Buckler's Hard Village
The 2022 event, delayed from 2021 due to Covid, was a great success although our stay on the Isle of Wight was somewhat compromised by the Royal Family announcing the Queen’s funeral was to be held on our last day there so everything shut down! Hopefully this time there will be no problems but just in case we’re staying an extra day at the 4-star Lakeside Park Hotel which was highly rated by everyone last time.
The location back on the mainland is the historic Master Builder's hotel at Buckler's Hard, the facade of which you can see at the end of the row of cottages on the left-hand side, where we are based for four nights at the end of the tour. This stunning location, on the Beaulieu River and part of the Maritime museum, is ideal for visiting the Montagu Motor Museum and exploring the New Forest. The weather last time was brilliant so fingers crossed!
Entries are restricted to just twenty-six places as that is the total number of rooms at the Master Builders and once the twenty-six rooms are gone a reserve list will be started. There is the possibility of an overspill hotel but it is some distance away.
Listed below is the itinerary for the event, which, as usual with all Country Lane Tours events, is designed to be a relaxing holiday with your car, not just an old car rally. There is no night driving, and absolutely no competition, other than getting to the bar first!
Thursday, September 4th. Arrivals during the day at the 4-star Marriott Hotel, Portsmouth.
Prosecco reception at 7pm followed by dinner.
Above: Isle of Wight South Coast Road
Mary Rose
Friday, September 5th. After breakfast we take a short run to the Historic Dockyard Museum. There's a great deal to see and experience, especially Henry the Eighth's favourite warship the Mary Rose, raised from the seabed in 1982 after over four hundred years buried in the mud and now housed in a bespoke building. Nelson's Victory, HMS Warrior and the static displays will keep you intrigued.
Leaving the dockyard we travel a short distance and board the ferry to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight.
The Lakeside Park Hotel and Spa is just a mile and a half from the ferry terminal.
Dinner 7.30pm. Mileage for day – 10
Above: Osborne House
Saturday, September 6th. We start the day with a trip on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway before heading to Osborne House, Queen Victoria's favourite residence, with its ornate rooms and spectacular gardens. A light lunch is arranged for 2pm.
Dinner 7.30pm.
Sunday, September 7th. Free day to explore.
The Needles
Monday September 8th. Today we take a scenic route along the south and west coasts of the island, calling for coffee and possible retail therapy at Isle of Wight Pearl before arriving at The Needles, one of the seven natural wonders of the UK.
After a light lunch there will be a glass blowing demonstration at Alum Bay Glass.
The next stop is ferry port at Yarmouth and the thirty-five minute crossing to Lymington on the mainland.
It's eight miles from Lymington to the Master Builder's Hotel at Bucklers Hard and there will be plenty of time to relax before dinner which each evening is 7.30pm. Mileage for day - 60 (approx)
Tuesday, September 9th. A relaxed day with a chance to explore your surroundings. The hotel is in Buckler's Hard village which is part of the Maritime Museum complex. There will be the opportunity to take a short guided boat tour on the Beaulieu river which has been arranged for the late afternoon. Mileage for day - 0
Wednesday September 10th. National Motor Museum and Beaulieu Palace House. Country Lane Tours has special reserved parking inside the grounds of the museum and access to all attractions, including the monorail. Lunch will be in the Brabazon restaurant.
Beaulieu Palace House has been the home of the Montagu family since 1538 and features many interesting artefacts. Beaulieu Abbey has a display of art and needlework by Belinda, Lady Montagu.
Thursday, September 11th. A scenic run through the New Forest with visits to Ringwood Brewery (assuming it’s now reopen) and the amazing Eling Tide Mill. Of course, should you feel strong enough, you could do a slight detour to Ower, the location of Peppa Pig World, where you could bump into Boris!
Friday, September 12th. Departure for home.
New Forest Traffic Calming
What's included in the cost?
- One night's D,B&B accommodation at 4-star Marriott Hotel, Portsmouth
- Superior rooms at Marriott Hotel
- Prosecco reception at Marriott Hotel, Portsmouth
- Entry to all attractions at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
- Ferry Portsmouth – Fishbourne – the most expensive ferry in the world!
- Three nights' D,B&B at Lakeside Park Hotel, Ryde
- Lake view rooms at Lakeside Park Hotel
- Trip on Isle Of Wight Steam Railway
- Entry to Osborne House & gardens
- Light lunch at Osborne House
- Coffee & cake at Isle of Wight Pearl
- Alum Bay Glass experience
- Light lunch
- Ferry Yarmouth – Lymington
- Four nights' dinner, bed & breakfast at Master Builders Hotel
- Entry to National Motor Museum and all other attractions
- Lunch in Brabazon restaurant at National Motor Museum
- Ringwood Brewery tour
- Entry to Eling Tidal Mill
- Light lunch at Eling Tidal Mill
- Detailed road book
- Rally plates
- Windscreen sticker
- Sundry extras
- Presence of tour organiser throughout to deal with any problems
The Master Builders has only twenty-six rooms so the tour is restricted to twenty-six entries which will be allocated on a first-come, first served basis.
For the first time on a Country Lane Tours event ALL meals, apart from two lunches, are included because of how the tour is constructed. It does mean that other than those two lunches you only need to pay for fuel and drinks, unless, of course, you're tempted to purchase something at the Isle of Wight Pearl Centre!
The event finishes on the morning of Friday September 12th which is the day the Goodwood Revival starts so you could combine the two!
It took three preliminary reconnoitres of the tour before it finally took place in 2022 and of course there will be another check before the 2025 event to make certain nothing has changed.
One of the problems with organising UK tours is the serious escalation in the cost of everything, especially hotels still trying to claw back some money from the Covid shut down period. That said, the Isle of Wight ferry is the most expensive in the world on the basis of distance travelled!
The cost for this all inclusive tour is £1,895 per person based on two people sharing and £475 PER PERSON deposit, refundable until June 30th 2025 less £10 admin fee secures a place. Single supplement £350.
The balance is payable by July 1st 2025 - an invoice will be sent.
Above: HMS Warrior
