3 days in the Isle of Wight

Three days, eight stops and not a single long haul between them: this is a trip built around short hops and slow lunches. Day one is the gentlest, with just 4.3 miles from Uppark House to The Barley Mow — a 5/5 food hygiene rating and Sunday hours of 12:00-18:00 — then 8.2 miles on to Petersfield Museum. Day two stretches its legs with 34.8 miles to Trafalgar House, before Longford Castle turns up a mere 2 miles later.

Day three is the open-air one: 14.2 miles into the New Forest National Park, then 3.3 miles to The New Forest Wildlife Park, which states disabled access. Base yourself well and the whole thing loosens up. Channel View Hotel puts Shanklin station and Shanklin beach — rated Excellent for bathing water by the Environment Agency — both 0.4 miles away, while Willow Barn sleeps seven with EV charging nearby.