The Vagabond Hiker

Hiking, trekking, and climbing the world

The Isle of Wight Coastal Path

Last week with a few days to spare I took the ferry from Southampton to Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, to walk part of its Coastal Path. Having only 3 days, I chose a counter-clockwise semicircular loop from Cowes along the Solent in the north to Ventnor on the English Channel in the south. This segment has some of the most dramatic scenery and least developed areas on the isle. Although the weather wasn’t very good (this is England, after all!), the 42 miles were enjoyable nonetheless. Here are a few photos I took. . .

Black headed seagulls seeing me off from Cowes at the start of the first day
Bluebells along the path. They were not yet at their peak.
Rural inland scene walking along a byway. Much of the first day the path was inland, across fields and along country lanes.
Hurst Castle and Hurst Point Lighthouse across the Solent at its narrowest point (zoom)
My hotel in Totland, a welcome sight at the end of the 18 mile first day. A hot shower and restaurant dinner with a glass of wine at the end of each day make inn-to-inn walking very civilized.
View from Headon Warren to the Needles (disappearing into the mist on the right), early on the second day
The Tennyson monument on the eponymous Down, east of the Needles. The poet spent many winters at his home on the Isle of Wight and loved walking the downs.
Vertiginous view to the English Channel from Tennyson Down
View south along Compton Bay on the West Wight coast featuring a foreground of gorse and dog violet
View from near Hanover Point emphasizing the stark contrast between the chalk and sandstone cliffs typical of Wight
Shepherd’s Chine. I had just crossed this deep ravine via steps and a scramble early on the third day.
The Coastal Path meanders through a wood south of the Blackgang Chine
Sea mist rolls in above the South Coast. I took only a few photos this day as the fog occluded many vistas
A misty Flowers Brook on the outskirts of Ventnor near the end of the third day
A Ventnor street view from the top deck of a double-decker bus. I took the bus back to Cowes from Ventnor at the end of the third day.

Next week Maggie and I will be flying to Ireland to get together with my brothers and sister-in-law for a few days on the Dingle Peninsula. Perhaps we’ll do some walking. . .

The Vagabond Hiker

Comments

  1. Hey! Happy to read a new post. Once again, love the pics with the educational commentary. Nice to see and learn about some places I may never get to.

    Enjoy Ireland!

    Terri

  3. Great pics (as always). Love seeing your travels.
    Ireland is beautiful! We rented a house overlooking the water in Liscannor. Loads to do and see. Everyone was wonderful to us. We went for Michaels Mom’s 80th birthday 🙂 Have fun!

    • Although we won’t make it up to the Cliffs of Moher from Dingle, our place too is overlooking the water and comes with its own a little skiff. I just hope the weather cooperates! Cheers, Kent

  4. Clearly your Isle of Wight serves as prep for the Dingle peninsula! We have completed the semester and have already done the majority of the packing––sending a suitcase back to Texas as well––so, we are heading to Pesaro to walk along the coast today… our prep. The weather looks like rain in Ireland… luckily, we are prepared. ciao, Mark

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