Walking. Today was a day full of walking. Taking advantage of my last dry day (2 wet/2dry) I started out on the first bus east to the charming thatched old village of Godshill. Of course everything was shut at 9a on a Sunday morning on a holiday weekend so I just took photos as I made my way through town.

On the far side I found a dedicated footpath that led me past sheep farms and a pack of alpacas to the estate of Appuldurcombe House, the ruins of an 18th C. grand manor. Once the “finest house on the IOW” the penury of various owners and then nearby bombing during WWII led to its falling into ruins. English Heritage stepped in and preserved the ruins as ruins and it’s a fun free site to visit.

Coastal walking was next on my list so I took a slow series of buses to the middle of the south coast at Blackgang. First I climbed up to see the Pepperpot, officially St. Catherine’s Oratory. The remains of England’s only medieval lighthouse, it was built as penance by Walter de Godeton in 1313 for looting wine from a local shipwreck!

After a photo op I dropped back down to the coast and headed east along the Coastal Path, aiming for Shanklin, about 8 miles distant.

So said the Internet. In reality there were so many diversions in place due to landslips and path repair work that I clocked 10.5 miles and I was dragging at the end. Gorgeous walking along the cliffs, frustrating when diverted up away from the coast to walk along plowed fields, relieved to be back coastal but disappointed when this turned out to be muddy and overgrown. Repeat.

Luckily the cold mist burned off right at the start and it turned out to be a gorgeous day. I fortuitously chose to walk eastward so I had the sun to my back and a cool breeze blew in from all directions. Halfway through the day the trail dropped down into the delightful Steephill Cove where I treated myself to a well-earned salted caramel ice cream cone!

Around the corner the path became a full on paved promenade (albeit with a nasty hill and steep stairs) but walking was easy into Ventnor, a typical English seaside town with squealing children and the vinegary smell of fish & chips.

Another landslip diversion up the slope into the woods. It was actually rather peaceful with dappled sunlight and chirping birds. Forest bathing? But with mud…

Shanklin, my destination, turned out to be a cute touristy town with thatched roofed pubs and souvenir shops lining the High Street. I was nearing time for the 2nd to last bus to depart to Newport so I had no time to explore. A good day of walking – over 16 miles total!