Day 7b: Shalfleet to West Cowes.

Be careful going through Thorness Bay Holiday Park as some of the Coastal Path signs may be still pointing incorrectly, as they were when we passed through. At the northern, seaward, side of the holiday camp is a wetland  area, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). There are also many wild flowers bordering the fields leading from the wetland area.

Sadly, after less than a kilometer of coastline the path diverted back inland. The path first skirted in front of what appeared to be a number of baches (NZ for holiday home) before passing through, a sometimes muddy and very narrow path. The path then lead up beside a sweet corn paddock before eventually skirting a farm and heading back to the road.

Remarkably we got a roadsign suggesting lack of a footway may be a problem. We've had no footway for most of our walk today! We eventually met the sea again at Gurnard Bay but the reunion was short lived. There were extensive roadworks underway. After about 1/2 a mile however we did eventually reach the coast again and stayed with it all the way into West Cowes.

We stopped for tea and toasted tea cakes at Jollifes, a shoe shop, now converted to cafe. A very relaxing and informative interlude. We then walked down to take the chain ferry to East Cowes and our starting poit last Tuesday. Cost 40p per foot passenger.

We caught the no:5 bus to Newport where we had our evening meal and then caught the no: 12 bus to Carisbrooke. We used our 7 day rover ticket. They are cost effective and very convenient.