MAY BANK HOLIDAY ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT 2001
During the previous few months because of the foot & mouth the weekend walking was discussed at great lengths by all that were going, although Lynne & Dave were in no doubt that we would all have a great time.
Friday afternoon all 51 Ramblers were at their pickup places in good time for the journey to Portsmouth, except for Paddy, the coach driver, who we met at the Ferry Terminal. His excuse was that the QE2 was running late. When we arrived in Portsmouth Dave was told that we did not have a spot on the Ferry because we had been booked on the week before. We alighted the coach and had time for an ice cream whilst Dave and Paddy checked the booking. Nil Desperandum! Dave & Paddy sorted ‘Wight Link’ out we finally boarded the boat and we were all in good spirits for an enjoyable time on our ‘Holiday Abroad’!
Our hotel, as usual, lived up to Eastleigh Ramblers expectations, with a Health Suite, games room, green bowls and a very good entertainments lounge. After dinner (and a long walk to walk it off) we invaded the dance hall where a group of our ladies danced around their imaginary handbags. Ella started dancing with a toy boy from another group only to have him snatched back by a lady from the other group. This was done ‘in the very best possible taste’ and a good laugh. The Cabaret for that night was a singer from London. She was very good at all kinds of music from Shirley Bassey to Phantom of the Opera.
Breakfast was taken at 8.30 and except for a few we all donned our shorts ready for the sun to emerge through the thick clouds. Unfortunately we had to wait until we were back at the hotel before we saw the sun. AS LIKE SHEEP WE FOLLOWED THE SHEPHERDS ALONG THE ‘SHEPHERDS TRAIL’. Carisbrooke Priory was the beginning of a very interesting 8 miles or so (depending on whose pedometer we were looking at at the time). Lunch was taken in a local hostelry in Shorwell. Although the pub was informed there would be a coach load they did not complain about the number until after we had all ordered our food and paid the money. The soup of the day was a good talking point. Q. When is Tomato Soup not tomato Soup? A. When it is French Onion (Or none at all in some cases). Only the path we were walking on could be seen as the mist was very thick and the coastal view was never in sight. We were disappointed to find if we had stayed back in the hotel, or even in Eastleigh, we would have had glorious sunshine. After a drink or too in the Crab & Lobster some people were found lacking in stamina and went to bed early and in doing so they missed what was to be a very clever and funny comedian.
The weather on Sunday and Monday was very much the same. Dave & Lyn had to change the routes around a lot as some of the footpaths were still closed. Sunday’s walk took us over Tennyson Down and along to Freshwater. As this is a popular walk it did not mater so much that once again we could not see the coastline. The Next question to be asked was ‘When is a tree not a Tree. A. When it is a Mobile Phone Aerial. This Aerial was very well disguised as a tall Pine tree. After walking up a steep incline we passed through part of a golf course (Probably the 13th Tee). As we got close one golfer decided he could not wait for 45 ramblers to pass so he hit his shot. He did not bargain on what was to follow. A few of the ramblers went straight up to him and started shouting how stupid he was (one nearly came to blows). I don’t think he will do that again! We continued on a very pleasant walk and spent about an hour in Freshwater before the coach came to take us back to Bembridge.
After Dinner we were all invited to Dave & Lynne’s room for a drink. The next question. How many people can you get in a hotel room at once? A. 40! Within 45 minutes all 52 people had arrived. As you can imagine it was very noisy but all their neighbors must have been out. For the cabaret we were entertained by Dusty Springfield, Cher, Elvis, Abba, and many other stars of the sixty’s.
Monday again was misty to start with but got better through out the day. Some of the group decided to stay at the hotel for part of the morning and join the walkers for lunch at Seaview. The walk started of from Bembridge past Houseboats moored in the bay. Some were very old and derelict but a few had been renovated as living accommodation, B&B or Tea Rooms. The morning coffee stop was taken on a lovely open gorse land (ladies to the right gents to the left) just a few minutes from the beach, café, ice creams and toilets. This was one of the alternative walks Dave did this on his bike and did not know the beach existed. (Never mind. Dave). It was very interesting to see a concrete wall attached to a Church Ruin to safeguard it from the war. Only the concrete and a small part of the Church were left standing. We all met on the front at Seaview for Lunch, looking out to sea we could see many Oil tankers, Container ships and Yachts in the Solent. We continued out walk along the long sandy beach to Ryde stopping for to buy an ice cream whilst waiting for a Rambler who we thought was lost but only to find that he decided to go to the gents without telling anybody (breaking one of the few ramblers Rules). On reaching Ryde the more energetic continued to walk to Fishbourne while the non-walkers had an hour or so before getting on the coach for the journey back by ferry to Portsmouth.
Everybody would like to give a big THANK YOU to Dave and Lynne, for what must have been a very difficult and worrying time planning and organizing the weekend. Well done.
Barbara Burlefinger