We've got a ticket to Ryde

---

Another gorgeous blue sky today - so kind of summer to stay with us.

Off we went for a ride in Smart Arse to Ryde. We had heard there was a Classic Car rally on the seafront there so headed straight for the Esplanade and sure enough there were cars aplenty. First though we went along the pier. This dates back to the mid 1800s and is the second longest seaside pier in the country. Certainly long enough and we walked 1 mile just getting to the end and back.

It used to have a tram running down the middle but that has now gone but it has a wooden roadway to take the cars and pedestrians to the ferry station at the end and there is also a set of train tracks. Looking across to Portsmouth from the end of the pier it looked so close it was hard to believe we needed a ferry to get there. We saw quite a few ferries going back and forth including the catamaran and also the hovercraft.

We had a very pleasant walk in the glorious sunshine and then headed back towards the cars. Lots and lots to see of all sizes, shapes, colours and age. There were also people in those categories too plus many had dogs and tattoes.

We stopped for lunch along the promenade and had a special treat of fresh crab and chips. Yummy indeed.

We were there for 4 hours exactly. I know this because my phone warned me as we got back to the car that the parking was just about to expire. Am getting very used to parking via my phone nowadays though I first used it when we were in Cornwall in June.

The route back to the campsite followed the coast where we could and took us by Bembridge where we stopped at Duver for a paddle and an icecream. A very pleasant little beach and i might well have been tempted to swim if we had had our swimming things with us. On through Bembridge and a view of the Windmill there. A view only as it closed at 5pm so we got there just as they locked the gate.

Back at the campsite and a rest for our aching legs. Walked quite a way at Ryde.. the esplanade really is quite lengthy.

---