Favorite Isle of Wight Walk

Wednesday 1st December 2010

I have just got home from walking the Coastal Path from Gurnard to Shalfleet, chilly day and with snow in the air but a lovely walk, The advantage of walking when it is freezing is the mud is frozen too brilliant.

I started walking from Gurnard by the Woodvale pub and beach huts below and followed the Coastal path passing a number of quaint railway carriages turned into holiday chalets. To the West of Gurnard the path continues along the cliff top and we did not see anyone until we arrived at the tranquil and unspoilt bay of Thorness. Then it was just one intrepid dog walker like me.

The bay is comprised of mudflats, clays, marsh land and sand which combine to form a constantly changing landscape a wading birds paradise. During the autumn months the mudflats are a valuable resource for migrating birds. Walking along the beach and watching the variety of birds on the water’s edge, this time there we a number of Oyster catchers, Dunlins and Geese and a lone Heron but it changes all the time. I have seen little Egrets, Sandpipers, and Curlews.

As this stretch of coast is constantly eroding it is a fantastic place to go fossil hunting. There is a continuation of the Hampstead beds which are known to contain crocodile and turtle remains. We continued up through Thorness Bay Holiday Park making our way to Shalfleet through a number of fields finishing at the Sportsman’s rest Pub for lunch and a glass of very welcome mulled wine to get warm.