It was a boiling hot day today so what better than to take three fractious children for a stomp? We parked in a layby near Bembridge Windmill and headed towards the mill then strode confidently down the lane. We came to a fork in the path and I realised we were not where I intended to be, so back up the lane (quite steep) we toddled. We turned left at the windmill and headed across the fields towards Bembridge Airfield. The fields were full of wildflowers and alive with the sound of crickets and grasshoppers -we saw several - as well as butterflies and ladybird. The kids gambolled along the path having a wonderful time. We crossed the airfield and had several aircraft fly low above us several minutes later. Exciting!
We passed into Centurions Copse, following the path to a fork and taking the left path. We followed this until we came to the main Sandown Road. There was no footpath so we took our lives in our hands and walked along towards Bembridge, stopping at the Propeller Inn for a cold drink. We continued along the road, picking up a short footpath briefly, wandered along a lane, crossed back across the main road and onto Steynes Wood where we picked up the path back to the windmill. We stopped at the mill for an ice cream then went home.
Footpaths used: BB20, BB23, BB18, BB36
Distance: 3.86 miles
http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_3903756.html
