Shalfleet to Bouldner

Having been cooped up for three days with a rotten cold, I felt an overwhelming desire to go for a stroll this afternoon. It turned out to be quite a long one.

I parked at the free car park in Mill Lane, Shalfleet, headed back to the main road, turned right at the pub and followed the road past Shalfleet Manor until I found the footpath on the right. The path led over a stile and around a wheat field, As I walked round the edge small brown birds kept exploding out of the crop and into the hedgerows tweeting madly. At the corner of the field was a wooden bridge across the creek, followed by a railway sleeper in the mud, and then the path led into a wood. I lost the path briefly (hadn't read the map properly, surprise) but found it and followed it until it met a wide farm track which led down to the end of Western Haven, an arm of Newtown Creek. Here was a stone bridge and I paused a while to watch fish swimming lazily below, canoers and a wild swimmer (bright orange) in the creek, and a couple of buzzards that were circling and calling above. Gorgeous.

The track continued for a long while, and I took the right hand fork when it split, and followed it down past Creek Farm and Lower Hamstead Farm. Here the path continued along a private lane to a small quay for small pleasure boats, with stunning views across the entrance to Newtown Creek, the Solent and the Hampshire coast beyond. I backtracked slightly and picked up the coastal path again, newly graveled at this point. It soon came out on the very edge of the creek so was muddy and slightly precarious in places. There were boardwalks every so often to get across the muddier parts, and I was able to pause and contemplate lots of crabs scuttling about in a shallow pool for a while. Lovely.

After this the path led along the edge of a field, through a copse and down some steps to a shingle beach, which I tramped along for a few minutes until the path became turfed. Just off the path was a small memorial in the form of a Celtic cross to three young men who had been lost at sea nearby. Unexpected and rather lovely. The path led uphill parallel to the beach, past some landslip and farmland before coming out at Hamstead Farm. At this point I was greeted on the track by some loud farm dogs - not overly friendly animals, but neither were they showing any intention of biting. They ran off eventually and I continued on my way. The oath continued until it got to a 'proper' lane, and then the coastal path turned right across a field so I followed it, and through a recently cut hay meadow, until I came across houses at Seaview Road. More noisy dogs here, but they were behind a wire fence so I ignored them.

Soon after the path continued into Bouldner Forest and continued along the cliffs past Bouldner battery, and down to the sea via a boardwalk through a reed bed. Nice. Just after this the path split; you could continue to Yarmouth or turn left and follow a lane to the main road and a bus stop! I was tired by now, having had little exercise this week, so turned left and found a bus stop at the top of the lane. After a twenty minute wait (it could have been an hour) the bus turned up, and transported me to Shalfleet, where I retrieved the car and went home!

Route: https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4602400.html 

Distance: 6.7 miles

Newtown

A lovely walk today, and not too taxing in the summer heat (remarkable considering the miserable weather of the last week). I met a friend in the main car park at Newtown and we ambled along the road past the old Town Hall, and shortly after turned onto a footpath leading along the creek. This crossed a couple of fields, then led through a wooded path and back onto the road.opposite the church. A little way beyond this was a path leading past an old house and down to the Mercia Seabrook bird hide, which we popped into briefly; it had a few people searching for birds on the wetlands and woods beyond, and we decided not to stay. Instead we walked across the field next to the hide and across the wooden footbridge to the remains of Newtown Quay, then out along a strip of land that jutted into the harbour. We stopped here for a bit, admiring the view and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere; there were few people around and we were surrounded by sea and countryside. Absolutely lovely.

We retraced our steps to the quayside then walked round the salt pans and across the field back to the road, and then onto another footpath behind the church, back to the road and along to the ancient house known as 'Noah's Ark'. This is, I think, the oldest building in Newtown and was at one time a pub, and has been many other things too. On the front is a plaque bearing the name 'Francheville', which was the medieval name for the, then, town and translates to Free Town. The plaque displays a picture of a boat and a lion, and is where the current name of the house comes from.

We went back down the road a little and picked up a footpath that led through fields and across the road to Walter's Copse. This is a lovely little copse, full of wild flowers and peace; we didn't walk all the way round it as intended, as we missed a side path. When we came out of the copse, we followed Town Lane back to the car park, and then went to the Town Hall and looked round inside (£4 a head). Upstairs were various pieces of antique furniture, clocks, Hogarth prints, a replica of the town seal and a magnificent fireplace. Downstairs, via a twisting, cast iron staircase, was a cool room with a history of the 'Ferguson Gang', a formidable group of ladies early last century, who bought various properties around the country, including Newtown Town Hall, and presented them to the National Trust. I suspect that I would have liked them immensely! There was also an ancient ring-dial telephone where you could dial up various oral histories of the area, and copies of ancient documents about the town.

Once finished, we followed the lane down to the 'main' road and headed for Shalfleet where we had tasty sandwiches at the New Inn before heading back to the car and then home.  It is amazing that this unassuming village with its wonderful wildlife and countryside was once the most important town on the Isle of Wight. 

Old Town Hall, Newtown

Route: (roughly) https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4596372.html

Route we meant to take: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/newtown-national-nature-reserve/trails/enjoy-the-estuary-newtown-walk 

Distance: 5.5 miles

Crab Cottage

In a change of theme, we accompanied my Mum and her friend to view the garden of Crab Cottage in Shalfleet. This was open under the National Garden Scheme, and for a mere £3.50 (children free) each, we got in, having parked in the free car park on the way up the lane by the New Inn.

To our right was a perfect croquet lawn, with metal hoops, and a collection of wooden mallets and balls leaning against a low wall. Beyond the croquet lawn was a path leading through a wildflower meadow, full of flowers and grasses. Very pretty and something I aspire to having one day. At the end of the meadow was a row of sweet peas held up by twigs, and then the path led to a pond.

We then followed a path back through tree and hedges, dodged under a shrub propped up with an old wooden rake, passed the croquet lawn, and paused on the gravel driveway to peruse the bookstall and natter with some acquaintances we bumped into, looked at the plant stall and then headed round the side of the house. As we passed the front door, clearly rarely used, we admired dark leaved dahlias,  towering hollyhocks and a wisteria which was trained across the house wall. On through an archway and onto a less formal lawn in a walled garden, bordered with flowered, with many varieties of dahlia among other things. Here we stopped for a cup of tea and a slice of cake which was of high standard! Very nice.

After tea we pottered through another arch and into a sunken garden with many interesting plants, and a raised area at the far end with a summerhouse and formal pond; the latter had no plants in it, but had beautiful reflections of the potted lilies grown next to it.

 

This was a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon; I do enjoy nosing round other peoples gardens, and of there is good planting, tea and cake, all the better! Crab Cottage is definitely worth a visit if you get the chance.

 

Plants bought: Sedum spectabile

 

http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/find-a-garden/garden.aspx?id=13779

View to cottage from croquet lawn