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

Dark Lane .... Again!

We love Dark Lane near Carisbrooke Castle so decided to head that way today, planning to follow the Shepherd's Trail to Gatcombe and then back toward the castle. This sounded lovely, not too difficult as we were out of practice, and incorporated a picnic. Perfect, yes?

 

Well, no as it happened. My dodgy navigational skills came to the fore. We left the car park opposite Carisbrooke Priory and proceeded along the road for a couple of minutes before turning onto the Shepherd's Trail. We headed up the path and soon entered Dark Lane, a sunken lane between high chalk banks covered in ferns, ivy,  and herb Robert, and topped with oak, elder and hazel. Lovely and cool and quiet on a summer's day. The path had been scoured by a recent rain storm and glowed white in the shade. The lane came out next to a wheat field, glowing in the sunshine and rattling in the breeze. So far, so good.

 

The path continued clearly for a while longer, before coming to a crossroads. Now. I thought the path continued straight on to the right of the hedge, while teenager thought it went to the left. I assumed I was correct, of course, and we carried on downhill, through a field of sweetcorn as there seemed to be a path through it rather than round the edge. The sweetcorn petered out and we came to a meadow, waist high in flowering grasses, wildflowers and thistles. We carried straight on and realised there was no escape at the bottom of the field. OK, thought I, we'll follow the edge of the field until we get out. We waded through the grass, disturbing hundreds of grasshoppers, and avoiding nettles and thistles, but could find no escape. We continued, and ended up back at the sweetcorn plantation, so found a pathway between towering plants, so we could avoid the pickles, and eventually came to a lane and escaped. Phew! We looked at the map, carefully, turned right and continued until we found another lane. We turned up there, and followed it until it joined up with the Shepherd's Trail again, and were soon plunging down Dark Lane again.

 

Back at the car we noticed a sign for a tea garden at Carisbrooke Priory opposite, so decided that a brew was needed and headed across. The Priory is a former Benedictine Convent that is now looked after by a trust (I think). I got a pot of tea for one for a quid, and got two nice cups of tea out of it, and teenager had a pleasant lemonade. We then had a quick stroll around the walled garden, admired the dovecot, had a peek at the book and produce stalls then went home.

 

We'll try that walk another day.....

 

Route (don't follow!): http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4136489.html

 

View towards Carisbrooke Castle

Wheat Field

Carisbrooke Priory