Nice day for a wight walk

After doing the Randonnee last weekend, I thought I was plenty prepared for Walking the Wight. So now I feel a little sheepish in admitting to hobbling around the house since arriving home a few hours ago, nursing sugary tea and tiffin cake. Whenever I stand up for a tea top-up, my legs quickly remind me that I walked 26.5miles today (and yes, that final 1/2 mile has to be counted.)

Walk the Wight is a big annual event on the Island calendar, with thousands of walkers trekking across fields, through forests, and over downs, to raise money for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. This year was the 21st in its illustrious history, originally started by two local guys and now drawing crowds over 8000. I don’t know the official count this year, but with sunny skies and light breezes, it seemed that everyone was out soaking it all up.

We had the best weather in years, with a misty morning start at Bembridge. We walked with the sun at our backs, amongst crowds of people strolling on morning-fresh legs and gently chatting. And with blue skies all day, the Mountbatten’s sunflower emblem seemed particularly fitting.

The fresh legs didn’t last, and the moan-to-chat ratio was a little higher by the end of the day. But, chivvied on by friendly faces, local ice cream and the end in sight, we made it up over Tennyson Down and in to the cheery finish at Alum Bay. Across the Island in 8 hours = muscle ache and a proud grin.

Round the Island once more

May has arrived, and with it two unmissable local outdoor events, the first being the Randonnee: the annual 100k bike ride around the Island. I’ve spent the last couple weeks talking up my plans, so when I woke to heavy rain this morning I was way too proud to bail. Any day is off to great start with a ride on the chain ferry, which was pleasingly closed to cars for the day. (It doesn’t bode well that I’m pointing in the wrong direction in this pic.)

It was a wet and windy ride to Bembridge, with the inevitable hoards of club cyclists zooming past amidst talk of gear ratio and carb-loading. The crammed football club was a welcome first pit stop and I wolfed down a brownie (but later regretted not filling up on proper calories. Maybe those lycra guys speak sense…)

A little let-up in the rain on Brading quiet road (and a few altercations with a 4×4 who hadn’t got the memo) and a tea and cookies stop at Whitwell, where we set some guys off in the right direction after they found themselves on the 100k route, having only signed up for 55. The bikes were two-deep on every fence, but with so few girls on the ride there was no queue for the loos. Result.

There’s no denying this is a hilly ride, and the coastal stretch along the Military Road slows down all but the most hardcore. By Rolls Hill I was weaving in fatigue and those guys on my tail weren’t behind me for long. But by the time we’d reached Cowes sea front I’d found some last reserves of energy for a victory lap through the town, with all the other muddy and knackered two-wheelers.

Another year, another Randonnee. No doubt next year we’ll be at it again. Meanwhile, there’s the second big outdoor event of May to look forward to next weekend…

Where road bikes fear to tread

I’m a big fan of skinny tyres. I love the easy momentum and smooth sweeping curve of a well-paved road. Tom’s more of an all-terrain tourer, with his tough Dawes touring bike and plenitude of gears. He’s always suggesting detours down bridleways or old byways and there is only so many times I can put him off with mumbles of punctures and bent spokes.

So, this is how I found myself taking my precious Pinarello way beyond it’s comfort zone, up over the Downs above Freshwater Bay. Turns out, heading up steep hills over grass and rocks is hard work on a racer, and not a little precarious. But the views at the top were worth it, and Tom and his bike were in their element. My skinny tyres faired pretty well; no punctures today. Who says road bikes are only for the road, eh?!

Back from Berrynarbor

It’s been a week of sunny cycling, windy coastal walking, and sheltering from storms with our noses in books.

Oh, and copious cream teas. After all, when in Devon…

A few flowers

With the first summer on our allotment fast-approaching, I am getting equally excited about giving the back garden over to flowers for the first time. I went to the nursery with optimistic visions of returning with trays of sweet peas and geraniums to fill the garden. But, in my predictable way, my not-so-green-thumb timing is off and I’m about three weeks too keen.

All was not lost, as I did return with this lovely ranunculus and a few other finds. I am realising that a flower garden is a slow process; I can’t make it happen in one weekend! So I will slowly add to these first few flowers and welcome bees, butterflies and all good creepy crawlies. We already have a toad resident in our tiny spot and I’m hoping more life will soon follow.