Day 5: Blackgang to Chilton Chine. Cont.

This west side of the IOW coastal path is a very dynamic and fragile area.The path has, or is in the process of, collapsing/slumping into the sea. At times older parts of the path end in empty space. Care is needed but it is a beautiful walk. Some parts however I would not like to traverse in very wet weather. Below are a sequence of slides to give you some idea what we exerienced on our walk today.

Day 5: Blackgang to Chilton Chine.

This morning we left Carisbrooke at 9:30am and walked down the road to catch the no:6 bus from Newport at 9:50am. We had checked out the bus stop yesterday evening. The bus routes in the area around Carisbrooke are somewhat confusing. The bus sometimes goes out on one road but returns on another one. If you get off the no:X bus at a stop and there is a bus stop  on the other side of the road, nearly opposite, the no:X bus may not stop at it, it may return on a completely different route.

We got off the bus one stop after the amusement park at Blackgang Chine. This was where we finished walking on Thursday evening. It was sunny, with a cool breeze, perfect walking weather. The first photo gives the view looking north over the amusement park to Freshwater Bay.

We walked down to the amusement park and then had to return to the main road to Chale as the path behind the park had fallen into the sea. We eventually found the far end of the path wher the road just ended in free space.

On the main road outside Chale we saw this interesting seat, near the turn off to the pub called the Wight Mouse.

A little further on I took this view looking back towards Chale and Blackgang Chine. It was very busy near Chale as by chance we arrived on the first of two days of their annual show.

The chap in the photo below is called Tony. We met him near Whale Chine, walking down to the beach with his black plastic bag.He said he was going down to the beach to pick up rubbish.He had an interesting theory on how to combat vertigo. His route down to the beach was somewhat precipitous.

The photo below shows Frau Barr heading down into a Chine whose name eludes us. Shepherd's Chine perhaps. I think we had lost the path at this point and we should have gone more inland to cross it where it was narrower.

Although it was sunny, it was quite windy, and there were many paragliders in the air. This is just one of the many.

Having travelled along the coastal route by bus we had come to the conclusion today's walk would be boring. We were wrong. We had a great walk! The sandstone cliffs were quitedramatic and showed how dynamic this part of the coastline was.

Day 4: Freshwater Bay to Chilton Chine.

The more discerning of you will have realised that today's walk is not contiguous with yesterday's. You will also have noticed that today we are walking anticlockwise around the island rather than clockwise as before. This is not because we were starting to get dizzy! We went to visit a friend camping near Totland who walked down to Freshwater Bay with us. He is to be seen  in the first slide beside Shiel.We walked south along the promenade and followed the path up above the white cliffs.

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Below are two views taken looking back to a gradually receeding Freshwater Bay.

The path upward was soon clearly defined in the chalk as we climbed up towards the main road, heading south

 

As the path neared its maximum height above sea level it ran next to the road, between it and the edge of the cliff. The photo of Frau Barr below, is taken near the peak, looking back towards Freshwater Bay. Her view, to the south, is shown in the following image.

Today the views looking back (North)

were much more impressive than those looking South

 and we would suggest walking this section in a clockwise direction.

Today was bright and sunny and we could see clearly to the horizon in all directions. However from all the cracks, slumps and slips that were visible on the cliffs it is clearly not always so dry. These cliffs appear very unstable. Some of the paths we traversed today I wouldn't want to cross in wet weather.

For those of you who followed our Leeds to Liverpool canal blog you will know we are interested in people who literally take their dogs for a walk.Today we met such a couple.They had two lovely dachunds, from the same litter, 15 years old. One could still walk by herself, Heidi, but the other, Joker, has to be carried. He has diabetes and is blind as a result. The dogs were clearly loved by a very pleasant couple. As an aside the lady owner was also carrying a 'doggie pooh bag.' It was pleasing to see that some people cre for others as well as their dogs.

.It was a short walking day as we didn't start walking untill after midday. We also had to stop early to catch the 'Island Coaster,' the only bus running on this section of the coast. It is reputed to stop anywhere on request. The island bus drivers are excellent drivers and very friendly.

Day 3pm: Ventnor to Blackgang.

After lunch we headed into central Ventnor, which we left left by climbing to get views. However we soon descended again into Steephill Cove.

Leaving Steephill Cove we again ascended onto the cliffs, on a narrow meandering path between cliff edge and farmland. We continued in this way until opposite St. Lawrence, where we snacked, before then airing and powdering our feet. We then headed inland, through St. Lawrence, for our final significant climb of the day.

We had extensive views out to sea and over farmland inland. We passed high up inland of the lighthouse at St. Catherine's point and finished our day one busstop short of Blackgang Chine. A beautiful warm and sunny day.

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Day 3am: Shanklin to Ventnor.

This morning we took the 38 bus to Newport bus station and then the number 2 back to Shanklin bus station. (We have got 7 day rover tickets.) We arrived at 9:15am and walked down to where we left the coastal path yesterday. We decided not to lose height by walking down to the promenade. Instead we continued on the high level path. It provided good views back towards the Shanklin promenade area.

However the coastal path did return to the promenade anyway, albeit via a scenic route.

We then had to walk along the beach, to a spot near where the guy is standing in the picture below, and climb about 160 steps to reach the road. We crossed the road to enter fields (Eng.trans.) and climbed upwards, before eventually returning to the road. We may have been better staying on the road as there were no sea views in the paddocks.

We did get a view back to chalk cliffs from the road though.

This high level route then entered a peaceful wooded area which continued until we reached St. Boniface's Church (1070), just before descending to the sea wall at Ventnor where we paused for lunch. (Tea for two and 2 pieces of lemon and elderflower sponge cake.)