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Having crossed on the ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth, it's a short drive to
the village of Brook in the south west of the island. We walked a section of the
lovely Tennyson Trail, named after Alfred Lord Tennyson, former Poet Laureate
and resident of the beautiful Isle of Wight.
This is a reasonably easy
walk of three or four miles and has wonderful sea views all along the route.
 | | The
Isle of Wight's spectacular coastline. |
The
whole trail is 15 miles long, from Carisbrooke Castle in Newport all the way to
The Needles, but we tackled just the last leg of the walk, ending at the monument
to the poet up on the magnificent cliffs.
At Dunsbury Farm, just west
of the village, we came across a hedge laying competition, not a common occurrence,
but very interesting to see.
The island is a designated Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty and prides itself on preserving the older sustainable resources
such as hedgerows.
It's heartening to see the beautifully kept hedges,
so valuable for wildlife and flora, and plenty of examples can be seen along the
walk and all across the island.
Tony Ridd, who organised the competition
and has planted and restored miles of hedgerows here, is passionate about the
management of the woodland and landscape of the area - involving and educating
volunteers in all aspects of restoration and upkeep.
 | | Joe
lends a hand. |
As
you walk, it's easy to see and appreciate the efforts Tony and his workers make,
alongside agencies like the National Trust who are responsible for the trail.
Walking up the footpath to the top of the hill, you can see a large,
gothic house nestling in the hills. This house was once the residence of another
writer, J.B. Priestley.
As we turned a corner, we saw (and heard!) Paul
Sivell, as he carved away at the stump of a tree with his chain saw.
 | | Paul
Sivell's sculpture |
Paul
is a self-taught sculptor who specialises in turning dead, damaged or fallen trees
into wonderful works of art, and his work can be seen all over the island, as
well as on the mainland.
At the top of the hill, the footpath itself
is easily picked out as it is worn into the chalk, and you will want to take time
just to stand and admire the spectacular coastline.
You will notice a
collection of burial mounds just above the path, and if you walk up to these barrows,
you will be rewarded with magnificent views of the island and over to the mainland,
Portsmouth, Southampton and the coast all the way to Poole.
Strolling
westwards, across the golf course, Farringford House comes into view at the foot
of Tennyson Down.
Now a hotel, it was here that Tennyson lived and worked,
and his study has been preserved and can be seen upstairs from Reception.
When
Tennyson was in residence here, his fame was so great that sightseers used to
crowd the front lawns hoping for a glimpse of the great man. To escape their view,
Tennyson had a bridge built from his garden out onto his beloved Downs and the
bridge is still there today.
 | | A
glimpse of Tennyson? |
There
have been many reported sightings of the ghost of the poet, and that of his wife,
on the trail here and in the house itself. In fact, the Isle of Wight is said
to be the most haunted island in the world…
It's a 10 minute stroll up
to the Tennyson monument and the end of a very picturesque walk.
The Isle
of Wight has many such walks, of various lengths and degrees of difficulty, and
in May there is a Walking Festival with lots of shows and events, something for
the whole family, perhaps. Enjoy…
Have
you walked The Tennyson Trail? Tell us your tips and highlights.
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