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Up early in the hope to beat the crowds I just knew would be at stop #114
THE NEEDLES
I did get to the carpark really early - all the "attractions" weren't due to open for another hour, so I took a leisurely stroll up the hill to the Old Battery before it got too hot. By the time I'd sorted out my picture the doors were open. It was a surprisingly interesting place.
I had a video of me walking through one of the tunnels, but sadly it exceeds the maximum permitted download size or something.
By the time I got back down the hill, the Needles attraction park was rammed. They have glass blowing, sweet making and creepy magicians giving lots of treats to children. There were a hell of a lot of people there, so my possible take two of a pic of me in a boat by the Needles evaporated there and then.
Instead, I headed to Ventnor to see if I could resurrect any memories from 85/86. Apart from those crazy zigzag roads into the town, and that particular tiny shingle that makes up the beach, I failed to get any nostalgic tingling. I texted Melvyn to see if he could remember where the B'n'B was we stayed at. He sent back something along the lines of "you're joking" only ruder.
Ventnor is a pretty little seaside town that sits on the southern side of the Isle. I flopped into the sea amongst the paddleboarders and splashing children and zoned out floating on my back for a while.
Mindful of getting another parking ticket (Luckily Guy had opened any official looking mail and intercepted the last one) I made my way back to the Alphard and made myself a cuppa (the people parking next to me said I was bonkers!). I realised when I looked at the map that I had already driven past stop #115
ROCKEN END
Now this place looked fairly easy to find on the map, but it took me a couple of wrong turns and when I eventually got to a carpark at the (dead) end of the road I was looking for, it was chock-a-block full. The cars squashed into the last couple of passing places should have given this away. I u-turned and parked about half a mile away and set out on foot, using pathways off the road on occasions. Then there was another challenging cliff walk, with paths that would split with no clue as to which one to follow!
When I finally emerged on the beach, one thing was blindingly obvious. This was a beach favoured by naturists. Without breaking stride, I made my way to the rocky headland that I guess is Rocken End - kind of obvious really - and took my pic. Almost slipping on my return to the beach proper, I thought "well, when in Rome", stripped off everything and went for one of the most refreshing swims I've had in ages.
Rocken End is pretty stunning.
My final destination of the day was, I thought, going to be the easiest. It isn't a Germinal CCXXIV place but is the name place on the very first copy of the Carrion 7" vinyl I bought. It is very close to Ventnor and I thought finding it would be a breeze. hahaha. stop #116
DUNNOSE
So, Dunnose. I don't really know how to pronounce it. On the map, I assume it is a slight headland. This is what it looks like on OS;
The red arrow is me but the path I'm supposed to be standing on no longer exists. There have been some serious landslide action going on since OS last surveyed the area, and I spent ages walking up and down trying to find it. When it eventually dawned on me what had happened I went for a little scramble ramble and got as close as I could without causing another avalanche and took the pic. The tree was fab, and as there was evidence of a wild camper / rough sleeper I didn't hang around too long.
I took a slightly different route back, stumbling across the Old St.Boniface Church dating from 1070. It was locked so I couldn't peek inside.
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