What a week!

Led three walks this week in beautiful autumnal weather.

Up & Over which starts from the Apple Farm, Freshwater & as the name suggests we climb Up & Over Afton Down via Freshwater golf course & down to the coastal path with great views looking along Back of the Wight.

Then along to Freshwater Bay.

And back via Afton Marsh, the source of the Western Yar & The Causeway.

Our second walk was Solent Views
From Colwell Bay with views across the Solent to Hurst Castle built by Henry VIII.

Up onto Headon Warren & Hatherwood Battery, one of Palmerstone's Follies built in the 19th century.

Weather must have been warm as we even saw a slow worm basking in the sunshine!

Our last walk was Up High on the Downs
With more fantastic views.

The Needles lighthouse was the last in the UK to be automated.  It was continually manned for 135 years. The last lighthouse men left the lighthouse in 1994.

Tennyson would often walk up on the Downs. Here he would be inspired & wrote 'Charge of the Light Brigade'. One of his most famous sayings was: 'Tis better to have loved & lost than never to have loved at all.'

Last two weeks!

My regular Guided Walks will be finishing at the end of October & will resume again Easter 2012.
However I will be available from time to time over the winter months for private Guided Walks.

I have a portfolio of walks which cover the whole Island.
From St Helen's in the east,

To The Needles in the west.

From Yarmouth in the north.

And Steephill Cove in the south.

Meanwhile hope the good weather continues & I look forward to meeting new customers on Guided Wight Walks with Michele.

Indian Summer

What amazing weather!
Maybe a little too hot for walking but we enjoyed the Western Yar Stroll on Sunday.

OK this is not a view on the walk but I wanted to include it to show you the Western Yar from Tennyson Down which is included on Up High on the Downs!

We visit the former Yarmouth railway station which closed in 1953 & walk along the former railway line. West Wight Railway ran between Newport to Freshwater from 1889-1953 but never made any money!

We walk as far as The Causeway which marks the tidal limit of the Western Yar. In the background is the tower of All Saints Church of Freshwater which was Tennyson's church as he lived just down the road. His wife Emily is buried there.

Back along the other side of the river past Kings Manor Farm. Here we see the Hebridean Saltmarsh sheep in the background enjoying a tasty graze!