03-May-201 Cribinan and St Cwyfan's church

Island 28 of our 100 Island adventure.

 

We were going to walk out to Cribinan along the coastal path from Aberffraw,  just over the bridge at the estuary and sand dunes. The sand dunes are quite a feature as some are 30 feet high. We walked along the village side of the river.

Cribinan itself is tiny and tidal with a 12^th century church , St Cwyfans, perched on the top. The walled (to protect it from sea erosion)island is only a little bigger than the building, which stands out being white washed, for all the world looking like a green iced cake!

 As we started the walk the mist started to clear, burnt off by the sun.  It was a 4 mile circular route hardest on the way to the island being slippery and boggy in places though beautiful with views across to Snowdonia.

 

We walked along the estuary out to sea picking our way over rocks, then by fields where erosion had taken the land back to the fence posts. We could hear intermittent engine roaring and I thought it was the engines of model planes but when we were nearing the village on the way back the noise was very intrusive and we saw it was cars on a race track on the hill opposite Cribinan.

 

The tide was almost right out and we think you probably get 3 hours either side of it to visit the island. We walked on the wet sand until we got to the rocks. The shells have been pretty and varied and this beach is great for rock pooling. A line of dark boulders, maybe once used as stepping stones as the tide comes in, marks the route to the island steps. At the steps there is a warning sign about the steep drops to the sea or rocks below.

 

The church wasn’t originally built on an island. Sometime after the 17^th century a storm is thought to result in its formation. In the 19^th century graves were falling into the sea so the wall was built around the island giving it its distinctive cake like appearance. There are few graves left but one looks particularly ancient. The church has been restored before but it obviously needs more doing to it. There are services here in the summer. I am surprised they don’t empty the collection box built into the wall. I had to poke something in the hole to push the coins down, it was so full.

 

In 2008 the village was presented with an organ for the church which was carried across the causeway by churchwardens and farmers. We couldn’t see inside the church unfortunately as the windows let in little light and all was locked up!

 

We enjoyed a roast dinner at the Crown in Aberffraw and some real ale. It was 2 hours in the car home and 2 days later my legs still ached from all the stairs at South Stack!

03-May-2015 South Stack

It was pouring with rain but with some sunny prospects for later so we decided to go for another 2 islands, this time in Wales. Better to drive on the worst weather day of the Bank Holiday weekend!

As we drove through Colwyn Bay then Conway the sky became a beautiful blue and the sea looked inviting. We decided to try for South Stack on Anglesey again after our abortive attempt on New Years Day 2013 when the winds were so bad we were scared for our lives going down the steps to the bridge onto the island that we deemed it not worth the risk when we could see the bridge was closed (even though it says it is open every day.)

 

Suddenly as we neared Anglesey we were enveloped in a blanket of mist which remained with us until we reached the car park at the information place and cafe at South Stack. People were walking around with hair plastered to their faces and somewhere down there was the sea though we couldn’t see it. Perhaps if we had lunch the mist might miraculously disappear we thought. So we did and it didn’t!

 

We set off anyway, up the path through heather and rocks, admiring the sea pinks and spring squill, the beautiful blue flower reminiscent of bluebells but growing close to the ground ( beware poisonous bulbs) Still unable to see the sea we heard the fog horn every 30 seconds. There were steps set in the rock to make climbing easier and at the top was another car park. Out of this it was on the road for a bit and people were walking on the wall instead of wading through a bit of flooding. Perhaps it was a good job we couldn’t see far below though I am sure it was only a gentle slope toward the sea.

 

In a small parking area above the flooded road ,steps start to go down towards the bridge. The island is owned by the RSPB and tickets, £5.50 for adults can be bought from the information hut/cafe. The steps twist and turn into the cliff face-400 of them (Bob counted) and we began to get a glimpse of what the view might be like on a fine day. Brave canoeists paddled by down below. You could see the rock strata squashed into concertina and wave like patterns, at 570 million years old, some of the oldest rock anywhere in Britain. Hundreds of seabirds nest on the rocks and there was a pervading smell of guano whenever we were near the cliff face. Today we picked out guillemots, razorbills and gulls. I believe I saw a pair of choughs earlier which I read nest deep inside a sea cave. Seeing the bright orange bills I thought at first they were oyster catchers but they were large and all over black. I believe a web cam sends pictures of their nest to the information place.

