Friday 2 July 2021

02/07/21 - IOW Coast Path Day 6 - Shalfleet to Cowes

Distance - 9.5 Miles

Geocaches - 4

Places of Interest - Newtown, Thorness Bay

Previous Stages - Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5


The journey around the Isle of Wight comes to an end.


Fittingly, its an easy day's walking - and Cowes - as it prepares for the "round the island" race - is a suitably buzzing place to finish.  Who wouldn't want to be greeted by a townful of drunken pirates.

Early stages of the walk are circumventing the sprawling Newtown River Creek.  Its road-walking on relatively quiet lanes.  Newport itself has a National Trust Building - the Town Hall - and enough information boards to satisfy the historically curious.  We were more pleased at finding the disabled loos unlocked, even though the attraction was covid-closed.

Newtown River
Newtown River
Newtown Town Hall
Newtown Town Hall

More lane walking into Porchfield, where there was no need to be concerned if we would be too early for the Sportman's Rest Pub.  Hoping its a re-fit, not a re-development.

Sportman's Rest, Porchfield
Will it come back, Lazarus Style?

But its the coast we are here for and its the coast we find at Thorness Bay - marked on the OS Map as "Mud and Sand" - so I won't bore you with photos.  Gurnard Bay is a shanty town of wooden shacks that range from shed-like to mansion.  Civilisation and refreshment opportunities increase with every step, as we approach Cowes from the west.  The first ice cream stand found was not ignored.

Coming into Cowes
Coming into Cowes

We wait for the town to slake our thirst properly.  The Vectis Tavern is chosen simply because has empty outdoor seating.  The more popular Anchor Inn is chosen because its in the Good Beer Guide.

Goddard's Fuddle-Dee-Dum is chosen as a closing drink.  Those who have been to the IOW will know.
 
Vectis Tavern, Cowes
Pub 1 - Vectis Tavern
The Anchor, Cowes
Pub 2 - Anchor Tavern
IOW Coast Path Completers
Suntan, not exhaustion redness.  Empty Fuddle Dee Dum.

To complete the round and join up the walk with exactly where we started, we need to get across the Medina.

The floating bridge provides.  Also doubles as an alarm clock, if you stay where we stayed.

The final stage home.
The machine that clunked us awake every day at 5am


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