Mooches with a Pooch

This week a friend and I are house and dog sitting in Brighstone so have been exploring. Walks have included:

Coombe Lane Loop 1

Start at Coombe Lane (off Lynch Lane), follow past the farm buildings then turn right through a makeshift gate and walk uphill. At the top of the hill turn left and walk towards the Ramblers gate in the corner. Go through the gate and follow the path to a junction and turn left, following the path gradually downhill to a turning on the left. This looks like a tree lined tunnel, with a ditch on the left and leads back to the top of Coombe Lane.

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4784608.html 

Distance: approx. 2 miles

Coombe Lane Loop 2
Start in Coombe Lane, head past the farm buildings and take the path straight ahead (furthest left) and follow the path along, and around until you get to the upper end of the tree lined tunnel. Turn right here and follow the path uphill. Stay on the path, pausing to admire the view of the coast at the farm gate at the top, then continue downhill along the sunken path. The path ends on the main Shorwell - Brighstone road, where you should turn right and head back to the village, getting back to Lynch Lane and Coombe Lane via Upper Road.

Route: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/660659
Distance: approx. 2.3 miles

Totland Bay and Colwell Bay

We tried to park in Totland but all the side roads were being resurfaced it seemed, so we headed for Hurst Point View and parked there instead. We followed the road until it met footpath T1 and turned left towards Totland, cutting through One Horse Field on the way. This is a pleasant little nature reserve. We came out on a grass area and found a path that led to the coastal walk between the two bays, at the Pier Cafe. We turned right at the bottom and headed to Colwell Bay, marching along in the wind, turned round at the end and came back, pausing for a cup of tea and a doggie treat at the Pier Cafe. Lovely! Afterwards we continued along the seafront to the old Lifeboat station at Widdick Chine and followed the steps up to the road, back along Turf Walk and eventually to the car, via a run around the park.

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/edit/route_4784619.html 

Distance: approx. 3 miles

Brighstone Down

Start in Lynch Lane and walk uphill towards Strawberry Lane, and then on to the National Trust car park on the left. Pass through the gate opposite the entrance and follow the path uphill. We continued until we were roughly opposite the Long Stone at Mottistone, then turned back and went home!

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/edit/route_4786520.html 
Distance: approx. 2.5 miles

Ventnor to Shanklin

More travels with teenagers today. We were dropped off at Ventnor Botanic Gardens, left the car park, turned right and followed the road to the cricket pitch where we turned right again to go down to Love Lane. The path from here led us to Steephill Cove, where we walked above the beach for a while then along the shore path and up, steeply,  to Flowers Brook where we skipped down the hill towards the green and the pond, and continued along the path, up steep steps and on to Ventnor.

 

The road led along the seafront and we paused for a comfort break at the far end below the Winter Gardens. We continued along the seafront revetment  until we got to Bonchurch Pottery, and shortly afterwards took the path that led up through the woods to the church and East Dene House. The path skirted the edge of the grounds and led on to the Landslip, a local landmark which is heavily wooded. It was somewhat humid in the woods, and I suffered a bit. However, this gave me an excuse to stay at the back and mop up straggling students! We eventually emerged from the Landslip and followed the path past Dunnose Magna and on to Luccombe, from where we followed the road down to Shanklin, and then down on to the beach where we stopped for lunch and a well earned cuppa!   

 

I was absolutely exhausted by the end. This was a relatively short walk, but the heat and humidity combined with the ups and downs of the path made it hard going. However, we made it in one piece, and I finished the day judging a sand sculpture competition for another group of students from our school. Lovely.

Distance: 5.5 miles
Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4579407.html

West Wight

The sun came out today for the first time in ages so a friend and I headed to Freshwater Bay and sauntered up Tennyson Down. I had forgotten that the Down goes up and up and up, but luckily the views were worth it every time I had to stop to catch my breath (quite often!). We could see a long way down the west coast of the Island, as well as along the north coast with glorious views of the River Yar sparkling in the sun, Hurst Castle and Fort Albert. The Solent was flat as a pancake and very blue.

