Brighstone 2019

Well, we were invited back to Brighstone to house - dog - and - cat sit and leapt at the chance. The weather started off cool and damp but we had some nice walks with the dog. Our first was from the National Trust car park at the top of Lynch Lane, up the downs as far as we could until the path started dipping back down towards Brooke. We turned back then as I had a nettle sting under the strap of my sandal. And there was a big hill to walk back up. During the afternoon we had to go to Newport, so we took the dog, let her scare off all the cats in my garden, then went to Carisbrooke Castle and walked twice around the moat, watching teenagers struggling to jump off walls. We didn't laugh, honest. In the evening we strolled  along Coombe Lane, up the green footpath and then back along another which was somewhat overgrown and nettley, and back to the cottage.

On Monday we drove to Chilton Chine and had a lovely walk along the beach throwing the ball for Rosie, as far as Grange Chine, and then strolled back in the driving drizzle picking up litter on the way. We got a reasonable amount. After lunch we left the dog at the cottage and went to Mottistone Manor gardens; I had never been before as I always got the day it opened wrong. The gardens were much larger than they appeared from the road, and had many well planted herbaceous borders and mature trees, with a particularly spectacular Mulberry tree. I hadn't seen one before, and it was covered in fruit. There was also a lovely specimen of a weeping lime tree, absolutely humming with bees in its canopy. We finished with a look at the plant stall (I bought one, oops), a cup of tea and a cake in the tea garden, and a look around the 'shack'; this was a wooden building raised on staddle stones and laid out rather like a boat cabin, with high level bunks, two large desks, a kitchen area and bathroom. It was used as an architects office by the owner in the 1930s. I want one! In the evening we went for another walk with the dog along Coombe Lane, up to the top of the down, across a sheep field and down a gully into a sunken lane and back into Moortown Lane in Brighstone, and then home. Lovely, except for the biting flies.

Tuesday was hot. After breakfast we took Rosie for a walk in the shade of Brighstone Forest, which was lovely and cool and had lots of interesting smells. We came to a crossroads and started walking on, but Rosie picked her ball up, turned around and trotted off in the direction we had come from so we gave up and followed her back to the car! One determined pooch!

The rest of the week followed a similar theme with walks on the downs and the beach. I did a lot of paddling. We had lunch one day at the Piano cafe in Freshwater (lovely open steak sandwich), and also went and explored Ventnor on the opening day of Ventnor Fringe festival. We had lunch at a little Italian restaurant on the seafront, then mooched around the town, ending with delicious ice creams from Crave, a visit to the book bus and a look at The Shed, which had an exhibition about Greenham Common, and sold handmade pottery.

We had a lovely week exploring the countryside and chilling out. We saw lots of fauna, including woodpeckers, coal tits, red squirrels, lots of butterflies, dragonflies, newts, toads, pigeons, herring gulls, buzzards, kestrels, and water boatmen to name a few. This truly is a magical Island.

Sundown at Chilton Chine

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 

Chilton Chine to Brook Chine

Today was an absolutely glorious winter day with clear blue skies, low temperatures and a slight breeze. Gorgeous! We were going to go on a hilly walk but the teenager wasn't feeling overly energetic so we headed to Chilton Chine and one of my favourite beaches on the Island. The tide was starting to come in but we had four hours or so until high tide, so we started down the steps to the beach (not for the faint hearted at the bottom) and strode off towards Brook.

There was lots to see; this part of the Island has amazing geology with crumbling cliff faces, and random boulders on the shore. We think we saw a cast of a dinosaur footprint but neither of us really know what we're looking for! The boulders are wonderful, eroded by the sea into weird and wonderful shapes, somewhat like the teeth of giants in places. I love the red reef here, punctuated by rock pools and stretching out to sea. The surf starts some distance out, and is good for proper surfing further up the coast. At one point we noticed somebody had been doing some extreme recycling; there was a rope ladder dangling down the cliff face with some plastic crates piled above in a crevice with ropes dangling towards them. Odd!

The coastal views are glorious, stretching to Freshwater Bay and Tennyson Down in the north and down to Blackgang Chine in the south. The crumbling clay cliffs are replaced by soaring chalk downs at Freshwater, making a stark yet beautiful contrast. 

Once we got to Brook Chine we paused briefly then headed briskly back, not wanting to be caught by the high tide. I think we had plenty of time, but it isn't a good coast to be caught out on. Definitely a walk worth doing regularly!

Distance: 3.8 miles
Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4691335.html 

Dinosaur foot cast?

Extreme recycling

Brook Chine

View to Tennyson Down

Chilton Chine

Chilton Chine to Whale Chine

Parked at Chilton Chine, walked past Isle of Wight Pearl and headed towards Grange Chine via Brighstone Holiday Centre. On the outskirts were derelict chalets, brightly painted, very close to the cliff edge and clearly not safe to use, but round the corner was the holiday centre proper, with chalets, tents and caravans and lots of families clearly enjoying themselves. The footpath led down into Grange Chine, over a bridge and up steps to the cliff top above. I paused for a few minutes to enjoy the view here - lovely.

I strolled along the cliff edge through wildflower meadows, past herds of Guernsey cattle, watching beetles, ladybirds, buzzards, bumblebees, and flies, and listening to crickets in the grass. The path rose steeply as it approached Barnes High, and I found a welcome bench at the top where I stopped to catch my breath and admire the view along the coast to Tennyson Down, and inland to the downs around Brighstone and Shorwell.

