Isle of Wight on a Budget Part One: My 10 favourite FREE things to do on the Island all year round

There are plenty of things to do on the Isle of Wight all year round. So in the first in a short series of articles looking at how to visit the Isle of Wight on a budget, I’ve rounded up my top 10 favourite FREE attractions that are open throughout the year.

Whether you’re considering an off-season visit or just researching some budget-friendly activities for the year ahead, please read on because there’s something here for all the family…

You’ll likely hear the unmistakable sound of the donkeys before you see them at this great little farm near Ventnor. Run as a charity, it provides a refuge for these endearing animals in need a loving ‘forever home’, and there are currently more than 100 of them living here. The main activity, which children and adults alike will enjoy, is walking round the paddocks to get up close and personal with these cuties, and there’s a fine café and a good gift shop too.

Entry and parking are free of charge, with the opportunity to make a charity donation onsite. Winter opening hours are Saturday to Wednesday 10am – 4.30pm and bus number 3 stops outside.

Top tip: the sanctuary is well placed for some countryside walking too. Why not take the footpath to the charming village of Godshill with its tea rooms, or if you’re visiting between April and October you can extend your walk to enigmatic Appuldurcombe House which is nearby and also free to visit?

Talking of animals, my favourite thing to do at this quirky working 19^th century monastery on the north of the island is to have a wander round the enclosure full of friendly pigs. You can even buy special food onsite to feed them with too!

The grounds also make a good place for a short woodland walk, and there’s a hide where you may be lucky enough to spot a red squirrel or two. Additionally, you can explore the ruins of an older abbey, a walled garden and café, and I love the farm shop which also sells homemade produce, including the abbey’s own gin. There’s a small gallery and exhibition too.

Entry and parking are free of charge and the abbey usually welcomes visitors daily throughout the year. The abbey is served by bus numbers 4 and 9, as well as the Downs Breezer in season.

Top tip: if you’re arriving on the Wightlink car ferry, Quarr Abbey makes a perfect first stop on the Island or great place to kill some time before your journey home – it’s only five minutes’ drive from the Fishbourne ferry port!

In summer and winter alike, it’s an exhilarating walk across the concrete pier to Bembridge’s remote lifeboat station. It’s been going since the 1860s, and its two lifeboats are operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A brief visit will give you a great close-up view of one of the boats and the opportunity to learn about the life-saving work the volunteers do. There’s a small shop too.

Entry is free of charge, with the opportunity to make a charity donation. Paid parking is available. Between October and July the station is open daily from 2-4pm, with extended hours during school holidays and the summer. It’s about a 10-minute walk to a bus stop served by the number 8 service.

Top tip: if the weather’s playing ball, why not enjoy a stroll along the secluded beach towards Bembridge Harbour? Whatever the forecast, plan to make a stop in a few of the lovely Bembridge village pubs, cafés or shops too!

Culture vultures will enjoy Quay Arts, a lovely creative space in a converted historic brewery by the river in Newport.

There’s always an exhibition or two to explore for free (check out the schedule) and it screens free films during November’s Into Film festival too. There are also paid-for comedy and theatre shows throughout the year, a stylish café-bar and a shop.

The centre is open all year round. There’s paid parking nearby, and it’s less than ten minutes’ walk from Newport bus station.

Top tip: combine your visit with a pit stop in one of my favourite Newport pubs, the Bargeman’s Rest pub next door. It offers great food and beer, and shares the same attractive riverside location!

You’ve almost certainly heard of Carisbrooke Castle, but did you know there’s also a historic priory nearby? There’s certainly not as much to see here, but visitors are welcome and it’s an atmospheric place to have a poke around. There’s a pleasant garden and an excellent tea room that sells lunch and refreshments at very competitive prices (the homemade cakes are delicious).

You’ll also find a shop with a great selection of second-hand Christian books as well as some pottery, cards and gifts and – best of all – you can buy delicious homemade jams and chutneys at lower prices than other island shops!

Entry and parking are free of charge. The garden, tearoom and shop are open to the public on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 4pm. The number 6 bus also stops at the priory.