 

We saw quite a lot of Anglesey’s county flower, the spotted rock rose, delicate and white, on our descent. The aluminium suspension bridge (still using the chains of the old iron one) spans 30 metres across the sea. A lady sitting in a booth at the mainland end of the bridge, walkie -talkie in hand, checked our tickets and said that a light house tour was just starting  and we could rush over for it or take our time and go on the next one. We decided to amble.

 

We walked wherever we could at South Stack, which wasn’t a lot, but we had clocked up another island!  Over a wall gulls nested. Inside the building are various rooms displaying facts about the lighthouse and surrounding area. I thought these in need of refreshment- a little dated.

In the main room there were rows of glass containers that I believe were batteries- back -up power for the light. A large bulb is displayed, suspended by tapes on all sides inside a crate, showing how delivery from the mainland was achieved in the days before bubble wrap. From this main room, a door at the far wall, lead to the stairs- a hundred steep limestone ones. We decided to leave before the next tour started wanting to save our legs for the next island and the climb back up to the car park. It wasn’t as if we would have seen anything in the murk.

The walk back was obviously slower. Several people were doing it as a challenge- a thousand steps including the lighthouse. We got back to the car where we were still amazed at teh numbers of people arriving and set off for Aberffraw on the SW coast of Anglesey.

08-Apr-2015 Fiddlers Island

We arrived in Portsmouth needing to fill up with petrol- it was very expensive on the island. We were going to drive to Oxford where according to the map Bob said is a little island in the River Thames, just outside the city, called Fiddlers Island.

 

We stopped at Binsey and had our lunch in a little deli not far from the lane that led to the bridge on to the island. We enjoyed our sandwiches there but the staff didn’t know there was a place called Fiddlers Island only one called Osney which is quite large and seemingly built up.

 We parked near the footpath leading to the river. The pub nearby was our original destination for lunch but it was being refurbished and very closed! Lewis Carol frequented here and the Perch was also featured in a lot of Inspector Morse episodes on TV.

 

We walked in towards the little church passing several old cottages. Here were the first bluebells we had seen this year. The hedgerow was full of blossom and we spotted Brimstone, Fritillary and small Tortoiseshell butterflies. Overhead impressively close was a kite(  the bird). In a field were sheep with black and white lambs. It was all oddly rural compared to the main road a short distance away. Beside St. Margaret’s church is a small holding where goats clambered over their play equipment. An immense yew took up a lot of the churchyard and somewhere lurks the treacle well of Alice in Wonderland though we didn’t notice it. The church door was open and it was simple and cold inside as you might expect.

 

We had to retrace our steps to get to the path leading to the river. There were greylag geese being argumentative with each other. Small fish swam in the shoals in the sunlit water. Teenagers were having rowing lessons- hailed to from what looked like a floating box with a motor, carrying the instructor. They went a long way with one sweep of the oars ,maybe in training for the Oxford/ Cambridge boat race.

 

 Just before the bridge linking with Port Meadow, an ancient grazing area for horses and cattle,           (Calves were just being delivered by small truck to their mothers as we watched) is a boatyard and several gated off properties all marked Private. There were quite a lot of cyclists. We walked along the water the other way until we reached a little path through trees leading down to the Perch. Fairy lights festooned archways along the route and then we came out into the car-park. As we walked through we were told by numerous workmen that the pub is closed and when we reached the car our navigation of Fiddler’s Island was complete.

We hope this Greenfield site remains like this for future generations and planning permission isn’t granted for student accommodation, as was tried for in 2013.

 

 

07-Apr-2015 Isle of Wight Day 3

Another sunny day and we seem to have got into the swing of the B and B. It must be hard running it alone and working several days too. We followed our breakfast with a visit to the local library. It is very small and cold as the windows were being replaced so we didn’t see it at its best. There is a lot of village memorabilia and a documentary on local architecture that lasted a little too long for us – too much detail to take in.

There’s a great shop almost next door to the B and B that sells deli, fruit and veg. I bought some heather to take home for the garden.

 

 After visiting a cousin who lives not far from Osbourne House in Cowes we left the car and rode the bike to the chain link ferry, hoping to cross to East Cowes. Unfortunately it was undergoing renovation and there was only a little boat for pedestrians to take people across the river Medina. We were assured passage however and several cyclists had joined the queue. Stepping onto the boat carrying a tandem isn’t easy with one foot on shore and the other hovering over the water beneath, but it was service with a smile and the staff were very helpful. There was plenty of space for the bikes too.

