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CHRISTINE FAUGHLIN
A fun-filled farm with an eclectic past provides a quirky hideout for a family weekend getaway
‘Are we really driving the car onto that big boat?’ our four-year-old son, Sidney, asks as we turn into the ferry terminal at Southampton. We’re sailing onwards to the Isle of Wight for a family weekend away, and having spent weeks talking only about the adventures that await at our destination Tapnell Farm, it turns out the most thrilling thing for a small boy is the thought of putting a car on a boat and crossing the sea. By the time we drive off the ferry at East Cowes, his excitement levels are off the charts.
Tapnell Farm is situated in a plum spot on the western side of the island with views in every direction. The family-run farm has a fascinating past – it was the site of the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival (where Jimi Hendrix played his last gig), became one of the island’s more prominent dairy farms, and was an early adopter of eco initiatives. It was also one of the first UK farms to offer glamping and now welcomes overnight guests and day-trippers through its gates.
Those staying over can take their pick from a manor house sleeping 20, self-catering cottages, eco-pods, modulogs (modular log cabins), geodesic domes, cabins and safari tents. Day visitors come to dine at on-site restaurant The Cow and explore Farm Park – afamily attraction where kids can let loose on go-karts, jumping pillows and sledge slides, explore straw barns and meet some animals. There’s even archery, axe-throwing, football golf and an aqua park.
We’re staying on the far side of the farm in a modulog nestled into the hillside and surrounded by little more than uninterrupted views and the Tapnell Trails walking path. It’s far enough away from the buzz of the main site to feel remote, yet near enough to pop back for a meal, a pint or a few bits from the farm shop. Sid immediately likens it to the Teletubbies’ dwelling and he’s not far wrong. It’s cosy, cute and well-proportioned, and while he explores its nooks and crannies, we unpack a hamper of Isle of Wight goodies. The location has one tiny downside – coastal winds hit us from all directions! On our first night, I get through a box of matches just trying to get the barbie going, and when we finally sit down
