Walk 57 Shide to Carisbrooke Priory and Castle

I had never been to Carisbrooke Priory and it has been years since I last visited Carisbrooke Castle, so I planned a walk to take in both, starting at Shide on the outskirts of Newport.

Shide Rd begins just before the Matalan roundabout and continues into Whitepit Lane. Pass St Nicholas Close on your right then cross over and turn into Mountjoy on the left. Follow the path, bearing left around a property called Coolangatta to follow a straight path leading to the corner of Carisbrooke Cemetery. The path continues with the cemetery on your right, but before reaching Mountjoy Industrial Estate, turn left away from the cemetery to reach Verbium Dei Retreat Centre, where you turn left into Nunnery Lane, leading to the Priory. The Priory house and gardens are open from Tuesday to Friday and from 10.00am to 4.00pm (except Bank Holidays). The Tea Room is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday serving morning coffee, light lunches, (12.00 until 2.00pm) and afternoon tea. As well as the tearoom, visitors can explore the second-hand book and gift shop. 

The priory of Carisbrooke was founded in 1156, attached to various abbeys, until 1856, when it was taken over by an order of Dominican nuns. It was rebuilt in Gothic style by the architect Gilbert Blount and among visitors to the Priory was Queen Victoria, despite her aversion to Catholicism. Today it is a quiet retreat for prayer and healing, set in two acres of walled gardens with seats spaced out in peaceful corners.

 

Leaving the Priory, turn right into Whitcombe Rd with a view of the castle walls ahead of you..  By the Mountjoy No 38 bus stop, a footpath leads to the south east corner of the castle. (1.5  miles so far.) Bear left to approach the castle entrance on the eastern side. There has been a castle here at the heart of the island's defence for over 1000 years. The entrance, ticket office and shop are through the Gatehouse Tower, built by Anthony Rivers, brother of Queen Elizabeth Woodville, in c. 1464.There is much information on the English Heritage Website including admission times, prices and a plan of the site. (Download plan of castle here)

Entering the Inner Bailey, we come first to the Chapel of St Nicholas, which is dedicated as a National Monument to King Charles I.

Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Just behind it is Princess Beatrice's Garden, which was the private garden of Queen Victoria's youngest daughter, who lived here when she was Governor of the Isle of Wight. The current garden was designed by Chris Beardshaw in 2009, based on plans of the original garden. Within the walls are colourful boarders, hedges, fruit trees and paths laid out in geometrical design.

In the centre of the garden is the bronze statue of Warrior, by equine sculptor, Philip Blacker. Warrior was the valiant island bred horse of General Jack Seeley who survived four years leading cavalry charges on the Western Front.

Continuing anticlockwise round the courtyard, we come to one of the most beloved parts of the castle, the Donkey Centre. This home to the famous donkeys who, for just a few seconds each day, draw up water from the castle well, a tradition dating back to 1496.

Behind the Donkey Centre is the tea-room and a set of steps leading to the ramparts which offer superb view of the castle, as well as the surrounding countryside.

Next we come to the castle's Great Hall, which now houses the Carisbrooke Castle Museum,
founded as a memorial to Princess Beatrice’s husband, Prince Henry of Battenberg. King Charles I was imprisoned here in 1647-8 and as well as some of his personal possessions, the museum houses the King's bedroom, from where he unsuccessfully launched his escape attempt.

Here too is a model for the monument designed for Princess Elizabeth by Baron Carlo Marochetti, King Charles' daughter who died of pneumonia in the castle, aged 14. Her full-size tomb is in St Thomas' Church, Newport.

On leaving the castle I chose to return via Newport town centre, so followed Castle Hill downhill to the right, continuing straight into Castle Rd, which leads into Carisbrooke Rd and joins the High Street near the historic Castle Inn. 

This pub is Newport's oldest, dating back to 1550, and it is rumoured that a secret passageway once linked it to the castle, so that the King could pop in for a pint. It is also reputed to have a resident ghost, that of a stable boy who leaves 5p pieces around the pub.

 Walk Details
Start: Matalan, Newport
Finish: Newport town centre
Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: 2 hours
Bus:  All buses to Newport Bus Station. No 2/3/38 to Shide Rd. No 38 stops outside Priory.
Refreshments/WC: Priory, Castle, Castle Inn and Town Centre

Walk 56 Shanklin Station to Wroxall, via Donkey Sanctuary

 

My second Donkey walk recently, this time in reverse, starting at Shanklin railway station and following the Red Squirrel cycle path.From outside the station, a flight of steps descends from the left side of the car park, coming out opposite Lower Hyde Holiday Park beside Lidl. 

Cross the road and take the path leading through the caravan park to join the Red Squirrel Trail that follows the old railway line, dating from when the rail track extended from Shanklin to Ventnor.

 

This is a nice, flat paved path, passing en route the Railway Cabin, a little cafe stop with the added extra sighting, if you are lucky, of one of their resident deer.

The track curves round until, looking to the right, you see the main road and the Donkey Sanctuary which is reached by taking a path through a ramblers gate down to the main road, marked A Wroxall Walker.

See Walk 52 for details of visiting the Sanctuary. With the cafe terrace on your right take the path straight through past a picnic area and follow it uphill to the right for about 10 minutes.

Here it will join a lane, by a signpost to Winstone Farm and a house called Maydene.

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Turn left on this lane, which is Redhill Lane, passing Redhill Farm and Baron Court Farm. 

 

 

This comes out just past Appuldurcombe Holiday Park to a junction. 

Turning right will lead up to visit Appuldurcombe House, or a left turn will lead back to the main road through Wroxall. There is a bus stop opposite but turning right for a few minutes will take you into the village with a bus stop at Wroxall Church and the Star Inn if refreshments are required.

Walk Details
Start: Shanklin Railway Station
Finish: Wroxall Church
Distance: 3.6 miles
Time: 2 hours
Bus: No 3 from Ryde or Newport, Traiin from Ryde to Shanklin
Refreshments/WC: Donkey Sanctuary, Star Inn Wroxall