Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2014/January 2015 | Page 37

RYDE
a hotel. It was badly damaged after a
fire in 2012, and reopened after major
restoration last year.
Stroll along Appley Beach to the east and
you cannot help but notice Appley Tower,
generally accepted as one of the most
famous iconic buildings on the Island.
For just £1 you can also journey up three
floors to the top floor viewing platform to
see one of the best views in Ryde.
There is also Beldornie Tower on
Augusta Road which was at one point a
property of the Earl of Yarborough. The
house dates back to the 16th or early 17th
century, and was virtually rebuilt around
1840 in Gothic-Jacobean style with the
addition of a west wing in 1880.
The hovercraft to Southsea is operated
by Hovertravel near the Esplanade close
to Ryde Esplanade railway station and the
bus station. A major bus interchange is
situated between Ryde Pier and the Hover
Terminal on the Esplanade with frequent
services to many Island towns and
villages. Ryde is the second busiest place
in the Southern Vectis network, smaller
only to Newport.
One of the highlights in the Ryde
calendar is its ever-popular carnival, the
oldest in the country. Actually there are
five carnivals in Ryde throughout the
year - an Arts Parade in June; Children's,
Main and Illuminated processions at the
end of August and a Lantern Parade in
December.
Ryde Carnival remains the Island's
largest carnival, with local crowds and

mainland visitors coming together and
totalling in excess of 5,000 spectators.
Performers consist of community groups,
schools, multiple samba and brass bands,
stilt walkers and family groups, to name
but a few. It’s colourful, captivating and
an event not to be missed.
In 2001 a London carnival group called
Kinetika was brought to the Island to
teach carnival skills to adults and young
people in community workshops. Since
Kinetika's input the carnival has been
expanding, with its effects felt throughout
the Island's other carnivals.
Near Ryde at Westridge from 2008 until
2011 was the Carnival Learning Centre,
funded by the Skills Funding Agency and
Arts Council, where carnival skills and
crafts were taught.
Ryde is always vibrant, but no more so
than every August Bank Holiday when
thousands of scooter enthusiasts from all
over England, and even Europe descend
on the town for the Isle of Wight Scooter
Rally. It’s a real throw-back to the days

of the Mods, who proudly show off their
scooters to the vernal public before taking
part in their traditional ride-out. And only
a few weeks later Ryde Esplanade can be
seen covered in cherished classic cars for
the International Classic Car Show.
Ryde is particularly popular with
younger members of the community at
weekends, with Union Street awash with
fun. But there is also plenty to see and do
for the older generation. As I mentioned
earlier - there’s something for all ages and
tastes in Ryde.
The Historic Ryde Society is a volunteerled group formed in 2009 interested in
the history of the town. The Society runs
the Ryde District Heritage Centre in the
basement of the Victoria Arcade in Union
Street - a treasure trove of displays about
Ryde and which also houses a historic
Ice Well dating from the 1800s. For
more information about the Society and
the Heritage Centre please go to www.
historicrydesociety.com.

"One of the highlights
in the Ryde calendar
is its ever-popular
carnival, the oldest
in the country."

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