We continued to the Tennyson Monument and then down to the replica of Nodes Beacon and carried on for a while until the Old battery was in sight. We decided to head back then as we weren't sure there was still a cafe there and were getting peckish. We went back the way we came, admiring wildlife on the way; we saw a very tame robin, a kestrel, lots of small brown birds, gulls, and a very hairy brown caterpillar. There were also lots of solitary bees around, the occasional red-bottomed bumblebee and a few flies.

Back in Freshwater we had a cup of tea at a cafe but didn't fancy their sandwiches so headed down the coast to Isle of Wight Pearl, and were extremely satisfied by the food, and sorely tempted to try their cakes. We resisted, and instead strolled round the corner and walked down to Chilton Beach and along to Brook where we picked up the coastal trail and walked along the cliffs to the car park. On a couple of occasions as we walked along the beach parts of the cliff started crumbling; these were only mini falls of pebbles and soil, and we were glad nothing worse happened! The beach was, as ever, lovely and mostly deserted apart from the occasional dog walker. We didn't get back in time for cake unfortunately, but will definitely try again in the future!

View across Tennyson Down towards the Needles

Distance: approx 9.5 miles in total

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4717301.html 

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4717305.html 

Ryde to Seaview

I met up with a friend today, after we had planned to walk from Ryde to St Helen's and back. While I was waiting I watched the ducks and geese on the boating lake who were in full voice trying to woo each other and fight off competitors.  We walked along the seafront from the Duck cafe to Seaview, but the weather was against us so we called in to the bar at the Seaview Hotel to get out of the rain and have a coffee. We ended up staying for a sandwich too (yummy) before heading back into the drizzle and back to Ryde.

Despite the weather this was a lovely walk! The tide was out and the beach from Appley to Seaview looked glorious, and the views to the sea forts in the Solent were good. The  bar at the hotel was cosy and full of old prints of photos of the Island, and the sandwiches were generously filled. I shall definitely go back! 

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4697812.html

Distance: 4 miles

November and December 2017

It has been a quiet couple of months as I have been struck down with viral vertigo and unable to do much. Christmas was spent quietly with family, starting off with candlelit Nine Lessons and Carols at St Mary's Church, then a week later the Nativity at Holy Trinity Church, followed by Midnight Mass at St Mary's. I hadn't been to Midnight Mass for years and it was really rather lovely.

Yesterday I dragged a friend out and we went for a soggy stroll around Newtown (I always forget how wet it is in the winter), followed by a delicious cup of hot chocolate at the Cow Co. at Tapnell Farm. Lovely! 

Today I went to the Quay Arts Centre in Newport for their Sunday Recital; this was Paul Armfield and friends and jolly good they were too! Paul was joined by, among others, Tom Thorne on piano, John Thorne on double bass, Wilf Armfield on drums, JC Grimshaw on guitar and mandolin, Angelina Grimshaw on guitar and vocals, other Grimshaw's on violin and guitar, and some extremely talented chaps on violins and mandolin. The start was slightly shambolic, but as more people joined in everything came together and a lovely time was had by all. A great way to spend a damp Sunday morning ( and the tea was good too!).

Blackgang to Whale Chine

Quick walk today as the weather was looking dodgy. We parked at Blackgang Chine viewpoint car park (further up the hill from the theme park, and free), and followed the coastal path onwards Chale.  The path appeared fairly well used, but had nettles growing abundantly alongside it, so longer trousers than mine are to be recommended! And boots rather than hiking sandals. However, not too many stings and they wore off quickly. The path opened onto a field, the overflow car park for Blackgang Chine, led across it and back to the road. We followed the road downhill, over the traffic island, and rejoined the footpath on the left that led to the village. The footpath followed the road again, past the ancient St Andrew's church at Chale, and then turned left at the showground and headed towards the cliffs.

We continued along the cliff edge, admiring the dramatic scenery while also wondering whether we would inadvertently end up on the beach in a cliff fall as there appeared to be rather a lot of large cracks in the ground! The path ended abruptly at a large mound and turned inland over a make shift bridge, then back along the coast past a building that might have been a gun emplacement at one time. Hard to tell! The weather was in turns very blustery and then dead calm, which was odd as there weren't major changes in the landscape or the wind. It felt as though we would take off occasionally, and we laid flat on the ground to have a good look at a small chine (we saw two, Ladder Chine and Walpen Chine), without being blown over the edge! Once we reached, and had a good look at, Whale Chine, we turned back and followed the road until we got back to Chale. This was fairly uneventful, and we saw three beautiful alpacas along the way near the small, thatched Walpen Manor house.

