Springfield Oaks

Fancy yourself as a bit of an animal admirer? Monkey Haven - Primate Rescue Centre (five minutes’ walk) has the likes of lemurs and gibbons, with their animal encounters bringing you up and close to some furry sorts. Butterfly World IOW (15 minutes’ walk) has free-flying butterflies for those wanting to see a slightly more fluttery creature If you’re just after a beach day, Ryde (15 minutes) will add in the bells and whistles like bars and restaurants. Shanklin (20 minutes) is its slightly more well-developed sibling, with a long, sandy bay, old village, sandstone cliff views, theatre and amusement games. A stroll to Shaklin Chine, which has a gorge and waterfall, makes for a rather pleasant pre- or post-swim activity too. There are a few big tourist attractions on the Isle of Wight that you might want to get to, like Blackgang Chine (25 minutes), the UK’s oldest theme park. The Needles (45 minutes) is another; its chalk cliffs and out-to-sea stacks are simply stunning, and with a chairlift and other attractions above the bay, it’s easy to make a whole day out of it.