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August 2016 

Photographers Resource

ISSN 2399-6706

Issue No: 151

Wight Military and Heritage Museum, Cowes, Isle of Wight
August is here and it's now the middle of the UK summer, all schools have broken up and we are all on our summer holidays, whether abroad or here on a 'staycation' in the UK. It has been many years since I have been abroad preferring to spend my summers exploring the amazing destinations we have here in the UK. Whether in a bustling city centre, out in the countryside or the wild landscapes of Scotland and Wales there is something for everyone here. People will say, but the weather. Yeah okay we can expect some rain during the summer, we can also get scorchers,
August Diary
Wildlife Photography In August
Your First Visit To This Resource
but typically the weather is pretty neutral with manageable heat for humans and pets. Going abroad doesn't guarantee good weather as you have probably seen over the past few days with flooding in different parts of the USA and the world. If like me you are spending your summer here in the UK we have loads of information on this website to inspire you both for a trip out as well as photographically.

At the beginning of July we spent a week on the Isle of Wight. We took our car on the ferry from Portsmouth across to Fishbourne and spent the whole week travelling the island taking in the attractions and landscapes it has to offer. The weather was good all week, just a shower on the morning we were at the Needles, but with some of it's attractions being indoors we had somewhere to escape while it rained. Once it had blown over we were able to travel on the chairlift down to Alum Bay   and take a boat ride out to The Needles Lighthouse.

Alum Bay, Isle of Wight

Our accommodation for the week was in one half of the gatehouse of Osborne House, East Cowes and each day we ventured out to different parts, before coming back to enjoy our opulent surroundings, Red Squirrels running from tree to tree, the Isle of Wight only has Red Squirrels the Grey's have not managed to get across the water.

Osborne House
There are many different types of attractions, to suit all tastes, we have a list of the Top Attractions, but there is also loads of coastline with pretty beaches, including the most spectacular of Alum Bay with all its different coloured sands. At the bottom of this page I have listed all the attractions we managed to fit in during this one week visit, including Brading Roman Villa.

Brading Roman Villa.

We did most of our visit using our car to get from place to place and the roads are pretty good, and only busy when you approached Newport, which is at the bottom of a major inlet and the only way around it. For the more energetic there is the Isle of Wight Coastal Path a 67 mile circular walking route around the island. Or you could take a ride on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway at Havenstreet, which connects up with the main railway line that runs across the island.

On the second day of our visit to the island it was the annual Round the Island Race The start and finish line is at Cowes, going across on the ferry there were loads of yachts and different crafts in the waters between the mainland and the island. And this month of course is the famous Cowes Week from the 6th to 13th. There are many opportunities to get pictures of all types of boats at marinas, or being used just off the coast, as well as windsurfers, jet-skiers etc.

Our last day was spent around Ryde where we visited the a postcard museum, walked along the coast to see the Appley Tower. Took an hour out to go and see the dancing water at Waltzing Waters and spending sometime watching the hovercraft coming in an out. In all a truly productive week, with loads more photos collected, and some video. Now I just have to find the time to write it up for you as well as still work on updating this website.

Hovercraft at Ryde
As well as the Isle of Wight, we also managed a visit to the Hovercraft Museum in Fareham, Hampshire. Here you get to see the history of the hovercraft both civilian and military, and it is currently home to the only remaining passenger and vehicle transporting hovercraft. Some of the exhibits you can climb on and explore, some the volunteers will power up and you can see running. Limited opening times but we all enjoyed the visit.

This month is International Lighthouse Weekend from the 20th and 21st August. Whilst on the Isle of Wight we captured images of St Catherine's Point Lighthouse, the Needles Lighthouse, and St Catherine's Oratory  which has been around since the 1300's. The tower was built as a lighthouse to prevent further wrecks and there was originally an oratory chapel with a monk whose job was to trim the light and say masses for those lost at sea. As long as you can manage the climb up across a couple of fields, this one is free to explore and has some 360 degree views. Don't forget to check out our Lighthouses Section and interactive maps to find a lighthouse near you or your holiday destination, being an island the UK has many.

Needles Lighthouse, Isle of Wight

What's New and Changed
Places Visited Over the Last Month

Osborne House, East Cowes, Isle of Wight (EH)

Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum, Arreton Barns, Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight Glass, Arreton Barns, Isle of Wight

Carisbroke Castle, Isle of Wight (EH)

Godshill Model Village, Isle of Wight

Brading Roman Villa, Brading, Isle of Wight

Lilliput Antique Doll and Toy Museum, Brading, Isle of Wight

Bembridge Windmill, Isle of Wight (NT)

West Wight Alpacas, Wellow, Isle of Wight

Fort Victoria, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

St Mildred's Church, Whippingham, Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight Pearl, Brigstone, Isle of Wight

Wight Military and Heritage Museum, Cowes, Isle of Wight

Appledurcombe House, Wroxall, Isle of Wight (EH)

St Catherine's Point Lighthouse, Isle of Wight, Hampshire

St Catherine's Oratory, Isle of Wight,

The Needles Landmark Attraction, Alum Bay, Isle of Wight,

Needles Lighthouse, Isle of Wight, Hampshire

Donald McGill Postcard Museum, Ryde, Isle of Wight

Newtown Old Town Hall, Isle of Wight (NT)

Waltzing Waters, Ryde, Isle of Wight

Appley Tower, Ryde, Isle of Wight

Hovercraft Museum, Fareham, Hampshire

We are continuing to upgrade this website

It is taking time, but in the background we are continuing to move from a Microsoft based website to something much newer and more flexible, run on our Apple systems. Our Windows computer is often difficult to start and should it fail, before the new system is live, we will allow a gap of a month or two to occur rather than waste time setting up outdated systems as a temporary measure. So if we go missing for a while please check back regularly as we will be back.

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