Once we reached the car, the weather changed to wet and windy, so we decided a cup of tea was in order and headed to Isle of Wight Pearl, had a look at the jewellery, and had a cuppa and a bowl of homemade tomato soup to warm our cockles! Lush!

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4585224.html
Distance: 4.3 miles

Ladder Chine or Walpen Chine

Landslip with scout signs

Alpacas near Chale

St Andrew's Church, Chale

Firestone Copse and Quarr Abbey

It's been a while since my intrepid walking partner and I went for a stomp, but today was the day. We drove out to Firestone Copse near Wootton Bridge and parked the car. Our route led us along woodland pathways, with carpets of daffodils and wood anemones to our left and right, until we reached Firestone Copse Road. Turning left we followed the road until it met Kite Hill Road, the main road to Ryde. Crossing with caution we continued our route, turning left down a path next to a post box, which led to Fishbourne Lane and past the ferry terminal. We turned right up a bridleway opposite the Fishbourne Inn and followed a broad lane until we reached Quarr Abbey, home to Dominican monks on the Island. We had a glorious view of the Abbey, and paused briefly to admire their famous pigs - beautiful but smelly!

The path led downhill towards the mediaeval ruins of the original abbey, where we turned right and followed another footpath back to the main road. Taking our lives in our hands we sprinted across the road between fast cars (well, fast for the Island, and fast enough for us) and passed through a gate to a very muddy field beyond. The path quickly dried out and led through some woodland and past a large, private pond. More of a small lakelet really. Rather serene and beautiful anyway. Beyond this was a field with several stately oak trees, which we passed between, and came to a lane.

The lane led to Newnham Farm, so we followed the footpath through the farmyard and two fields, and then up a long, shallow hill. At the top we found a shrine to a local man who dies in the First World War, and also commemorated the men of Binstead and Havenstreet who also died in the war. This was a rather lovely memorial, and most unusual, so we paused for a few minutes to admire it.

The path continued down the hill to meet the other end of Firestone Copse Road, which we followed until we reached the copse and followed more woodland paths to the car park. We finished our afternoon with a visit to Briddlesford Farm Shop and the Bluebells Café. Perfect!

Route: http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4502120.html

Distance: 4.2 miles

Quarr Abbey

Medieval Abbey Ruins

Pond

War Memorial, Newnham Farm

Birthday Bimble

Well, my spectacularly bad route finding skills came in to play again today. After a delicious lunch at 'Off the Rails' café, we strolled along the remains of the railway line for a little while. My elderly Mother decided to go back to the car and said she'd meet us at Afton Garden Centre in 5 or 10 minutes. Hmmm.

We got to the end of the footpath and found ourselves on the Thorley Road, with no sign of another footpath. We turned left and followed the road for what seemed like miles, before seeing a footpath to East Afton. Perfect I thought! We need to get to Afton. HOWEVER, we didn't, we needed West Afton. After a trek through woodland, and across fields (scaring a pheasant on the way), we came out on the main Newport Road. The teenager was tired, so we sat on a tyre in the entrance to a farm track for a few minutes, enjoying the sunshine, then carried on until we finally got to Afton. We turned right at the main junction and trudged towards the Garden Centre, and were picked up by a wonderful friend who drove us the last few hundred yards to our destination, where my Mother was sat happily drinking tea. All was well!