 

It was up and out of Cowes to the cyclepath along the Medina with industry, new yachts, old boats till we reached an old bridge looking down onto reed-beds. On the shady side of the path further on there were large clumps of violets and despite the large amount of dog walkers it was a pleasant ride. It wasn’t long till we came to Newport where we found a Wetherspoon, just off a busy roundabout. Once we had diced with death crossing the road it was a good place for lunch.

 

We rode back with as little main road as possible, sometimes on the footpath which doubled as track. We passed a monkey park and then a Butterfly Park attached to a Garden Centre but we had to focus on our destination, Carisbrooke Castle which had its last entry at 5 with a 6 o’clock closing.

There weren’t any really countrified places today and houses were mainly new build with Cowes being Victorian in essence. We had considered visiting Victoria’s retreat, Osbourne House but this worked out at nearly £15 each.

We found our car and with the bike safely installed we drove the next bit being short of time.

 

We loved Carisbrooke! It was £7.50 for seniors. The museum was delightfully hands –on with a model trebuchet to catapult money at King Charles. A psaltery was there to pluck, a sword to handle, chainmail, a crossbow and many other interesting artifacts.

A real donkey was in a treadmill, lifting water from a well. They had several, housed in the castle stables, who took turns and today it was Jack. He was well treated and only demonstrated for a very short time. Everyone fussed over him!

 

We walked the ramparts with great views all around negotiating many old steps and admiring the romantic keep trailing with ivy. Higher than the trees in the grounds I was especially charmed to see a little owl asleep in the boughs of one, be-speckled and motionless.

 
 

After refreshment from the small tearoom we looked round the chapel rebuilt in the 19^th century to commemorate the anniversary of King Charles’ execution. King Charles began his time here as a guest but then later became prisoner.

If we had English Heritage properties near our home we would have joined up with them because we were so impressed with this monument.

 

Back near the B and B we ate at the 3 Bishops which is truly a gluten free pub without compromising taste. The portions were massive and the menu varied.

Our B and B host knocked on the door a bit bedraggled before we went to bed to say that he had just finished his other job and what time did we want breakfast. We weren’t sure if he wanted us to say “late” but we didn’t go with “early” to lessen the pressure. I asked for porridge instead of a cooked meal as we would be travelling most of the day.

 

Wednesday 8th April

 

I got my porridge and he had especially purchased some honey but Bob had the usual cooked.

I did feel some regret at leaving this lovely little village. The room had been damp and cold and shower too small to be welcoming but the water was hot and we felt at ease there. I did worry about the future of the B and B and its owner who so obviously couldn’t go on as he was.

 

We caught the ferry at 10, or a bit after as it was late. The boat was recently refurbished and it was much better than the journey over. It was sunny and the sea as calm as a mill pond.

 

 

06-April-2015 Isle of Wight Day 2

We had breakfast outside in the sunshine as it was warmer out than in. It was fine despite having run out of eggs. We were adverts for passing trade that perhaps he didn’t want but felt obliged to take. I think he just couldn’t say no but the family luckily didn’t want eggs!

Pheasants seemed to roam wild in this lovely village. We cycled by Mottisham Manor Gardens, too early to be open and a traction engine ralley with lots of puffing with steam. Unfortunately we soon hit the coast road busy with cars. Gorse filled the banks and the larks were singing over the fields. There were lovely views of the cliffs and sea and we climbed a lot.

Hot and thirsty we found a cafe attached to a large hotel- Dandelion Cafe- at Freshwater. There were many different varieties of leaf tea to choose from but we were boring and had breakfast. The cups however were china bowls – no handles! At least we didn’t have to sit cross legged on the floor.

There were more hills and busy roads with plenty of cars overtaking us. We had the last laugh though as there was a half a mile traffic jam to the Needles car park and we sailed on past them. It cost £4.50 to park( cars that is) We left the tandem in designated bike parking and walked to the Battery(NT), 20 minutes of beautiful clifftop walking. Though it looked like bikes weren’t permitted on the road here plenty passed us and later an open top bus. Behind us was rather like Lands End with plenty of amusements like a 4D cinema and rides for children. The chair lift to the beach looked fun. We were heading to the Battery as that gave the best view of the Needles.

