Sunday 27 July 2014

Walk 20 Coastal Path Alum Bay to Yarmouth - 6.25 miles

On a scorching hot day, I set out from the Needles pleasure park to explore the coastal path from Alum Bay to Yarmouth, taking in some views of the purple heather covered slopes of Headon Warren.
tractor in fields with heather in background
Alum Bay is best known for its coloured sands and has been a popular tourist spot since the 18th century, when the tradition of filling glass bottles began. A pier, one of three originally on this coastal stretch, was built to serve visiting paddle steamers but it was feared it would allow enemy invasion in wartime and fell into disuse before being swept away by storms. In 1973 a chairlift was installed to access the beach, giving access to boat trips that tour the Needles.
cable car at alum bay


the needles, isle of wight and cable car
On the top of Headon Warren is Hatherwood Battery, built in 1859 as part of the fortifications around the Needles to cover and defend Alum Bay from enemy invasion, protect the Solent from enemy shipping and co-ordinate with the Guns at the Needles Batter. It was to house a range of heavy guns and accommodation for two married soldiers, with the remainder of the garrison quartered at Golden Hill Fort. Now all that remains are four gun emplacements and the site is gradually slipping into the sea.


The area is home to  heather, gorse, grassland, yellowort, gentians, orchids and centauries like these. In July, it is alive with butterflies, including the rare Glanville Fritallary.
Common centuary at Alum Bay
Like all the south of the island, Alum Bay is subject to erosion and this landslip opened up in the wet winter of 2013/4.
Landslip at Headon Warren


Purple heather on Headon Warren Isle of Wight


Alum Bay and the Needles, Isle of Wight


Headon Warren, Alum Bay , Isle of Wight


Alum Bay and the Needles, Isle of Wight
On top of the far hill the Tennyson Monument can just be spotted.
Alum Bay, Headon Warren, Isle of Wight


Across the Solent from Headon Warren


Rosebay Willowherb


View over Solent  with rosebay willowherb in foreground


Purple Heather, Erica
From the top Headon Warren we look back to Afton Down, the scene of the iconic 1970 Isle of Wight pop festival, when up to 700,000 music lovers descended on the area, more than 10 times the number who attend the current festivals, now held in Newport.
afton down
Across the Solent is a vie of Hurst Castle, on long spit of sand just outside Southampton. It was one of Henry VIII's device forts, built to protect Southampton Water from French invasion.
Hurst Castle
Just around the bay, just outside Yarmouth is Fort Albert, one of Lord Palmerston's defences against Napoleonic invasion of the Needles Passage, now converted to private flats.
Fort Albert, Yarmouth


View towards Tennyson Down
Among the heathers and willowherb were also patches of wild honeysuckle.
Wild honeysuckle on Headon Warren


Willowherb at Headon Warren in july
Heading down into Totland Bay, I passed these spectacular hydrangeas.
Macro shot of pink hydrangeas


hydrangea in bud
Following York Lane and Cliff Road, a path leads down to Totland Bay.
totland bay
The Waterfront Inn and Totland are renowned for magnificent sunset view, but I've yet to be there with a camera to catch one.
At Pelican Pointe cafe, the coastal path heads up inland to avoid the area of broken sea wall.
Totland Pier has fallen into disrepair and plans for its restoration have stalled among legal and planning concerns.
Totland Pier 2014


totland bay pier
Following a long spell of rain, the sea wall collapsed after a landslip, closing coastal access, amid much speculation as to possible repair options.
After a short stretch inland, the path descends to the little beach resort of Colwell Bay, with its row of colourful beach huts and beach cafes and shops.
Beach huts and The Hut cafe at Colwell Bay


colourful beach huts at colwell bay


Colwell Bay


Hydrangeas and Agapanthus
The path heads up inland again passing through Brambles Chine and Cliff End holiday parks, lined with thistles and wild fennel.


thistle


bee on thistle


wild fennel with hover flies near yarmouth


thistles and daisies
This pink shrub is Eupatorium cannabinum, commonly known as Hemp-agrimony, and the butterflies sure liked it.
butterfly on Eupatorium cannabinum, or Hemp-agrimony,


butterfly on Eupatorium cannabinum, commonly known as Hemp-agrimony,



butterfly on Eupatorium cannabinum, commonly known as Hemp-agrimony,
Coming out on the coast again offered closer views of Hurst Castle.
Hurst Castle
The path then heads into the woods of Fort Victoria Country Park, but I couldn't find the significance of this carving.

Carved figure in fort victoria country park
Nestling in the undergrowth were these Arum maculatum or snakehead , a common woodland plant species of the Araceae family, later to become arum lilies.
arum maculatum spike of red berries among leaves
Leaving the woodland we reach the coastal path, passing Norton Grange to reach Yarmouth Harbour.

Yarmouth harbour Isle of wight
Along the sandy shoreline were clumps of sea holly.
Eryngium maritimum or sea holly


Yarmouth harbour



Eryngium maritimum or sea holly


Yarmouth Harbour




Yarmouth Mill and estuary


yarmouth mill and esturay


Yarmouth estuary


evening in yarmouth harbour


Walk Details
Start: Needles Pleasure Park, Alum Bay
End: Yarmouth Harbour
Distance: 6.25miles
Refreshments and WC: Alum Bay, Colwell Bay, Yarmouth
Bus: Island Coaster or route 7 from Ventnor or Newport.


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