Coastal path day 1

[ladyofastolat]

As has become traditional, I am walking the Coastal Path on the Bank Holiday weekend, while Pellinor is away Larping. I've done it so many times now that I don't usually take a camera, but today the weather was just perfect, so I did. Last year, I did it in 2 days, and the year before in 2 long days and one short preceding evening, but neither of

Comments

[leesa_perrie]

Love the photos! But poor little piglet! Ducks can be so cruel! Though yay for the red squirrel!!

Glad to hear the organisers of the 24 hour thing are very well organised and leave plenty of signs for the runners, and that they clear them up efficiently afterwards!

As for the beach, I don't see the appeal of sunbathing these days. Though when I was a kiddie, Sandown beach was a must, for swimming and looking at the pools that developed by the wooden posts/fences things (that run down the beaches towards the zoo end of it). Crazy golf, the cafe near it and the boat lake (not sure it that's still there) were also musts back then, along with a visit to the zoo to see the baby tigers! *slips down memory lane* *I may be gone awhile*

[ladyofastolat]

The golf is still there, and the cafe, but although the boating lake is still there, it's overgrown and no longer used for boating. The zoo's still there, too, with tigers. Plus, it now houses the National Poo Museum, which is strangely fascinating. :-D However Sandown, in general, exudes an air of shabbiness and decline, with several abandoned hotels slowly rotting away, and building sites that never seem to get round to building anything. It was nice - although unusual - to see if so busy yesterday.

[leesa_perrie]

Oooh, the National Poo Museum!! Well, if I remember correctly, the lady who runs the zoo is Chris Packham's girlfriend, so that makes sense! He does like animal poo!! :D

Shame that Sandown is shabby these days, I have many fond memories of it. I guess that's the way things are atm with several seaside towns.

[timetiger]

Such beautiful, fascinating photos!

Why is there only half a church, I wonder. Cost overrun? Abrupt change in belief system? Sudden drastic population downturn?

Poor piggies.

[ladyofastolat]

The half-a-church was originally part of a monastery but was handed over to a private landowner in 1414 when the monastic community was disbanded. It was never well maintained after that, and various locals took stones from its outbuildings and the adjacent shore for building work, meaning that it increasingly exposed, lashed by storms and waves. A new parish church was built inland, nearer the village, and the old church allowed to fall apart until only the tower remained, which was then reinforced with a brick wall and turned into a sea mark in 1719.

[timetiger]

A slightly sad tale, though it takes a slightly romantic turn at the end.

[ylla]

I can't read about this without wanting to do it, but I don't think I'm up to even your 3 day pace! I am hopefully coming some time to Steam Round The Island, so it might turn into a longer trip, who knows...

I like that The Landslip is an official name.

Intrigued by the floating bridge, but it seems to be the same kind of thing that's called a chain ferry on Windermere - but then I think the Transporter bridge at Middlesbrough is really a flying ferry, so it might just depend on your point of view.

[ladyofastolat]

There's definitely lots of good walking on the island, especially along the south-west coast.

That particular landslip is The Landslip with a capital L, since it was developed in Victorian times into a place of picturesque woodland walks. Many other non capitalised landslips are also available, but without the Victorian tourist attractions. :-D

[ylla]

I am often slightly baffled by Victorians, but particularly by their tourist attractions - it would not occur to me to look at, say, the Devil's Dyke, and think 'now what this place needs is a cable car and a fairground and a 22 piece band...'. Picturesque woodland walks sound positively sensible.

[lindahoyland]

Thank you for sharing your beautiful walk.

[ladyofastolat]

Glad you liked reading about it! :-)