“Mermaid and Stag, the two rocks of Freshwater Bay”
Isle of Wight. The largest island in England (apart from main land of course) is located in the English Channel, about 4 miles south from Hampshire. It is about 25 miles by 13 miles (148 sq miles or 384 sq Km). It has a few attractions amongst them being: Osborn House in East Cowes – house for Queen Victoria; Carisbrooke Castle – where King Charles Ist was imprisoned, Ventnor with the Botanical Garden, Shanklin – famous for the esplanade, the beach and the Chine; Godshill – a little village known for its church and its “model village” -a very large model village of itself and old Shanklin, which contains the model of the model village itself with a second even smaller model village inside. Other places to visit include the Blackgang Chine where is the UK’s oldest amusement park, Garlic farm, Monkey Haven, The steam Railway, The Needles with its coloured sand at Alum Bay and the chair lift to the beach and many, many more.
The Isle of Wight is also famous for the Isle of Wight Festival – an annual music festival and for the Garlic Festival held annually at Garlic Farm.
Oasis is a shop for home decorations which sells staff from Bali, Africa and Asia.
Drift is a chain of two shops, one in East Cowes and one in Yarmouth - they go every year for 3-4 months around the world and bring unique one off items.
And is also renown for its picturesque views.
Anyway, it is one of our favourite places and we visit it with every occasion.
On the southwest coast, south from the lovely village Freshwater, lays Freshwater bay with one of the most picturesque beaches in West Wight. There are two large chalky rocks named Stag, the one further away from the cliff and Mermaid closest. In between them was an Arch Rock which collapsed during a storm in 1992.
We have visited the place two weeks ago and took some lovely photos.
So this week I did a painting after a photo of the Freshwater Bay, featuring the two rocks.
“Mermaid and Stag, the two rocks of Freshwater Bay”
Oil on linen
30 X 40cm (12” X 16”)
