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 55 Newport to Blackwater River Path

One of my aims for this summer is to walk the Red Squirrel Cycle Track in sections, and this was my first stage, from Newport to Blackwater Hollow.The route starts opposite Matalan. Cross the road and take the signposted footpath along the left side of the river to start the Red Squirrel Trail.This is a flat, scenic walk also known as Connie's Way, and is suitable for all walkers, including those with mobility restrictions, such as wheelchairs, walking aids or pushchairs.

 

After following the River Medina for a few minutes, cross Shide Road to continue through Pan Mill Meadows.

The Meadow is managed by Gift to Nature and filled with wild garlic, bluebells and buttercups. In the meadow, yellow flag, water mint and meadowsweet can be seen, and you may be able to spot woodpeckers, butterflies, dragonflies or a water vole along the river.

This walk finishes at Blackwater Hollow, but the path continues on to Merstone, and Godshill across the road.

Walk Details
Start: Matalan, Newport
Finish: Blackwater Hollow
Distance: 1.5 miles
Time: 50 miins
Bus: No 3 from Ryde or Newport
Refreshments/WC: Newport town centre

Walk 51 Snide to Blackwater Path - 1.6 miles

 http://footprint-trust.co.uk/content/wp-content/uploads/Connies-Way-Newport.pdf

The map above shows the first half of the walk, half a mile known as Connie's Way but by crossing over Shide Rd, the cycle track continues until it meets Blackwater Hollow by Sandy Lane.

Walk Details
Start: Cycle Path at Shide, opposite Matalan
Finish:Blackwater Hollow
Distance: 1.6 miles
Time: 1 hour
Bus: No 3 from Ventnor, Ryde or Newport, No 2 from Shanklin
Refreshments/WC:Newport Town Centre, e.g. Marks and Spencer

Walk 45 Newport to Island Harbour - 3 miles

A fine day in January and a very early start to my walking year. Last year, I did very few new walks, so this year I have resolved to do more, or at least revisit some old ones.

Today I started out from Newport Bus Station, heading through the town and across the river to start the Medina Greenway Cycle Path N120 from the Riverside Centre, opposite the Bargeman's Rest. It is a gravelled path, so fine for wet winter walking.

 

At this end of the Medina is Newport Harbour, from which the island's main town takes its name, first recorded in the 12^th century. Despite outbreaks of Black Death and incursions by French forces, the town's trade grew over the years. By the 18th century, there was a lot of trade in corn, coal, timber and beer and Newport was a thriving working port until the late 19th century, situated at the centre of the island's rail network. Today it is purely a leisure harbour.

At the beginning of the path is the imposing red brick building, Jubilee Stores, which now houses artists studios. It was originally the grain store for a Newport miller company James Thomas and Co. Ltd, then used as general storage, before being taken over by Quay Arts.

The path leads along the Medina Estuary on the left and past recreation fields on the right.

The Estuary mudflats and Dodnor Creek are important nature conservation areas for wild flowers and butterflies as well as providing feeding ground for a variety of birds, including little egret, oystercatchers,curlew, black tailed godwits, grey herons, redshank, mallard, coots and swans, which can be seen across the river in the Medina Riverside Park.

Just as the Island Harbour comes into view, we pass the rusting hulk of the paddle steamer, Ryde Queen. She was in use as a passenger ferry between the mainland and the island from 1937 to 1969, serving as minesweeper and anti aircraft ship in WW2. In 1944, defending the Omaha beaches, she was hit in her engine room by a shell, but it did not explode and she was able to return safely to Portsmouth. After a stint offering cruises on the Thames, she was fitted out with luxury cabins, a restaurant, bar and dance-floor, and was renamed the Ryde Queen Boatel in 1972, but caught fire in 1977. The damage was repaired and she reopened as a nightclub until she closed in 1989 and has lain derelict ever since.

Just round the corner is the picturesque Island Harbour Marina, with its moored yachts and pleasure craft.

The Island Harbour houses a restaurant called The Breeze, where I stopped for a very good seafood linguini. It is also now home to the original Spice Girls Tour Bus, now operating as an Air BandB rental. 

Across the bridge, the footpath continues for on to Whippingham and St Mildred's Church, but from here on the path is unmade and can be very muddy. I do not do mud.

After .75 miles, you reach the Folly Inn, with its many outside tables and moorings for boats sailing down the Marina for the day. It is also possible to pick up a water taxi here to go back to East Cowes.

A 15 minute walk along Mill Rd took me back up to the main road, turning right at the end to pick up the No 5 or 9 bus back to Newport. 

Walk Details

Walk Details
Start: Newport Bus Station
Finish: Island Harbour
Distance: 3 miles
Time:  50 minutes
Bus: No 5 or 9 from Newport to Whiteposts stop on Fairlee Rd
Refreshments/WC: The Breeze restaurant, Island Harbour