Top tip: why not combine a visit to the priory with a walk round the walls of Carisbrooke Castle (a great way to get a feel for the scale of the castle without paying to go inside!) There’s a footpath which partly connects the two so you only have to walk along the road a short way. From the castle, there’s another footpath which takes you to Carisbrooke village too.

I actually discovered Newtown, the Island’s only nature reserve, fairly recently. It’s a peaceful place at any time of year with its extensive meadows, woods and marshes – but it takes on a magical and almost eerie quality in winter. My favourite thing to do is take the boardwalk and causeway out to the boathouse on the harbour and soak up the views of the water. Bird lovers will love the area in winter and spring too – you’ll just need appropriate footwear to navigate any muddier bits in damper months.

One thing you’ll find out about Newtown is that there’s actually no town here anymore. But at the Old Town Hall, which sits almost alone, you can learn about the thriving trading community that existed in medieval times.

The reserve is open dawn to dusk all year round. The Town Hall is only open seasonally, but you can view the outside anytime. Free entry and paid parking available.

Top tip: combine your visit with a stop in the charming small village of Shalfleet nearby – it has an attractive historic church and a cracking pub called The New Inn that also serves excellent food.

Another special place to enjoy nature all year round, Alverstone Mead is a 28-hectare mix of meadow, marsh and woodland that’s surprisingly close to Sandown yet feels miles away from everything.

The main highlights for me are strolling the boardwalks that cross the reserve and visiting the wildlife hide, where you have a good chance of spotting red squirrels and plenty of birds.

Alverstone Mead is open year round. There’s no car park so you’ll need to find a space on a nearby road. The best way to reach it on foot is by footpath from Lake via the golf course.

Top tip: there’s a great village pub to visit while you’re in the area too: The Pointer Inn in nearby Newchurch is said to be one of the island’s oldest and offers a wide selection of food and drink.

This unique attraction near Newchurch offers farm walks and the opportunity to learn more about garlic and see it growing in the fields from around February onwards into the summer.

The shop is interesting and extensive, although bizarrely you might find some of its garlic products cheaper elsewhere. There’s also a wide programme of paid events during the year including an annual Garlic Festival and fun tractor tours in summer. There are farm animals to say hello to and the highly-rated restaurant is a great place to stop for a cuppa and spot red squirrels (I saw my first one on the island here!)

The farm, shop and restaurant are open daily and there’s free parking. No buses stop nearby.

Top tip: if you fancy some more shopping, Arreton Barns is also located nearby and you’ll find several of its craft and art-themed shops open all year round.

If you’re out and about in West Wight, don’t miss a brief stop to see the exterior of this ancient stone lighthouse which dates from the early 1300s and enjoys an enigmatic history.

It sits atop the stunning military road near Chale and enjoys gorgeous views on a good day. You reach it via an exhilarating (short but steep!) climb from the road taking about 10 minutes.

The oratory (known locally at The Pepperpot) is open all year and there’s a free car park below on the sea-facing side of the military road. The number 6 bus service stops nearby on the road.

Top tip: The Wight Mouse Inn is a well-known pub nearby that is much-loved for its food and drink and large garden. The oratory is next door to Blackgang Chine too, if you’re heading there.

At first I couldn’t think of any free museums open year-round but then I remembered this one in Brighstone, which I think is one of the island’s loveliest villages. The museum is located within a charming row of thatched cottages, which is reason enough to take a quick stop if you’re in the West Wight area. Inside, it also gives an illuminating insight into 19^th century village life which will transport you back in time.

Entry is free and the museum is open on certain days throughout the year. The number 12 bus service stops nearby.

Top tip: talking of free museums, if you’re visiting between April and October why not head to the Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum in Ryde? It’s home to around 20 historic vehicles (some of which you can climb inside), a well-priced café and (my favourite bit) an original Doctor Who style police ‘tardis’ that you can enter!

🛈 Please note: although these attractions are open all year round, some close on certain days of the week, opening hours vary and winter timetables may be reduced. We advise checking the attraction’s website and social media channels before setting out.