Spring 2022 (Part 1)

Tuesday 14 June - stopped over at the very grand sounding Newnham Manor at Crowmarsh Gifford, close to Wallingford. I remember Father in Law staying here for its proximity to the Thames and copious pubs. The CL was fine but next to a residential Gypsy/Workers site full of delapitated & tatty vans; the nearest to us separated by a tall hedge which did nothing to cut out the F’s & C’s liberally used in the intellectual and deep conversation of our neighbours we enjoyed listening to. We decided to walk into the town for some peace and got only as far as the Boat House pub next to the river, pleasant few hours watching local kids throw each other into the river. The debating society on site were unconscious when we got back so the evening was pleasant. Hot, sunny day for a change.

Wednesday 15 June - after enjoying some passive “recreational” smoke kindly shared by our neighbours we did an easy 2 hour drive to Milford on Sea, weather stayed hot & sunny, so after lunch & some general lounging about we ambled along to Keyhaven for ice creams overlooking Hurst Castle then on to the village for beers on the green at the popular “Cave”. Called in to see our friends at The Wash House, no bugger there sadly so just had a quick pint. Feels a bit like it’s lost it’s atmosphere; shame. Cracking large and private pitch on the site, 310 in the “Executive” area; seems only right & proper.

Thursday 16th June - hot & sunny again, walked to Lymington via Keyhaven & back; a route we both enjoy. We must look like a pair of drooling village idiots as we gawp open mouthed staring at the fabulous properties in the lovely, affluent & tranquil Lower Pennington. That’s nice we repeatedly drooled. Inevitably lunch, as is our tradition, was a pastie sat on the Quayside watching the world go by; no Zoe Ball this time though. Another inevitability was stopping at The Gun at Keyhaven for a few cheeky mid afternoon beers in the sunny garden. Sad to learn today of the passing away of a lovely colleague from RR at Bristol, Janet was super and always friendly, helpful & cheerful x

Friday 17 June - it’s that rare we set the alarm that we both had a restless night waiting for it to go off. Disturbed in the early hours also by the obligatory chavs in a nearby van deciding to empty their loo at 1:30 am. On an upside we were early to check in & squeezed on the earlier ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth, busy with festival goers, and it was a pleasure to cross the Solent early in the sunshine; a warm day in store. We chanced turning up early to our first visit to Heathfield Farm in West Wight & the friendly wardens kindly obliged & let us in early. Impressive site, peaceful so far & well kept. We were allocated pitch 11 (a relief to have no choice & thus no pitch swap which I’m accustomed to as Mrs H usually spots something better once we’re settled, tbf she’s usually right). We have a lovely view across to Hurst Castle and sun all day long. A lazy day followed with nothing more than a 10 minute walk to our temporary local “The Vine”; it was ok to be fair & we felt welcomed.

Saturday 18 June - walk today the 12 miles from Brighstone back to the site at Heathfield Farm, started excellently as we caught our bus (getting up early) down to Alum Bay waited for the connecting bus out to Brighstone which first went back up to where we started. If I’d read the timetable better another hour in bed would have been great. After that hiccup all was well, a bit rainy and breezy & we’d underdressed for later in the day with the stretch along the west coast being chilly. We stopped for a welcome Estrella at Waterfront Bar and definitely looked out of place in shorts and t shirts walking on the coast path as locals wrapped up in coats.

The route from Brighstone takes you down to the Military Road then along the cliff edge to the super Compton Bay with views across to the white cliffs of Tennyson Down & Needles. The climb up before descending to Freshwater Bay always looks daunting; it’s fine though despite the severe erosion which looked recent. It’s an enjoyable, memorable stretch and a favourite of Mrs H. From Freshwater Bay it’s a fresh climb up to the Monument & we did cut a corner chopping out the u shape section out to the Coastguards Cottages as we were battered by the strengthening wind. A simple return across the Warren and sea front back to Colwell Bay & the site; which is superbly located for walking West Wight.

Sunday 19 June - completed another section of coast path; today covering 13.1 miles from Brighstone to Ventnor. The first part of this is not one we usually enjoy, fairly flat & relentless with annoying Chines meaning zigzagging back toward the Millatory Road or scrambling up steep banks, so good to tick it off. That said the views are great both inland toward the higher forests and downs of the islands spine, with the cliff edge that bit closer than it used to be the other side. Nice to see so many varied wild flowers flourishing but the erosion is marked & we’ve seen this worsen over recent years, with paths we walked a year ago now dropped and sitting further down the cliff below us. We spotted sheep on the beach way below us in the inaccessible area near Shepherds Chine, no idea how they got there. I was fascinated by the new sign on the dizzingly high fisherman’s cliff winch at Atherfield Point, warning against using it as 45 degree zip wire as someone recently tried; nearly dying in the process as they smashed into the bottom post at 80 mph attempting to be Bond, James Bond. Knobhead. I’ve now an image in my head of a sheep zipping along the wire to get to the beach. Further evidence of erosion on the notice; the field was once 14 acres and is now 4…

Deciding to follow the Undercliff on the stretch from Niton to Ventnor passing the fascinating and desirable St Lawrence with its long closed once main road now lost to subsidence, the last few miles turned into an episode fit for Race across the World in a quest to meet the bus. We must have looked a pair of red faced twats rushing up the near vertical ZigZag road cut through steps to the bus stop. For reference we caught a No 3 from Ventnor to Newport, then a No 7 straight back to the site. A roughly 2 hour trip all up, even with Lewis feckin Hamilton driving his Double Decker ignoring all speed limits through villages and single track country lanes; Mrs H sitting in middle seat at the back was close to being catapulted into the aisle as he braked heavily to avoid a head on accident. Waiting at Yarmouth he proudly told his mate he enjoys the Sunday route as he can tank it. Twat.

Rest day tomorrow; hopefully as we have new neighbours in a tent with their German Shepherd pup in a cage outside to one side of us; and the other side occupied who has built a windbreak wall of china around his pitch which means he has to walk across ours to get anywhere. Our view has also sadly Another knobhead; my prat magnet seems to be working.

Monday 20 June - lazy day, hot & sunny so we did little other than our domestics in the morning and a stroll into Yarmouth in the afternoon to fill a 3 mile gap in our “circumnavigation”. A few beers in the sunshine in the pleasant garden of the Bugle Coaching Inn, and bus back to the site & a BBQ. Our neighbours either side are, it turns out, together so we’re sat like gooseberries between them as they ferry chairs, drinks & food across in front of our van ducking under the fence by us to avoid the Great Wall.