Day Zero

The first day - Day Zero - was of course partially spent in travelling, but travel in itself, unless perhaps commuting, is also interesting. After arrival, there was also time to combine a visit to a hostelry with an initial walk on the Downs "to get our bearings".

We saw the sun set over Tennyson's Monument.
An auspicious end to our first day ("Day Zero").

The Journey

The journey from Waterloo to Lymington Pier via Brockenhurst was new to me, especially as I had never stepped foot on the Isle of Wight before. After the train journey, the Wightlink ferry seemed very slow - but then slow but sure is often a good motto, especially here in the Solent, as there seemed to be some tricky, buoy-marked, water passages.

The Isle of Wight ferry noses its way carefully
towards the mainland between a sea of sailing boats.




We are ready to leave Lymington Pier for the Isle of Wight.
The Isle of Wight looks very close, but the journey from Lymington Pier on the Mainland to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight is slow but sure, taking almost exactly forty minutes.
"Better to arrive slowly than not to arrive at all!"




The Isle of Wight "commeth", and so does the other ferry.
For this stretch there are actually three "identical" ferry boats,
the third held in reserve and for maintenance.




Each ferry boat is double ended - your classic "roll on, roll off" ferry.




A sailing boat sets the scene
in the sparklingly calm waters and in the warm, hazy, sunshine.




Here's Yarmouth. The stop for number 7 bus to Totland Bay is a few yards away.




It's a short walk from Totland War Memorial to our hostel.
On the way we see this attractive thatched cottage, representative of quite a few on the island

First Walk

Tom and I decided to combine an evening visit to an eatery with an initial walk. Tennyson's house (now open to the public on certain days) is not far from where we are based. The eatery was the "Highdown Inn", which was Tennyson's local. On our subsequent walk via Tennyson's Monument, the Needles and Alum Bay, we experienced a nice Isle of Wight sunset over the Downs. It was an auspicious start to our CLOG away break.

"Highdown Inn", Tennyson's local.




Sunset over Tennyson's Monument.
The guy on the left was just putting his drone to bed.




The setting sun illuminates Freshwater Bay and Saint Catherine's Point.




Here's another view of "Sunset over Tennyson's Monument".




View towards the mainland with Fort Albert in the middle distance.




Tennyson's Monument looking east.




The last rays of the setting sun illuminate "West High Down" on the way to the "Needles".




Here are the Needles, of which we would see more tomorrow.




Alum Bay in the late evening.




Here we can see the famous multi-coloured rock of Alum Bay.