Isle of Wight - Coastguards cottage and Carisbrooke Castle

We arrived at Coastguards cottage in the dark, which was tricky as it's very secluded, a stones throw from the Needles. The cottage is gorgeous, it has a sauna! Sailor and Penny settled quickly. I've added another part of our lottery win home...to have a boot room to hold coats and boots before you go into the house. And this one has underfloor heating! Oh I'm such a grown up, I get excited over a boot room.

The morning was terrible, it was blowing a gale and the rain was pouring down so we had a lazy morning and enjoyed a rolled top hot bath instead. At lunch, off we went, through floodwater and huge puddles. Lunch stop in Newport, before heading over to Carisbrook Castle. Penny loves a castle so was leaping about exploring every corner. It's where Charles I was held before his execution. Princess Beatrice, youngest of Queen Victoria, also lived there and built the garden. It's very intact, with donkey wheel demo's, a keep, gatehouse and bowling green. Apparently Charles I liked to bowl. Ali watched a donkey wheel demo. They used to work for 14 hours, now they are limited to 6.5 minutes.

We drove back the long way, around the southern coast road, admiring the stunning cliffs in sunshine after the morning storm.