 

During the mid 1950s to 70s the New Battery was used as a secret rocket test site. There is a lot of concrete, any lesser building material long gone with weathering. There is quite a lot to see and children ran in and out of the dark buildings and they, and us, found the tunnel to the searchlight intriguing, further than we expected, underground with access via a circular iron staircase. The view of the Needles was best from the searchlight even though you were looking through steel mesh. There was a large gun emplacement and plenty of exhibits giving an idea of what life on the Battery might have been like. Because the use of the guns was causing damage to the cliff the New Battery was built higher up in 1895 but we decided not to visit that one.

The lighthouse, Trinity at 109 feet, clings to the most westerly rock , the front “needle” when looking out from the Battery.

There is a little cafe serving simple fare, with not much space inside (but there are tables outside). We bought drinks but were disappointed with the food.

Walking back it was easier to admire the different coloured sands in Alum Bay on its cliff face. Victorians started off the souvenir vial of sand stripes but whether it is this sort of pilferage or just the weather erosion, it is less impressive than advertising posters would suggest. The sun was shining so we must have seen it at its best. There was pink, grey, white, shades of yellow at least but I wonder for how long. You can still fill your own vial today as part of the attractions!

We were told that the person who commercialised Lands End also took on Alum Bay. I wonder if it is ever quiet here as there are so many people. However there is a wide area for people to spread out and the beauty of the place still comes through!

 We rode into Yarmouth breaking the 30 mile an hour speed limit. The road was bumpy. On the green was a bouncy castle and children’s games. We seemed to be in and out very quickly though and as there were too many cars on the road we came off it and into the lanes. Immediately it was more relaxing. A couple of miles up we came to Chessell Pottery which had a tea shop. There was a workshop where all ages were sitting painting pre-fired clay pots, plates etc. They would be fired again and filed on shelves for collection another day. It all looked very organised. The pottery professionally made was very expensive but lovely.

We had tea and cake in the garden,

 

It was another 3 miles to NT Mottistone Gardens. There were instructions for kids- 50 things to do before 11 ¾ - like roll down the grassy bank! Better than the keep off the grass signs you get sometimes. National Trust seems to be more hands on than it used to be.

All around the garden were little flowerpot men with unusual names like Allium Titchmarsh and we were dared to handle a giant slug in a flower pot in the kitchen garden. Glad to say it wasn’t real but we weren’t sure for a bit.

There is a grass maze needing some TLC to redefine its paths and the border planting is interesting and colourful though I am sure there will be more to see in the Summer.

We didn’t need a tea break unfortunately. There are lovely walks from here and the 12^th century church looked interesting but we pressed on for the last 2 miles before the B and B. We had only cycled 23 miles with a 2 mile walk for the Battery and Needles but it seemed enough!

 

We visited the church in Brighstone which must be the best looked after Church of England. The warmth hit you as you walked in and for a 8oo year old church this is surprising. While we looked around- no hard wooden pews but chairs set out fairly informally- a lady was in the belfry cleaning round the bells with a hoover. She didn’t speak as we looked through the wares on display for people to buy. I bought a smiley face tape measure for our grandson who would love the retraction mechanism and a boxed glass angel for our granddaughter and put money in the honesty box. The lady vicar here was said to have married Benedict Comberbach ( of Sherlock Holmes acclaim) and his film director fiancée only2 weeks ago, just down the road but this is heresay from our B and B host.

 

 We decided to visit Ventnor for our evening meal so we used the car. This is certainly an island better for walking as there are few places to cycle off road. We packed the bike in the car and set off. Luckily the windows were open and there was a loud metallic crash- we’d left the heavy duty bike lock on the roof of the car. It was retrieved before a lorry ran over it and we reached Ventnor without further mishap. What a hilly place!! Steeply down to the seafront we passed people puffing on the way up. It took a while to find somewhere that suited us but we were pleased with our freshly cooked meals with vegetables including butternut squash. They were large portions too.

 

We drove up to a car park overlooking Blackgang Chine to watch the sun go down. Below us looked like a rollercoaster in yet another amusement park. Set in trees and fading light it didn’t look out of place though.The sun was an orange ball looking like it was suspended over the sea and not on the horizon, an illusion made by the clouds around it. We watched, entranced, along with several others as it sank in minutes.

 

Back at Brighstone Bob had a beer while I tried one of the gluten free puddings at the 3 Bishops, the pub on our doorstep. It’s called that after the 3 rectors, one the youngest son of William Willberforce, slave trade abolisher, who were once rectors of the Parish church.

 

05 April 2015 Isle of wight Day 1

Easter Sunday

 We caught the 10am ferry to the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth. It was a 40 minute trip with the car (tandem inside) for £60 return.