View from Off the Rails

Route: http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4484020.html
Distance: 4.85 miles

Route we should have taken: http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4484031.html

Isle of Wight Festival 2016

The Isle of Wight Festival was on this weekend and I was able to get in for the cost of a t-shirt and the proviso that I supervised some teenagers for a few hours. Sorted! I also got a staff wristband which had the advantage that I had access to a nice toilet. As the ticket was effectively free I didn't feel obliged to stay the whole weekend and see absolutely everything, but had a lovely time and went home when I was tired instead. My highlights are as follows:

Friday:

I watched Jess Glynn on the main stage - she was superb, and got the whole crowd going. I had no idea who she was, but realised I knew all her tunes! Jess had incredible trousers;I would like a pair - no idea where I would wear them, but they were green and shiny and lovely.  I'm only mentioning her outfit as I want her trousers - no other performer had that effect on me! I just missed seeing 'Busted' but heard them from further afield and they sounded good. Later in the afternoon I went to the 'Big Top' and watched Gabrielle Aplin; I had never heard of her or her music and thoroughly enjoyed her set. Really talented. In the evening I watched Stereophonics on the Main Stage, who were also excellent and would be worth seeing again. For food I purchased a veggie burger from the wonderful 'Tansy's Pantry' (a vegetarian café in a double Decker bus) and followed it up with a cup of tea and a slice of Jaime's exquisite chocolate orange cake. Yum yum yum! One of the funniest things I saw was a teenager carrying a stack of plastic pint 'glasses' taller than herself by at least two feet, looking for the recycling point; lots of enterprising children were earning extra money by collecting these glasses and trading them in at 10p each. The teenager I met later told me she had earned £37 that day. Wow!

Saturday:

I was mostly busy with teenagers until late afternoon but once free I went for a pootle around the site; I was hungry and found late lunch at 'Somerset Pork' in the form of pulled pork, crackling and stuffing in a bun, washed down with a cuppa. Very nice. I sat in the main arena while I ate it and listened to the end of 'The Corrs' set in the sunshine. Afterwards I pottered through the Octopus Garden then made my way through the fairground, where I met an old friend on the Scout stall; I dragged her away and we had a fun hour wandering round the shops looking at sequinned clothes and all the tat you normally get at festivals. When she left I went back to Tansy's Pantry for more cake and a cuppa, and chatted to the owner's Mum, who I knew, and watched people go by. We then went and watched a band in Kashmir Café.  This band were local, as were all performers in Kashmir Café, and called 'Bobby I Can Fly'. They had been playing together for years and were really good, so I'll try and catch them again. Afterwards I wandered back towards the main arena, pausing outside the Big Top to listen to the rest of the Buzzcocks set. I couldn't get in as there was a big crowd, but it was a sunny evening so didn't matter. After that I decided to go home; I was really tired, and although I would have liked to see The Damned, and Adam and the Ants, my bed was beckoning.

Sunday:

More teenage supervision, but this time accompanied by the delightful tones of a group of ladies singing swing tunes in Cirque de la Quirk. I didn't catch the name of the group, but they sang songs such as Chattanooga Choo Choo very nicely. I sang along. Once the teenagers had finished their task, we made our way to Kashmir Café and watched the Medina Ukulele Orchestra; this consisted of students from Medina College (where the festival is held, mostly), playing ukuleles and singing. Their standard was very high and they played to a full tent. Excellent! Later in the day I watched Mike and the Mechanics on the main stage and was again surprised by how many of their songs I knew and could sing along to. I really enjoyed their set too! For late lunch I had a crispy duck wrap, with chips on the side, both of which were scrumptious. I do like festival food! I made my way home after this as I was still tired, and had lots to do before Monday.

The Isle of Wight Festival was great fun. I wasn't sure what to expect as one hears such wildly different stories from locals. I found that it was extremely well managed and had enough variety of performers to suit the taste of the myriad people there, who seemed to range in age from new born to septuagenarians. I'm not sure that I would go if I had to pay the full price, mostly because I'm a bit tight, but I think it is good value for money considering how much you would pay to see one headline band in a large venue, and how much you would pay to travel, especially from our beautiful Island. I think I might try it out again next year.....

Wootton Circular Walk

Yet another windy February Day on the lovely Isle of Wight, so we headed for Wootton with two teenagers. As my friend had new boots we decided to do a short walk to break them in. The Ramblers had written a route of three miles so we decided to follow that.