The path continued onwards along the crumbling clifftop - much evidence of recent cliff falls -  to Atherfield Bay Holiday Camp at Shepherd's Chine. The path led inland through the campsite here, around the chine, and crossed over above a pond which fed the stream further down the chine. Before I found the path leading around the chine, I blindly followed a path and steps down to the beach; I had misread a sign at the top of the steps saying there was no access to the cliff top from here, and on the face of it this appeared to be true. However, this merely meant that if you walked along the beach towards Blackgang Chine, there was no way of getting back up. I sat on the beach for a bit before figuring out my mistake, and carried on. Beyond the chine, the path continued to Atherfield Point, where there was a unusual homemade memorial to  the shipwreck of the Sirenia on Atherfield Ledge. I was going to stop here and go back, but I thought I might as well continue to Whale Chine, so I did.

I had never been to Whale Chine, and the path down it is closed, and has been for ten years, due to coastal erosion. The chine was by far the most magnificent that I had seen today, with high cliffs sculpted by wind and studded with the burrows of nesting birds. I turned inland here, thinking I would walk back along the Military Road, but on realising that the verges were narrow and sloping, and the traffic was fast, decided to go back the way I had come. This was a delightful walk, with wonderful wildlife and scenery. Gorgeous.

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4582754.html
Distance: 10.5 miles



Derelict chalets



Grange Chine



Grange Chine to Tennyson Down



View to Barnes High



Bridge near Grange Chine



Shepherd's Chine



Sirenia information



Whale Chine entrance

Beating the February Blues

I felt properly miserable with the world today, so in order to cure it I went for a drive followed by a breezy walk. I drove along the lower road to Brooke, with a pretty clear run, blasting 1990s dance music through the stereo and gradually cheering up. I turned onto the Military Road on the west coast and sped along until I got to Chilton Chine, where I parked up. A narrow path led between hedges until it came to the cliff edge and led down good steps at first, which turned into rather worn, muddy steps leading down the lower part of the cliff, with a handrail of scaffold poles to cling on to. A stream gushed along the chine itself, which was littered with broken lobster pots and bits of wood. The steps ended near the bottom of the cliff and after a short scramble across a shingle bank I was on the broad, sandy beach at low tide. The low tide exposed a reef where the cliff had once been, with parts that may have been a petrified forest - there is one further up the coast anyway. The beach stretched away along the base of the cliffs and appeared deserted. Excellent! I strode off on the firm sand, investigating rock pools and looking for smooth stones. I kept away from the cliffs as they looked rather loose, and had clearly had some cliff falls recently. Not being entirely sure if the tide was going out or coming in, I didn't go too far as there wasn't another exit from the  some time. On the way back I met a very friendly dog and her owner, and spied a heron out on the reef. Back up the precarious steps to the car, and I felt very grateful to live in such a beautiful place and rather less miserable than I had been at the outset. Hurrah!

 

 

Summer Strolls

We go for a few short strolls around the place as the fancy takes us, so I thought I'd list them here.

Cowes Seafront

This is always a nice walk at this time of year; the town is bustling with sailors and tourists, there is usually yacht racing on the Solent, and many people are out on the seafront watching the sailing, playing on the beach or strolling along the promenade. We also have the pleasure of fairly regular visits from a common seal who likes to lounge on the old steps by the Royal Yacht Squadron.

Ryde Seafront

We like to stroll from the boating lake to Appley Tower, the café beyond or even Seaview if we're feeling energetic. Often we paddle in the sea as this is a sandy beach, and get an ice cream from one of the vendors along the way. One's route back is often marked by the smoke from multiple disposable barbecues, with the pleasurable scent of sizzling sausages Along the way.

Cowes to Newport Cycle Track

This is a lovely walk along the route of the old railway, with plenty of shade on sunny days, and lovely views across the river Medina, and the surrounding farmland. Lots of wildflowers and wildlife, as well as walkers, runners and cyclists.

Chilton Chine

A good walk for small children and dogs! Park near Isle of Wight Pearl on the west coast of the Island, follow the path to some steps that lead down to the beach and have a pleasant walk and paddle. Keep an eye on the tide as it comes in quite quickly and there aren't many exits back up the cliffs.

Chilton Chine

Another glorious spring day on the Isle of Wight, and I was off out to lunch with a friend in Brighstone.  The drive to Brighstone was delightful; turning left at The Sun Inn at Calbourne meant I drove along a country road passing Winkle Street,  between arches made of tree branches meeting the hedge opposite, leaving dappled patterns of sunlight on the road.  We had lunch then we loaded my friends' dogs into her car and headed for the military road in search of a beach. We parked at Chilton Chine, near Isle of Wight Pearl and headed along a short footpath to a dilapidated, but stable, stairway to the beach below, bordering the chine. Turning right at the bottom we headed along the beach, throwing balls for the dogs and putting the world to rights. The sky was a glorious blue, with fluffy white clouds, and there was a stiff breeze blowing. We were well wrapped up though, so that didn't matter. The beach was strewn with boulders cut into myriad shapes by the action of the sea and the wind, all different and many fascinating to look at. The cliffs above were made of unstable clay in various shades of orange and yellow, with patches of blue slipper clay on the beach below.  There were signs too of recent cliff falls following winter storms. Other detritus included lobster pots, a bright pink buoy, various lengths of rope and large pieces of driftwood. The tide was coming in and the surf running up the beach was pure white and frothy. We turned back after about three-quarters of an hour as the tide was coming in and we didn't want to get cut off; there are few points of access to the beach along this coast, which is ncurrently worse than normal following coastal erosion over the winter. After a steep climb back up the steps to the top of the cliff, we were back at the car, having paused to admire the superb views along the coast from the Needles to Blackgang Chine. I shall definitely come back here!