Seaview Circular Walk

 Today was cold but bright, at least to start with, so a trip to Seaview seemed in order. Parking at the car park in Pier Road, we found the coastal path and started walking along it. The path along the road, then up and behind some magnificent houses, and past some significant earthworks,  then led along the seafront for a little while. The coastal path leads uphill and past the Priory Bay Hotel, leading to the end of the estate, down the road past Nodes Point Holiday Village, through a kissing gate on the left hand side and downhill through fields to St Helen's Duver Beach. We slowed down here and ambled along the seafront in search of a cup of tea, but the cafe was closed. We continued along, looking through cracks into beach huts which looked long abandoned but which will be used again soon I am sure, as soon as the weather warms up. They were once railway carriages.

We turned back and followed the beach to Nodes Point, past the remains of the church, and the partially submerged causeway that leads to Bembridge Fort at very low tides. The beach swings round past a rising, wooded cliff to a heap of rocks on the waters edge. We scrambled carefully over these, and came eventually to Priory Bay, thanking heaven that it was low tide! The beach here is pristine, a great sweep of sand with woods on one side and the sea on the other. Someone had taken the time to take great branches of driftwood, and partially burned logs and stand them upright in a rough line as an art installation. By this time the sky over Portsmouth was growing ever blacker, the sea was streaked with green, and the branches stood stark against the pale sand, the green sea and the darkening sky. Wonderful. 

Continuing on, we left Priory Bay and entered Seagrove Bay. There was a raised wooden walkway here leading to the promenade, so we followed this for a while before returning to the beach. Unfortunately, at this point the weather from Portsmouth hit the Island and we were caught in a mini snowstorm, rushing for shelter against the sea wall and watched the sand blowing along the beach. As the snow didn't let up we continued back along the coastal path to the car park and huddled for warmth against the heater. Glorious walk!

St Helen's Church

Railway Carriage Beach Huts

Periwinkles

Art installation

Carisbrooke - how many ways?

During this past year I have had many walks centering on Carisbrooke Castle, and have found several new footpaths and variations to my regular walk. The castle is such a focal point locally; not incredibly imposing until you're close by, but there in the background much of the time.

My regular walk goes along the footpath from the road entrance to Victoria Recreation Ground (Recreation Ground Road/ Wilver Road), to Wellington Road. From here I pick up another footpath leading past St Thomas' Primary and Christ the King College and on towards the ancient church. You can either go through the churchyard or straight on past the duck pond to Gunville Road (or right to the estate if you feel so inclined). Either way leads to the mini-roundabout. From here I cross to Clatterford Road, and continue along to Clatterford Shute which leads down to a ford through Lukely Brook, and on to Well Lane. From here I walk up the steep path to the castle carpark, round the moat path to a sunken path leading downhill back to Castle Hill, and from there to Spring Lane (another ford) and back to the Village.

I don't always have the energy to walk up the hill to the castle so wander along Miller's Lane instead, which is pretty. From Castle Hill, there are two footpaths leading downhill to either Miller's Lane or Castle Lane. 

I discovered another footpath recently;  having decided not to walk to the castle, I walked along Whitepit Lane as far as JJ's Chip Shop and found a footpath heading to the Castle. Well. I had to see where it went! The path led uphill for three quarters of a muddy mile and I eventually slithered out at the top of Mountjoy, between the deer park and the cemetery. There were benches in strategic places (yay!), and I paused several times to admire the magnificent view across Newport and straight up the River Medina. It wasn't because I was unfit, honest. Mind you, it was a narrow path and very muddy after recent rain so it was quite a tricky slither. Anyway, the path continued past the cemetery to Whitcombe Road, with the option of a path to Nunnery Lane. The road must be crossed here, and after a brief walk up hill leads to the castle moat via another short path.

I chose not to go to the moat that day as it had been very muddy the day before and I had done enough slithering about, so I followed the road round to Froglands Lane and stomped down here, past another ford, and hedgerows full of catkins and snowdrops. The lane joins up with Clatterford Shute  and Miller's Lane.

Another route was somewhat less direct; I walked along to Shide then up Nunnery Lane (very narrow and very little wiggle room if a car drives along). Nunnery Lane comes out at the top of Whitcombe Road opposite the carpark, and next to Carisbrooke Priory. From there, take your pick of routes already mentioned!

Newport and St George's Down

Lockdown 3 and lots of local exploration has been going on. Today I had a socially distanced ramble with a chum, in the freezing February sunshine. We meandered around the town for a little while, then headed up St John's Road to Watergate Road and down the footpath at the side of St George's School to Shide. From here we joined the footpath along the river and headed towards Blackwater. After a while, and a brief stop for a cuppa from a thermos, we came to a bridge and turned left along a muddy, permissive path back to the main road, passing the cricket club on our way. 

We took our lives in our hands and crossed the road and joined a footpath leading up to St George's Down. This led past Standen House, a rather lovely country pile with a nice front lawn and a haha. The path continued up the hill into woodland, calm and quiet and lovely. After a while, and several stops for two unfit females to catch their breath, and also being passed four times by an enthusiastic runner trying to work off his dinner, we reached the top, coming out on the Bembridge Trail. 

Turning left we continued along the path, dodging large frozen puddles and passing Newport Golf Club. The path met with St George's Lane which we descended slowly, pausing often to admire the views across the valley to the hills beyond. Along the way we found several bushes with icicles hanging from them, something I have not seen for some time. The lane joined with Pan Lane, and we walked along to a footpath that led past some houses and back to the main road. A little further along we crossed over and joined the river path back to the town centre; we saw a heron standing on a little island of reeds mid-river and stopped for a while to watch it. Magnificent.