National Trust Offering Half-Term Activities Across Isle Of Wight

National Trust places around the Isle of Wight are inviting families to enjoy a range of new experiences that will help reconnect them with life’s simple, sensory pleasures.

The National Trust is keen to get kids exploring the outdoors, from outdoor trails to sensory experiences and art from nature. 

The charity is also to introduce a value-for money ‘explorer pass’ this summer.

Here’s the National Trust’s pick of the best places to enjoy this half-term holiday, on the Isle of Wight: 

Mottistone Gardens

Using leaves of different shapes and sizes children can tap away to see what impression is left behind and take home their own piece of nature.

From 2–5 June, 10.30am–5pm, visitors to the gardens are invited to have a Jubilee picnic on the lawn to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The National Trust will provide the setting and the blankets for your own picnic on the lawn for the Jubilee weekend.

The Needles Old Battery

Visitors can take a sensory trail where they can experience the sights, smells, sounds, and textures of life as a soldier at the Needles Old Battery.

See through their telescopes, smell the gunpowder, hear the sirens, feel their wool blankets, and discover what they used to eat. The sensory trail is available until the July 22.

Newtown National Nature Reserve

Little explorers can take part in ‘The Dormouse’s quest’ and help a dormouse named Bramble to find a new home at Newtown, explore its woods and meadows on a quest to find her blossom, and discover how spring was saved at this National Nature Reserve.

A free activity, from May  20 to June 5.

For adults, the National Trust has a wellbeing walk every Saturday starting at 10am.

Bembridge Windmill

A farming folklore trail in the grounds of the windmill. Children can follow the folklore and decide whether to plant or not to plant and give a little wheat seed the best chance to become a loaf.

Kids can discover the old farming folklore make that all important choice of when to plant. The trail is on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays until June 5.

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacon Lighting

In addition to activities at each of the National Trust historic properties, the National Trust are also assisting community groups to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee with beacon lighting on their land and places on the evening of June 2.

Some will be best viewed from a distance, some other will have access on foot, others will have limited car parking such the beacon lighting by the Bembridge community at Culver Down. Details will be posted on the National Trust Isle of Wight social media.

Isle of Wight Explorer Pass

The National Trust is also making it easier for residents of the Isle of Wight and visitors to the Island to have a taster of the joys of experiencing their attractions this summer.

A new Explorer Pass – a seven day ticket will offer value for money alternative to paying for individual entry to the National Trust’s places on the Island and paying for parking at their coastal sites.