Sandown Isle of Wight – MARI'S TRAVELS WITH HER CAMERA

A Sunday Lunch Time Walk

Looking-down-to-Beach-from-Cliff-Path.-Sandown I thought I’d time my walk today for lunchtime and, as I thought, I had the place to myself. Being Sunday, I presume most people are eating out or at home tucking into ‘le rosbif’ or even pasta or pizza.

So this is Sandown, Isle of Wight, on a beautiful sunny day in April, looking down from the Cliff Path that runs between this town and the next town, Shanklin, then down a steep path on to the beach. I walked through to the Cliff Path from the main road, it looks quite woody and yes, it is, with hidden niches, wild flowers, primroses and bluebells sheltering under gnarled old trees, and the inevitable folly.

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Cliff-Path,-Sandown,-Isle-of-Wight

Pockets-of-wildflowers-dot-the-Cliff-at-Sandown

Cliff-Path,-Sandown Looking-down-to-the-Beach-from-Cl;iff-Path

By now, the beach will be full of walkers, the ice-cream kiosks will be doing a roaring trade, and the Pier will be packed with children on the bouncy castle and various other amusements.

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Deserted-beach-at-Sandown-Isle-of-Wight

The tables that were empty at lunch-time will be occupied with people drinking teas and coffees, snacking on home-made cakes, and perhaps sitting back reading the Sunday papers. Soon-to-be-filled-with-happy-eaters!

Culver Cliff, the massive white chalk cliff that curves around the edge of Sandown, hiding Whitecliff Bay and Bembridge, catches the light when the sun shines, and out on the horizon are cruise liners and cargo ships bound inward for Southampton, or outward for foreign parts.

Sandown-Pier,-Isle-of-Wight

Lobster-Baskets

Some have been here with me before, but the beaches around the island never fail to please me, and walking on the sands, or on the revetment that runs under the cliff, or even on the pavement where convenient benches make stopping to take in the view even more of a pleasure, makes this my favourite walk – always.

April 23, 2017

Sunday Walk on Isle of Wight

A walk along the seafront at Sandown, Isle of Wight, with my friend Steve from London, a brilliant photographer who has brought his camera with him, produced some great images that I’d like to share with you. Sandown shares with Shanklin, the next town, a marvellous crescent of golden beach, perfect for safe swimming – one of the reasons why both towns attract families with young children.

Sandown also has the Dinosaur Museum, this being Dinosaur Island, and Shanklin has a wonderful Chine that leads from the centre of the old town, down through ferny green walks, to the beach and the sea.

But Sandown has something more frivolous – beach huts that make one smile, because the custom here is to give them all peculiar, funny names, a play on the word ‘hut’ more than ‘funny’, clever, quirky, and guaranteed to make one smile.

Steve took these photos for me. I hope you like them too. You may have to click on the images to enlarge the name plaques.

So there you have it, Sandown Esplanade beneath the Cliff Path and along the beach on a delightful walk that leads to Shanklin (well lit during the evening as well) with cafes, life-guards, invigorating breezes and views of giant ships leaving Portsmouth and Southampton for foreign ports, as you walk along.

And for the last photo, well, it speaks for itself.

April 2, 2017

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: LOCAL

“Any place I hang my hat is home”, or so the old song goes and this is almost true for me. I seem to be able to settle in any location and feel instantly at home – even on holiday. Feet under the table, a few friends around, some olives and some wine to keep the conversation flowing, and I’m happy.

That’s not to say, however, that certain places don’t take precedence, one of which is my permanent home now and has been for many years, the Isle of Wight, and the other is my childhood home in Northern Ireland. These definitely represent home to me.

Starting from childhood:

my-childhood-home — Scene just outside my birth town – Photo Mari Nicholson

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Growing up I may have spent too much time in this pub, for the craic and the wild music – Photo Mari Nicholson

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Another favourite pub in Belfast – Kelly’s Cellars – famous for its Guinness. Photo Mari Nicholson

Now I live near the sea, in this town, a favourite of many people some of whom visited it for the first time on a school trip. The weather is usually good, we seldom see snow, the beaches are clean and safe, and the walking is superb.