We parked the car in Brannon Way, and headed off up the road via Mary Rose Avenue until we got to Station Road. Here we turned left, and then left again into Packsfield Lane, following it as far as the railway track for Isle of Wight Steam Railway. We crossed over and followed the pathways through extremely muddy fields full of sheep, and some damp but less muddy woodland; as we entered the field we watched a farmer rounding up his sheep with an apparently incompetent sheep dog in the neighbouring field, who were being watched in turn by a flock of geese. After a while we came to another railway crossing. On the other side of the crossing was a solid path leading through woodland and past fields, covered in leaf mould and little rivulets of water all the way back to Wootton Bridge. We stopped on the way to inspect an ice house that belonged to the Fernhill Estate, the house of which burned down in the 1930s. We also paused to watch three buzzards circling overhead in the strong updrafts that were preceding the coming storm.

This was a lovely walk, with signs of spring approaching - daffodils and catkins mostly, and some lovely winter-flowering cherry blossom. On the final stretch was woodland and a wildlife reserve that need further exploring on a less stormy day. On the way back we stopped for another cup of tea at Briddlesford Farm's Bluebell's Café. Cos we could. Oh yes, we DID NOT GET LOST. Not even once. Whoop whoop!

Route: http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4243651.html

Distance: 3 miles

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Ice House Information

Mud glorious mud!

Appley to Seaview

The teenager and I have decided to go for a walk every Sunday afternoon for the foreseeable future, come rain or shine. I'm not sure about the last bit as we are essentially creatures of comfort who prefer to stay in the dry, if not the warm. However, we have made a start.

 

We drove to Ryde and parked in the car park behind Appley Tower, a folly on the seafront, then strolled through the soggy park and down to the promenade. From here we turned right, headed past the tower and stomped along the seafront past the wintry, sandy beach full of dog walkers, and avoided small children on bicycles and scooters. The wind was behind us, and the drizzle was upon us, but we carried on, chatting amiably about films, books and school. Very pleasant. The promenade took us past lots of fading Victorian and early 20th century villas, and as far as the beginning of Seaview, a lovely village, and its extremely nice beach houses. When the path turned towards the village proper, we turned back, and detoured through Puckpool Park, built in the remains of a 19th century coastal fortification.

 

On the way home we made a minor detour and stopped for a cuppa and a slice of cake at Bluebell's Café at Briddlesford Farm. Very nice it was too, and I highly recommend the lemon drizzle cake!

Roman Lunch

We had a trip on the North Island again today, and stopped off for lunch at Fishbourne Roman Palace. We didn't view the remains of the palace as we'd been before - worth a visit if you haven't been though. I had the Roman Platter which consisted of two large slices of olive bread, a good dollop of hummous, plenty of black olives, lots of feta cheese and some salad. Delicious, and washed down with cups of tea from the generous 'pot of tea for one'. The teenager had a cheese and tomato panini which I was assured was also delicious.

 

The view from the café was pleasant, looking onto a turfed area, with a couple of hillocks, several oak trees, and a small pavilion. It looked as though some archaeology was happening on one of the hillocks. There was a horse in the distance and lots of trees just changing into their autumn colours. I think that we'll stop off there regularly!

Nammet

We've been eating out a bit recently. Earlier this week I took my Mum to Bluebell's Café at Briddlesford Lodge Farm for birthday lunch. This is usually very good, and today was no exception. I had a chicken and bacon club sandwich with salad, and Mum had a toasted gammon and cheese sandwich with salad. Both were made from 'doorstop' slices of granary bread and were scrumptious. The teenager had sausage and mash with gravy, which was also delicious, but such a large portion that even she was outfaced! After lunch we waddled across the farmyard to the farm shop and had a look round. Lots of delicious goodies for sale which were most tempting.

 

This evening I went to Ryde with a chum and we ended up eating at 'Ada Mediterranean Kitchen' in Union Street. Delicious! We had a selection of mezze, including pastry wrapped feta cheese, deep fried haloumi, falafel, lamb kofta, stuffed vine leaves, aubergine and other vegetables, and a sausage and tomato dish. We finished with coffee. Overall we were very satisfied, and the meal was good value for money, with excellent service. I shall go there again!

 

 

*nammet is an Isle of Wight word. I use it to mean any meal, but that may be a bit broad.