At 11am we were leaving the car in a free car park for a maximum of 5 hours, in Wooton Bridge a short drive from the ferry at Newport. We set off on the tandem under grey skies with just a hint of blue. The weather forecast didn’t sound promising but maybe we were in another island micro climate as we had quite a lot of sunshine through the day.

We followed the cycle route through Upton and true to its name it was very hilly. Our first stop was at Rosemary Vineyard where we had promised to buy a bottle of liqueur for my brother in law. Unfortunately they had run out of the blackberry one he likes but there were many scrumptious fruity drinks to choose from. There is a free tour of the winery and tastings if you so desire but we wanted to press on after some non alcoholic refreshments.

All along the hedgerows were primroses, celandines and daffodils, cheerfully yellow. These seem to encourage butterflies as we saw many brimstone (also yellow), fritillary and tortoiseshell.

We passed a line of houseboats in the sheltered harbour mostly seeming to be wooden houses built on top of boat hulls, one even made from a World War 2 motor torpedo boat.

We came into a large village, Bembridge where we had lunch at the Bakery. We had thick leek and potato soup with cream drizzled over the top and their own made rolls. The tea was speciality leaves and came in a warmed pot.

Close by is a windmill owned by the National Trust. It was built in the 1700s and was last operated in 1913. It has most of its original machinery intact and is the only surviving windmill on the island. We thought you would need to be under 5 feet tall to work here as we had to duck quite a bit. Bob went up the ladders to the top but I chickened out after the first floor. It’s the coming down backwards that’s awkward and I hate seeing the floor many feet below through the slits and gaps in the flooring. The 19^th century painter Turner did a water colour of the mill. I liked the embroidered wedding smock decorated with owl motifs hung amongst the machinery. There is an owl box to encourage owls.

We cycled past an airfield with small planes dotted across the green field. Men were dragging a glider to a vehicle that would tow it. Later we saw an air borne glider being towed by a plane -possibly the same one.

The road was closed where we wanted to go, heading for the traffic free cycle way to Brading. Instead we had to go to Sandown, past the zoo opposite the sea front with its high walls hopefully keeping in the tigers. Apparently not so many years ago tigers were led out for a stroll and swim on these beaches until health and safety put a stop to it.

The dinosaur museum comes next and it looks very modern. It is renowned for its fossil collection and has interactive displays. It was quite cold at this coast and we visited a public toilet here and I was surprised by a trapped pigeon sitting above the door of the cubicle. I wasn’t brave enough to try to get it out.

It wasn’t far till we picked up the cycle path which was rough to start with amongst the house alleys. Later it was tarmac and there were plenty of walkers and cyclists but not so many to make it unpleasant. The path followed an old train route and is now enclosed by natural space. There were plenty of pheasants in the fields and someone in camouflage was waiting with expensive camera equipment by a riverbank hole. Kingfishers were depicted on the nature billboards so there must be fish though the water looked murky with clay.

It was lovely cycling on flat paths though our mirror fell off and cracked, followed by the attachment for it and lastly my water bottle escaped, so the track had to be bumpy with tree roots. The path extended over 8 miles and crossed several quiet roads until it reached Newport. It was a short path to Wooton Station followed by a bit on the road to Tescos and then the car park was opposite near the community Hall. We had just taken the allotted 5 hours though we weren’t sure how they would have known how long we had been there anyway. We had cycled 28 miles.

 With bike in the car we drove to Brighstone for our Bistro Band B called 7. A lovely 800 year old church is opposite our window and the village has plenty of chocolate box thatched cottages.

An iguana’s footprint like a large lump of concrete sits in the bistro area and it seems like this island is quite the paleontologist’s paradise.

 We were given a lovely roast pork dinner at 6 with plenty of vegetables and fresh (Spanish) strawberries for sweet. Unfortunately the chef is usually the lady of the house who fell down stairs and broke her neck just days before we arrived so our host seemed to be very stressed about everything. He said she is staying with her mother and is in a brace for several months. He has an outdoor job, the bistro and B and B to manage on his own with occasional help from his children. It all seemed very puzzling to us and his dark tales of life here, maybe coloured by his beer drinking made us think perhaps a 3 nights stay might be too long.

Our room was very cold and the feathers on the bed made me sneeze. The church clock didn’t strike through the night, the bed turned out to be comfortable and as our room warmed up ( as well as the weather) we relaxed into this unusual B and B.