Beautiful Brighstone

Well, I'm back in Brighstone again for an overnight stay and more dog-sitting. I have to say that I have completely fallen for this village; it is so peaceful in the cottage I stay in on the village outskirts, with more nature than you can shake a stick at just while you are having a cuppa in the garden. Gorgeous! Today I have seen a wren almost within touching distance, blue tits, pigeons, buzzards, wasps, at least three species of bumblebee and I'm hoping I'll see baby toads this evening (we were invaded last time!). Everyone that I have met in the village has been extremely friendly, welcoming and helpful too. 

After lunch I took the pooch for a walk, starting in Coombe Lane and wandering along the paths until we got back to the village centre, joining a large group of ramblers as we got there. We walked up towards the downs, then cut across a field following a path that gradually descended between walls of sandstone and earth, bordered with bracken and blackberries which came out on Upper Lane opposite the lane by the library. Very nice. Pooch found lots of things to sniff and had a thoroughly lovely time running about the lanes jumping at pigeons in the hedgerows.

In the evening I drove up to the car park at the top of Strawberry Lane and strolled up the down path while pooch ran after her tennis ball and explored. Glorious view from the top of the hill that I will forever adore.

Brighstone Down

After spending yesterday on the sofa under a fluffy blanket, listening to the rain, watching 'Call the Midwife', and eating biscuits and Welsh cakes, I thought that I ought to get some fresh air and exercise today. I set off for Brighstone and parked at the car park at the top of Lynch Lane, next to Strawberry Lane.

Coming out of the car park, I turned right and then picked up a footpath on the opposite side of the road and bimbled along it to see where it went. I hadn't brought a map. More on that later! I stopped periodically to gaze through my binoculars at hovering kestrels and soaring buzzards, riding the wind in the sky above me. Glorious. Wish I could do that! The path led on, passing Brighstone Forest on the left and showing glorious views along the west coast on the right. I never tire of that view. 

I paused for a while to sit on a stile and gaze across the countryside and seascape below, before continuing on towards a viewpoint showing the distance to lots of different places on the Island and around the world, and then past cattle sheds belonging to Cheverton Farm and a beautiful herd of cattle (all different colours), where I paused to lean on the gate and admire them for a while.  I was later overtaken by a family of mountain bikers and later I found a sign for the 'Devil's Spine', part of a mountain bike trail run by the farm. 

I turned back shortly after the cattle, and met a lady and her puppy; we had an interesting conversation about our mutual lack of skill at photography while her puppy bounced up and down next to me. Next, I turned along a footpath that led into the forest, assuming it would head for Lynch Lane. It did, in a roundabout way! I had no map, as mentioned earlier, and managed to get myself turned around. Having found a broader, stonier path than the rather damp one I was following, I began walking along it, not entirely sure in which direction I was going. That was fine; I was ambling up a hill and spotted a hare feeding on the grass and got quietly excited as I had never seen one before. Wow! I was glad I had the binoculars as I got a really good look at it without getting to close and scaring it off. Shortly after that I met another lady who informed me that I'd end up in Carisbrooke if I continued in that direction, so i turned round and found myself back at the car park fairly soon afterwards.

This was a lovely, gentle walk with magnificent landscapes, cloudscapes and seascapes, and lots of wildlife to spot. I saw several birds that I cannot identify, lots of insects, and there was an abundance of wild flora. I'll have to wander back soon and gather hazelnuts and sweet chestnuts. It was also good to see evidence of the forest being managed, with coppicing of sweet chestnuts evident.

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4798056.html

Distance: approx. 5 miles

Wootton and Briddlesford

Three of us set off on a exploration of the Wootton area this morning, at crack of dawn. Not entirely sure why, but it seemed like a good idea. We parked the car in Fernside Way, strolled round the corner to Station Road and turned left and went in search of a footpath. We rejected the first one we saw and took the second, heading blindly on (we did have a map but, well,...) until we eventually reached Briddlesford Road. We turned right again and continued until we got to Knights Cross and turned left down a farm track, past Knights Farm, and an antiques emporium until we came to the delightful Trufffles Tiny Campsite.

This was the main reason for the walk, as we had read about the campsite on Twitter and wanted to check it out. We were beguiled immediately! This was proper, almost wild, camping. With Llamas. We were shown around by Marnie, and saw the compost toilets (fantastic) and the wood burner, sunken fridge (butler sink with a lid), woodfire and solar heated shower, and outdoor kitchen area. Amazing. I felt like I wanted to live there all summer! I hope that it works out well as it is a lovely idea.

Afterwards we walked to Briddlesford Copse with Marnie and Stewart (a wild camper), and said goodbye, and then continued on to Wootton through Fernhill woods, past the ice house and Hurst Copse, picking blackberries on the way, then stopping at The Sloop for lunch before going home. Lovely!

Route: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/660662
Distance: 4.5 miles

Compost Toilet 

Camp kitchen