Once again I’m off! Second to last mini vacation this week: walking across the Isle of Wight!! Thanks to @SlowWaysUK, the journey planning was easy, and I know I’ll have plenty of small towns to stop off in. Ryde -> Bembridge -> Sandown -> Shanklin -> Ventnor -> Yarmouth!!
Just finishing up #Slowway no. 1 as I arrive into Bembridge! Lovely exploring so far this morning
The path emerged from the woods to this view that was so stunning I stopped dead in my tracks and exclaimed “Oh my god!”
What I didn’t realize is that there was someone just behind me who I quite startled with my exclamation 🤪
Stopped for a lovely beachfront lunch in Sandown! Slow Way number 2 was gorgeous.
The climb up here was a little tough, but the views are 😍 this island is really special
As soon as I tweeted about the views the clouds rolled in for the rest of what I assume is a beautiful ridgeline ☁️☁️
But I made it to Ventnor! Almost done for the day, just have to get back up the hill to get out of town….
Made it to camp!! What a great Day One across the Isle of Wight!! Ps yes I ate at an “American style” restaurant but in my defense it’s the only restaurant in town so
Clouds haven’t gone anywhere overnight, and in fact are delivering a little drizzle this morning. Probably this means less “oh my god!”-worthy views, but that’s okay, I’ll just have to come back! Yarmouth, here we come!!
I’ve passed through my fair share of gates while walking in the UK but this one takes the cake!! Made it to lovely Godshill, and the fog on the fields here was other-worldly
Not really getting any sweeping views but it’s quite an adventure through the clouds this morning ☁️☁️
Got a little (very) lost looking for this path which took me on a trudge up a steep, muddy, and grassy hillside. In retrospect it was not the slow way that failed me at all but instead my own overconfidence that I knew the way and refusal to simply backtrack to the correct path…
Approach into Brighstone! This walk is leaving me absolutely stunned.
The hills I just passed through felt like I was interloping on a Star Wars set!! Totally epic.
The Star Wars set continues!! This is so wild.
After descending from another few ridges, the Slow Way took me through agricultural fields that seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions. Getting close to Yarmouth now! The ocean is in sight!!
Made it!!!!!! A restaurant at the finish line exactly is quite the sight for sore eyes. What a fantastic adventure, even with the last 75% shrouded in fog!!! God this feels great.
I’m literally tearing up it’s so lovely to be here in Yarmouth with the water blue and the sun finally emerging. What a world 😍
And that’s a wrap from me! Thanks for following along these past two days! I’m very sad to be leaving this beautiful island. Till next time!!
Up bright and early for my next @SlowWaysUK adventure! Canterbury -> Whitstable -> Herne Bay -> Canterbury! Or maybe Canterbury -> Herne Bay -> Whitstable -> Canterbury?? I haven’t quite decided yet???
Scenes from a quiet and crisp morning in Canterbury! All goes well, I’ll be back here before sunset!🤞🚶
Decided to head towards Herne Bay first, and the route winds through some really quiet residential areas, getting out of the hustle and bustle of Canterbury quite quickly 😌
And I’m off! I’ll do my best to live-tweet my @SlowWaysUK adventure today. If all goes well, I’ll walk from Maidenhead to Wendover and bring three routes up to “fully verified” in the process! I’m a bit nervous for the distance but so excited to spend the day traveling by foot.🐌
Scenes from a quiet, cool, and misty morning in Maidenhead 🌫🌫
Within 10 minutes from the route start, I’m among green and blue! The colors are gorgeous, if a bit muted. The smell of vegetation is rejuvenating. The sound of birds is everywhere!
HOT but really gorgeous day spent walking with @SlowWaysUK between Cardiff and Newport! Overall a great route, with lovely sights, varied terrain, and extensive off-road connections. Thank goodness for the Asda halfway through for a cold drink re-stock!!
Pros:
- Beautiful!
- Gives a taste for the Wales Coast Path
- Miles of oceanfront!!
- Does a great job following quiet streets to get into and out of the urban areas
- Gave me an excuse to go to Wales (my first time out of England since arriving here!!)
Having a difficult time coming up with cons besides “it was 27373°”. There were a few very minor navigational challenges (locked gate pictures, but easily correctable). It really was a good route, and a successful day trip to Wales!
Long and hot @SlowWaysUK walk today, with this sign capturing it perfectly! I walked 22 miles: Frome -> Maiden Bradley -> Bruton. I’ll share more thoughts and pictures once I’m cooled down and full of Oreos and Irn Bru Xtra on the train home!!
A bit humbling that what took me all day GWR covered in less than 12 minutes 🤪
Okay!! Cooled off and had a cold shower.
Pros of my two @SlowWaysUK routes:
- BEAUTIFUL day
- Quiet!!
- Varied terrain
- Lovely towns and villages of the countryside
- A few stunning spots of scenery
- No bad stretches of road walking
Alright world it’s time for my next adventure! Four @SlowWaysUK over two days: Oxford -> Standlake -> Faringdon -> Highworth -> Swindon!! I call it “OxSwi” and it features a very special reward at its end… follow along for the next few days to find out what it is!!
And we’re off!!!! Faringdon, here we come!!!
The Oxford-ites I’m walking with keep saying “we didn’t even know this path was here!” The magic of slow ways!!!
Today, if all goes well (aka I’m not deterred by potentially very rainy conditions) I’ll be walking two @SlowWaysUK routes—Romsey to King’s Somborne and then on to Winchester! I call it “RomWin.” Psyched to get outdoors and on the network!!
First footpath out of Romsey… love a quiet morning where the only sounds are the birds
I’ve entered a nature reserve! Still lots of birds to keep me company on an otherwise quiet morning.