About Creek Gardens
Nestling beside the picturesque Wootton creek, and within easy reach of the island's principal attractions, these very comfortable properties are ideal for short breaks in winter holidays. A quiet, small and intimate complex of cottages and more recently built apartments, Creek Gardens is a perfect spot for relaxing and enjoying a climate that is notably sunnier and warmer than other English resorts – with lawned gardens leading down to the water's edge.
Visitors to this 'enchanted isle' will find a myriad places of interest to suit all ages and tastes including the Roman Villa at Brading, whose carefully preserved mosaics are comparable with any in Europe, a wax museum housed in the island's oldest domestic building dating from 1499, Carisbrooke Castle, where Charles I was imprisoned in 1647, and Osborne House, the home Prince Albert designed for Queen Victoria's pleasure. Further to the west lies Yarmouth, a neat little town by a snug harbour, much loved by the yachting faternity and home of the Royal Solent Yacht Club. Also well worth exploring are the pretty villages of Godshill and Brighstone with their delightful little thatched cottages, whilst a ring of walnut trees clusters round the village well in Mottistone, also home to a beautiful Tudor manor house, its gardens in the care of the National Trust and open to the public.
A short drive leads to Cowes, host to regattas every summer weekend and the famous Cowes Week at the beginning of August, whilst the natural harbour at Bembridge is crammed with yachts and pretty houseboats.
Often called 'The Garden Isle', the island supports a host of superlative vineyards and the 22 acre Botanical Gardens at Ventnor provide an exotic visual feast. Birdwatchers can, in season, study the numerous species of sea birds to be seen offshore or breeding on the cliffs, and Parkhurst Forest is one of the very few locations in Britain still inhabited by the red squirrel. Arts and tradtitional crafts are seen in numerous studios, galleries and craft centres throughout the island. Watching a potter at work or beautiful glassware being handblown is an unforgettable holiday experience, whilst children of all ages will delight in a trip to the zoo or on the island's steam railway.
Numerous child friendly, unspoilt sandy beaches promise hours of bucket and spade fun, the nearest is at Ryde (4½ miles), and stunningly scenic walks, from the gentle to the more energetic, can be followed along the island's network of footpaths and bridleways. In the spring, the island bursts into a blaze of floral colour and even in the cooler months, visitors can enjoy a bracing walk in the crisp clean air, whilst many a fine country pub offers a warm welcome and excellent food.
A wealth of outdoor activities can be readily accessed – golf, riding, sailing, cycle hire and fishing are all found nearby. There are shops and pubs serving food about ¾ mile away in Wootton, and Ryde offers more extensive shopping.