Alum Bay to Afton Down

After yesterday’s very successful adventure, using buses to get to and return from my route, I was keen to make use of the Isle of Wight’s wonderful buses – and my bus pass! – again. The Number 7 doesn’t go beyond Alum Bay, but with careful planning, the ability provided by Google Maps to check the best route between any two places by public transport and on foot (as well as by car) at any time, and an element of luck, it all worked out well. I caught the 9.40 bus from just outside my holiday cottage, Rookmead Cottage, in the village of Wellow. The bus was reasonably busy through Yarmouth, Freshwater and Totland, but by the time we got to Alum Bay, I thought I was the only passenger (actually there was someone else, who appeared from upstairs when we got to Alum Bay).                                                      

Before setting off on my walk, I picked my way past the men who were power washing the courtyard area outside the shops etc. of the Needles Landscape Attraction, and walked past the various attractions (mostly closed until next weekend) to the Needles Viewpoint - which had, surprise surprise, views to the iconic stacks and lighthouse. Near the Viewpoint was the Marconi Monument, which marks the location of the former Royal Needles Hotel from where Guglieolmo Marconi sent the very first wireless transmission to a ship out at sea.  Also nearby, a dinosaur appeared out of the undergrowth; part of "Dino Jeep Safari" I think.

From the entrance to the Needles Landscape Attraction, back by the bus stop, my route took me uphill past the car park, then right onto the road and footpath that lead to the Old and New Needles Batteries. Looking back as I walked along the path gave good views back to the famously colourful sands of Alum Bay. I've visited the beach below just once, with my daughter, my late sister and her two daughters, on a warm spring day in 2002. On that occasion, two brave members of our party used the chair lift to return to the top of the cliffs, but I'm not sure I would be keen to use it now - it looks distinctly primitive!

A path heads up the side of the hillside towards the Coastguard Cottages; it was time to get out my walking poles! From the cottages, the coastal path was signposted sharply left, but I decided to head further out onto the peninsula first, towards the Needles Old Battery. I've visited the Old Battery before and knew it was not yet open for the season. However, I was rewarded by more good views towards the Needles. I think I could probably have worked my way around to the path I wanted in order to head east onto Tennyson Down without retracing my steps up to the Coastguard Cottages, but I remembered previous route finding difficulties round here, so took the safer if more energetic option of retracing my steps then heading uphill just to the east of the Coastguard Cottages.

When I was sure that I had reached an appropriate path along the ridge, I turned left onto it. I climbed gently towards the Tennyson Monument, sometimes along the top of the ridge and sometimes nearer to the coast, from where there were occasional views to the chalk cliffs beneath us. Eventually I reached the Tennyson Monument, built as a memorial to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, who was poet laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign, and lived on the Isle of Wight (near Freshwater) for 39 years. There are benches around the base of the memorial, so I ate my lunch here, while admiring the spectacular views in all directions. 

From the Tennyson Monument, I descended gradually towards Freshwater Bay. I didn't cut the corner off as others were doing, but rather continued close to the coast for as far as I could, turning left onto a track where I reached the entrance to the private Fort Reboubt. The track brought me out past the (useful) public toilets on the edge of the settlement of Freshwater Bay.  Opposite the beach I found a little cafe, which seems to be called the Freshwater Cafe. I went in with the intention of getting a cup of tea, but was tempted to try the local (Isle of Wight Ice Cream Co.) ice cream - delicious! I pottered around the beach area, but then had to make a decision as to what to do next. The number 7 bus goes through Freshwater, but Freshwater Bay is about a mile further south, and the number 7 bus doesn't go here. So I could either walk north to Freshwater,  perhaps along the Freshwater Way, or I could catch the number 12 bus to Freshwater and change onto the number 7 here

I decided on the first option, the number 12 bus, but these are quite infrequent which gave me time to walk a little further, hopefully to somewhere I could park tomorrow. I was aiming for a little National Trust car park to the north of the A3055 at SZ352857, but even with the OS map and app on my phone, I was not sure of my route - so many paths have fallen into the sea! I set off - uphill! - along the road, but after a short climb, the route was signposted off to the right and this led to the cliffs to the east of Freshwater Bay. There were good views back to the beach and a stack at its eastern end and , beyond, the cliffs beneath Tennyson Down. However, progress along the cliffs was distinctly limited; very soon I reached a sign alerting me to the fact that the cliff path was closed a sort distance ahead. Fortunately the diversion led by way of the car park I was aiming for.