Walk 61 - Wootten Creek around the 1969 festival site.

 My purpose in planning this walk was to photograph the site of the second Isle of Wight Festival in 1969.

 Although I identified the location, it proved too difficult to shoot, as modern housing has been built all around the St Edmunds Fields site. However I did manage a walk along the creek, finishing back in the village.

I started the walk at The Cedars bus stop on Lushington Hill and then walked down to the Tide Mill pub, formerly The Sloop Inn. From the left corner of the car park, I took Mill Square, Sloop Lane and then crossed the green to Pump Lane leading to New Road.

New Road leads alongside the creek allowing glimpses of the creek through the boatyards and some very desirable properties on the left hand side of the road. The festival took place in the fields to the left of New Lane.

 

Follow New Road past Little Canada until it comes to a 5 way junction but this is rather confusing, with multiple no access signs and no road markings. 

I intended to take Lower Woodside Rd which follows the bay round, but ended up on Upper Woodside Rd which cuts off the loop, but is an unmade farm track.

 

Both roads will eventually rejoin Palmers Rd, also mostly track, which leads back south to St  Edmund's Church and the High St. 

Built in 1087AD, the church is dedicated to St Edmund, who was King of East Anglia during the Danish invasions. Legend has it that he was martyred by the Danes as he refused to give up his faith, and was tied to a tree and killed by arrow fire. His remains were interred at Bury St Edmunds.

I believe the festival took place in St Edmund's Fields behind the church.

Wootton Bridge Historical has some excellent images showing the festival site and some of the acts who played there. 

 

 Headliners included Bob Dylan, The Who, Tom Paxton, The Moody Blues and The Pretty Things.

Following Church Road leads back to the main road opposite The Cedars Pub. 

 

 

Walk 39 Butterfly World and Briddleford Lodge Farm - 2.2 miles

My last visit to Butterfly World was on such a hot day that I couldn't stay long, so I returned this year on a cooler day for another try. This time was far more comfortable and I was able to get a few decent shots even though it is a challenging shoot as most of them don't settle for long.

 

 

   

These tiny Mexican Quail run round underfoot eating the ants which are predators for butterflies.

Next I walked on up Whiterails Rd to the mini-roundabout then left on Briddlesford Rd to reach Briddlesford Lodge Farm Shop, a working dairy with a heritage centre, cafe and organic farm shop. But the busy roads with no pavements made it an unpleasant walk so I have concluded that both venues are best visited as standalone attractions rather than walks.

The farm has a herd of 140 Guernsey cows who produce 'Buttercup Milk', made into Minghella ice cream on the farm.

They are clearly used to visitors and very curious!

A few young calves were in the stalls...

Avoiding the road walk I returned via the farm track Littletown Lane.

The track bears left at this cottage to come out by the Woodmans Arms on the number 9 bus route. 5 minutes walk past the pub and over the mini roundabout is the bus stop back to  Newport.

 

Walk details

Walk Details
Start: Butterfly World
Finish: Wootton Common
Distance: 2.2 miles
Time:  60 minutes
Bus: No 9 from Newport via Staplers to Wootton
Refreshments/WC: Butterfly World and Briddlesford Lodge Farm 

Walk 36 Firestone Copse

A bit late starting on my photo walks this year as it has been cool and not sunny enough to tempt me! But with the advent of the bluebell season I decided to try a new location, Firestone Copse in Wootton.

 The walk begins by The Sloop Inn at Wootton Creek and follows the edge of the lake.

From the Sloop cross the bridge and head up Kite Hill until a few yards along Firestone Copse Rd turns off to the right. Passing Kite Farm and Campsite you come to the edge of the copse after about 20 mins.

 From the road I soon saw a patch of blue and headed into the copse to find a shady corner filled with bluebells.

 Underfoot were carpets of Wood Anemones too...

 ...and of course lots of primroses.

But on wandering further in I found faint paths that soon disappeared, so I returned to the road and followed it down until I found the carpark and main entrance to the copse, about half an hour's walk from Wootton Creek. The copse is managed by the Forestry Commission and is composed of mixed conifers and broadleaves, but mainly sessile oak and Corsican pine. Hazel trees provide nuts for the red squirrels that live there.

Here begins a wide, gravelled circular path, by a 'keep dogs under control' sign leading around mixed trees, a walk of about 20 mins that would be good for a winter stroll.

 But alas, no more bluebells, so I returned to the first patch and took a few more shots in the early afternoon sun.

Cherry blossom was out on the lane going back.

A trip to Wootton is not complete without a swan shot...

...and of course lunch at the Sloop Inn!