill your days doing nothing at the shack.   Buckets, spades and fishing nets were provided, the boys cycled safely up and down the lane, chased butterflies across the meadow, and swam several times a day.  But I couldn’t resist some of the other Island activities on offer.  One day we took a two mile cycle to riding stables for the boys’ first horse riding experience. Hugo, my younger boy,  had been talking for weeks about riding on a white unicorn, so when Faye the farmer led the most perfect white pony towards a seldom silenced four year old, there was no explanation needed for why it didn’t have a horn sticking out of its head.  As far as he was concerned, his dream had come true.

 

There were many such highlights on this trip.  Putting coffee on to brew, and hopping down for an early morning swim watched only by onlooking oyster catchers and curlews.  Cycling in nearby Parkhurst Forest and spotting red squirrels.  Or shopping at the superb weekly Farmer’s Market in Newport, and picnicking along the offroad (and gloriously flat) Medina estuary cycle route nearby. But the big high was saved for last.  We took our final view of what had by now become our new favourite place in the world, from the top of a sixty foot ancient oak tree.  The Isle of Wight is one of a handful of places in the UK where you can go recreational tree climbing.  Guided by New Zealand arborist, Paul, who confesses he would rather preserve and climb trees than follow his original career path of cutting them down, we donned our harnesses and helmets, and I prayed for a head for heights. There was no reason to fear. In this remote field, located a few miles from East Cowes, Paul gave us detailed tuition in the art of tree climbing, mastering ropes and knots as well as a greater appreciation of the ancient gem which supported our weight throughout.  I watched Louis, my eight year old, climb gracefully from branch to branch, handling knots and carabeener clips like an expert.  louis-climbing It was like watching a dance performance as he climbed, then swayed, and finally swung gently upside down to a soundtrack of nothing but birdsong.  My climbing was more baboon than Bussell, but I finally caught up with my little elf lying high up in a tree hammock eating the chocolate eggs which awaited him.  We lay in the hammock together, swaying gently with the breeze and the world seemed to stop for a while.  Under Paul’s constant supervision, we absailed gently back to earth, where we landed on a picnic rug laid out for afternoon tea. Paul pointed out that the milk was from a farm only a mile away, and the homemade cakes from a local bakery.  I realised that people here don’t just promote Island produce because they have to, but because they are proud of it.  They have every right to be.

 

After three hours of climbing, absailing, chatting and eating, we headed back to the boat.  We locked our bikes by the jetty, and waited for our bags to be delivered back to us. They were running a bit late, stuck in traffic apparently, happily not something I had experienced in the last few days.  Nor was I worried about catching the boat as they run every half hour.  In fact, I realised that something had happened to the uptight London timekeeper in me.  I really didn’t care.  Or, as they say on the Isle of Wight, I had finally chilled.

 

Catherine and family travelled from London to Southampton with South West Trains, www.southwesttrains.co.uk, and to West Cowes with Red Funnel, see www.redfunnel.co.uk.

 

To stay at ‘The Shack’ see www.vintagevacations.co.uk.  Weekly stays from £375 and weekend stays from £175

 

Catherine hired bikes from Wight Cycle Hire.  Adult bikes £30 (children £20, Tags £15) for three days. Baggage collection free of charge. They deliver and collect from anywhere on the Island. See   www.wightcyclehire.co.uk

 

If you bring your own bikes, you can store or transport your luggage with www.bagtagiow.co.uk. £6 per bag

 

Micha the white ‘unicorn’ can be found at Romany Riding Stables, Porchfield, tel: 01983 525467. 

 

Order top hamper for treats on arrival from www.wighthamper.co.uk.

 

For the best ever trip to the treetops with Goodleaf, see www.goodleaf.co.uk – 2.5 hour climbing experience costs £25 for children and £35 for adults. 5% discount to anyone arriving by public transport, pushbike or by foot.

 

(This article was first published in The Observer, 10 June 2007)