Distance - 11.6 Miles
Geocaches - 2
Places of Interest - Freshwater, The Needles, Alum Bay, The Waterfront (Good Beer Guide Pub)
Previous Stages - Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
Day 4 on the Coast Path and the Southern Sections changes from crumbling mud cliffs back to the white chalk of Tennyson Downs, which we can see ahead of us for the majority of the walk.
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| Crumbling Cliffs |
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| The Mud Cliffs to be replaced with Chalk Cliffs |
I cannot tell a lie - the walking is dull and monotonous. Seeing the route ahead, we have misguided motivation in Freshwater. This should be a good place to take refreshments, but the only pub - The Albion Hotel - is closed down. It was a good job we took advantage of the ice cream van Shippards Chine.
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| Crystal Clear Sea at Freshwater Bay.... |
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| .... Sadly Publess |
Its a climb out of Freshwater up onto Tennyson Downs, with the monument a focal point. A decision needs to be made here. To complete the Coast Path we need to walk onwards to coastguard cottages and loop back on ourselves. Alternatively, there is a short cut that could save 3 miles of walking and double the amount of Good Beer Guide Ticks in the day.
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| Sit down and think about our route |
We don't cheat ourselves but the sanity of missing out on Highdown Inn is questioned when we cannot see the Needles from the end of the path.
This is corrected as we pass Alum Bay and look back on the route we have taken.
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| Alum Bay |
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| The Needles (just about) |
Its not far to Totland Bay - but it has been another route march, without a real break. Our pace only increases when we see the sign to the steps that lead to the Waterfront Inn.
A good beer guide pub that answers the question, what beers do you have on by listing the lagers. Further prompting reveals 3 real ales, but I'm sure I didn't ask for a Doom Bar. I definitely did request the iced water.
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| A Good Beer Guide Tick |
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| Doom Bar. Water Chaser. |
We'd read the reviews and seen the complaints from people who weren't allowed to eat on their lovely terrace overlooking the Solent. It's one of those funny places that seem to have too many rules that are stringently followed by the staff.
We witnessed a group of pensioners getting told off for eating their icecreams purchased from the premises on the wall outside.
Of course, Covid was blamed for this over-officiousness.
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