Godshill

A friend and I fancied an afternoon out, rather than watch the royal wedding or the cup final, so we headed to Godshill and the Old Smithy car park. We then wandered across the road and into the first tea shop we saw, Old World Tea Rooms, and had a delicious cream tea. For lunch. Who cares, it was delicious and the sun was out.

 

Afterwards we walked to the side of the Griffin Inn and walked up the footpath and along the field, bordered by red Campion and horse chestnuts in full bloom. Gorgeous! The path led into the woods and uphill past the faded remnants of swathes of bluebells, through a field of sheep and lambs and down towards another, more gravelled, footpath. We had a choice of routes from here, and chose the one that led towards Appuldurcombe and Wroxall as we hadn't come out where I expected to. I had forgotten that I normally head up Gat Cliff and then down to Appuldurcombe, and had missed the turning in any case.

 

The walk to Appuldurcombe is lovely, passing through the magnificent Freemantle Gate, and into fields with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside; today we could see the seamark on the downs above Ryde, and Culver Cliff near Sandown.  Appuldurcombe was closed for a wedding, and we could see the party gathered about the ornamental fountain, and that they had two alpacas present. Unusual!

 

We walked as far as the road and the lovely Span Cottage, then retraced our steps to the junction and then down the path to Godshill, coming out just beyond the village on the main road. We headed back to the car park, browsed the Old Smithy shop then had another cuppa and a cake. Don't tell Slimming World...! This is a lovely afternoon's amble, particularly at this time of year.

 

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4742040.html
Distance: 4.5 miles




Freemantle Gate, from Godshill



Freemantle Gate, from Wroxall



Appuldurcombe House