Nettlestone to Sandown

Well, it's that time of the year where I help take 16 teenagers rambling around the Island. We were dropped off in Nettlestone, and wended our way towards Priory Hotel, round the side, and down to a footpath by the side of a caravan park. This led across fields to St Helens and the Duver, bone dry in the heat, and across the causeway to Bembridge. We then pootled along the Embankment and stopped for an early lunch and loo break at the café.  

 

After lunch we headed up through the village and along the road to the windmill, passing it on our right before plunging downhill into the woods and a break from the sun. We missed our turning here, but followed the road back round until we found our footpath, crossed another road and walked through another holiday park until we found the coastal path again. From here we turned right and headed along the cliffs and up Culver Down to the monument, had a brief pause and then leapt downhill across the downs until we reached Yaverland and Dinosaur Isle where we met the bus home.

Lovely walk on a beautiful day. The views across Sandown Bay were magnificent, and the water was so blue and sparkling. Gorgeous place to live!

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4776930.html

Distance: c 7.75 miles



Sandown Bay



Culver Monument

Nettlestone to Yaverland

Today I helped take twelve teenagers on a stroll across the east of the Island. We got a coach to Nettlestone and walked towards the Priory Hotel, then followed the footpath round and ended up at The Duver, St Helen's. This is a lovely patch of National Trust land, sprinkled with wildflowers among the short turf. After a quick rest break we headed across the causeway and into the outskirts of Bembridge. The road led along another causeway, past the yacht club and numerous houseboats, and to the Tollgate café opposite the Pilot Boat Inn. We stopped at the café for lunch (some picnicked, and some bought food), then carried on.

This was the point where my dodgy map reading skills came into play, and we pootled up a lane going in the wrong direction. Oops. I soon realised my mistake however, and we turned round and joined up with the path we were meant to be on. We followed the High Street  to Bembridge Windmill and then followed the lane into the woods, across a road, past a holiday camp and onto the cliff path to Culver Down. Some of the kids groaned when they realised we had to climb the down, but they all managed it faster than I did! We stopped at the Yarborough Monument at the top and admired the view, and I admired the wild flowers, had a drink and a snack (I got an ice cream) before walking down the other side of Culver Down to Dinosaur Isle where we met the coach again.

This was a boiling hot day, with teenagers who were generally not used to walking so far, and it went really well. Another route tomorrow.

route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4579015.html

Distance: 7.3 miles

View from Yarborough Monument

St Helen's, Nettlestone and Bembridge Harbour

Beautiful day today so we headed off to St Helen's, parked near The Green (free, avoided car park!) then headed west to go down Field Lane heading across fields to get to Attrill's Lane. More fields followed, before heading through a farmyard and heading right just before a bridge. Another couple of fields followed.

After a while we arrived at the back entrance of the Priory Bay Hotel, misread the instructions and wandered into the grounds where we found an interesting clock tower. We headed back, found the footpath (which brought us out at the other end of the Hotel golf course), passing a cunningly disguised mobile phone mast, walked across a field and came out on the road leading to the Duver beach, where we paused to photograph the ruined church tower and buy an ice cream at the cafe. Finally we walked along a footpath that led across a heath to the old mill pond by Bembridge Harbour, The path led along the old mill dam wall and then back up the hill to St Helen's. 

This was a lovely walk on a gloriously sunny spring day; not too taxing for out of practice walkers.  A much better description of the route can be found in "Twelve Favourite Walks on the Isle of Wight" published by the Isle of Wight Area of the Ramblers' Association.

Clock Tower

Phone Mast

Duver Church Tower

Distance: Approx: 4.5 - 5 miles

Route: http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4057886.html

Footpaths: Coastal path, R77, B12, R62, R71, 

Staycation Day 2

Day two started reasonably early, with me making the picnic. We then headed into Cowes, pausing for a photo outside Hurst's (we have been challenged to visit every branch on the Island this week!), then caught the number 1 bus to Newport. We hopped off at the bottom of Hunnyhill, dashed down Lugley Street and I posed for a photo outside Hurst's. Off to the bus station next where we caught the number 9 to Ryde. We hopped off in Union Street and, guess what, snapped a photo of Hurst's and also popped in to buy forks for our picnic as I had forgotten to pack any. We strolled down to the bus station, found we still had quite a wait so wandered over to admire the hovercraft that had just come in. Finally we caught the number 8 bus and alighted at the Wishing Well pub in Pondwell.

From here we joined the Barnsley Trail and spent a pleasant couple of hours tramping through fields and along footpaths, picking sloes and blackberries as we went, and having picnic lunch on Seagrove beach. I'd never been to this beach before and found it was lovely. The beach was mostly sandy and sloped shallowly. Perfect for children. We walked through Seaview to rejoin the trail, stopping briefly for a cup of tea and an ice cream. We then realised that we only had about twenty minutes until the bus left (or we'd be stranded for an hour), so we walked uphill at high speed until we got there! We were in time and spent a pleasant few minutes sitting on a rickety bench in the sunshine at the bus stop.

Buses: 1, 9, & 8

Footpaths: R61, R62, R71, R74, R105, R91, R95

Budget: drinks and ice cream £4.30