Lin's Isle of Wight Walking Blog: Walk 18 - Merstone to Arreton

The point of this walk was to photograph some poppies, as I had been told there was usually a good poppy field on the Merstone-Arreton road, just past the cemetery, by the junction with East Lane. But though I think I found the field, it had only a narrow strip of poppies, so either the field has been replanted or it's not a good year for them. I'll have to try somewhere else!

The walk began at Bohemia Corner, the junction with the Rookley Main Rd and Merstone Road. It is mostly a road walk and only the stretch between East Lane and Arreton is a busy road.

We walk along the lane with cornfields on the right hand side and views across to Stenbury Down.

Cornfields on Merstone Lane isle of wight

Rather a Provencal spot, I thought.

These trees (Aspen?) were along the cycle path which crosses Merstone Lane.

In the fields I came across many of these Field Scabious, or Knautia arvensis. They are so called because they were traditionally used to treat scabies and other skin conditions as well as coughs and lung conditions.

Another medicinal plant along the way was this Hypericum growing in a front garden along Merstone Lane. Also known as St John's Wort, its many varieties have long been used by herbalists for the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Hebes attract butterflies but I didn't manage to catch any today.

I passed this ruined cottage and thought it suited a sepia treatment.

Just past this field, at the junction with East Lane, is the poppy field I was aiming for.

Field at junction of Merstone lane and East lane

What I hadn't taken account of was the wind, it was difficult to catch them at a still moment.

Poppies in cornfield, merstone, isle of wight

A few yards further along the busy Downend Lane is the Arreton Craft Village, a collection of craft shops centred around the flower filled courtyard of the Dairyman's Daughter pub.