The penultimate day!

Thursday of our week in the Isle of Wight started off bright and sunny and so we hopped into the car and toddled off to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway - we couldn't miss this with Hugh's mania for steam trains!

The line is not long, but we rode it from one end to the other and back to the main station, enjoying the countryside scenery as we went.

We had our own compartment and decided to take a group photo using the self timer and my handbag as a tripod of sorts!

Hugh setting up the shot!

And here it is!

We all enjoyed our little ride and when we arrived back at the station Hugh went off to have a look at the engine sheds and the museum and Penny and I went and had refreshments in the restaurant! We then went over to have a quick look in the museum and came across a birds of prey display. Penny was thrilled to be able to hold an owl.

We met up with Hugh and then it POURED down with rain! We waited for a while in the waiting room and then made a dash for the car,

but not before Hugh got one more photo of the steam engine filling up with water!

We had watched the weather forecast the day before and it seemed that the rain would be less down towards the coast, so that was where we headed to have our picnic. We parked up in a car park overlooking the sea and ate in the car - it wasn't raining, but it was chilly! We then wrapped up and walked down the steps to the beach. We were amazed to be met by this:

Yes! A surfing dog! It was having great fun and every time it got onto the beach it got back onto the board and waited for his master to push him back out again!

Although it was very bracing the stroll along the beach was fun and we all looked for fossils and came upon a few of them.

Here is Penny with one - the details on the stone are below:

Well, so ended our last but one day on the Isle of Wight. What had we to look forward to on our last day? You will have to wait until my next post to find out!