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Published: November 24th 2021
A small dog surveyed the scene nervously. Vera loves cars, but isn't the biggest fan of the bus and train. We arrive at Southampton Docks. What would she make of an Isle of Wight Ferry? It is a journey we have made on a number of occasions in the last few years, but not one we had tried with a four legged companion. The containers were stacked high at the Southampton port. If there was ever a verdict on Brexit, here we have it. Lorry driver shortage or not? Bottlenecks in the shipping lanes? Whatever the reason, if you are looking for your missing Christmas presents- try a container at Southampton. Boarding was all quiet - few were in transit on this November Thursday. We headed for the dog lounge on the upper deck. Who knew that there was a segregated area for your pooch? The majority in the school holidays would be thankful to be away from the screaming kids elsewhere on the vessel. We waited patiently for the ferry to cast off. It was flat calm for her maiden voyage. Vera took it all in her stride. A number of other pets in the lounge showed her there was
nothing to worry about. Two enormous Labradoodles nearby climbed gleefully on to the seats and made themselves right at home. Vera was officially a Sea Dog.
It was a glorious, sunny afternoon. We slipped away from the berth and headed out into the Solent. We passed two huge cruise liners at dock, which hadn't seen much action since the February prior to the pandemic. Word has it, one has been to the ship doctors for a not so minor repair. It was an uneventful crossing and Vera settled down for a nap. The sea air deck strolling had knocked her out. The sun was falling from the sky. Shadows were cast over the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes. The hammerhead crane loomed over the River Medina. The Wight Shipyard reminds you, despite your "voyage", you are still at home. A pristine Union Jack greets you near the berth in East Cowes. One day I will get around to exploring East Cowes more thoroughly. The mark of Queen Victoria remains. History is everywhere. We headed on to our destination, whilst the daylight held. Vera had not had the usual strenuous exercise regime, so after quickly unloading the car we were
Southampton Harbour
Vera the Norfolk Terrier - Sea Dog off down Mill Road heading to the Duver. She looked suspiciously at the Mill Wall, but we crossed to the other side without incident. The incoming tide was rushing through the slice. The wide open expanse of greenery was much to her liking. She overlooked the historical importance of the turf over which she ran - it had other attractions as the home to a multitude of rabbits. There are dogs who find horse poo irresistible - our Vera thinks rabbit droppings at akin to caviar. Delightful. Thd Duver is now National Trust land, but was once one of the more prestigious golf courses in the land. The Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club was up there with St Andrews at the development end of the game. The future King Edward VII was the first President of the club in 1882 and members have ranged from royalty to Prime Ministers to actors, such as David Niven. The wealthy patrons saw the course develop too facilities - the turf was imported from Cumbria at vast expense, but the main claim to fame comes from influencing the rules of the game. In the St Andrew's version, a lost ball caused the hole
to be forfeited. The modern game would go on to adopt the 1888 Royal Isle Wight rules of penalty strokes, should a ball be lost. Queen Victoria's youngest daughter, who resided on the island,was President up until her death in 1940. The Second Would War saw the decline of the club. Membership never recovered. In 1961 the remaining members threw in the towel and handed over the land to the National Trust to prevent it being developed. The old clubhouse still stands. It can be rented as a holiday home. I passed on these useful facts to a passing group of walker. They were busy googling the area in which they walked. They were golfers back home in Somerset, so this information would make good dinner party conversation.
The following morning we were in Ryde. Union Street slopes steeply towards the sea at the bottom and the pier. It makes a decent view towards Portsmouth. The Other Half and the Outlaw perused the goods on offer in the original Liz Earle shop, whilst I walked Vera down to the foreshore. I walked back up the street to the Victoria Arcade. There are numerous tributes to Queen Vic on the
island, but this one was named after her before she became Queen. The Arcade was built in 1836 at vast expense for a local chemist and he chose to name it after Princess Victoria, who had stayed at nearby Norris Castle. The Arcade had a total makeover in 2011 - have a walk to the end and check out the ceiling panels. Today, the Arcade houses a mix of businesses - a 2nd hand record store, a retro diner and a Museum dedicated to old postcards. Alas, the latter was closed on a Friday. The Other Half normally retreats to Yelfs Hotel for her morning coffee, but our Vera wasn't welcome and an alternative venue was sourced. We were back on the Duver in the afternoon and down to the seafront. The old Napoleonic fort stands marooned offshore. Despite the balmy weather, the privately owned beach huts were all locked up and empty. We retreated for a cheeky Friday afternoon pint in the Vine Inn back in the village of St Helens. As with many places on the island, dogs are most welcome. In fact, hosts often look puzzled as to why you are even asking the question. Vera made
Culver Down
Vera the Norfolk Terrier leads the way herself right at home. We headed home, as the first diners of the evening were sitting down at the two bistro diners in the village - Ganders and 33 St Helens. The bookshop near the latter had received a makeover since our last visit, allegedly bought by the people who now reside in the "Castle" at the far end of the village.
As usual, Saturday was football day. I was in two minds. A trip to Beatrice Avenue to watch the splendidly named, East Cowes Victoria, has always remained elusive. However, a more appealing fixture presented itself at Newport IOW FC. A change to kick off at 2pm also appealed. It is fair to say that my previous experiences of Newport have not gone well. I hasten to add, that hasn't been entirely down to the club. First off, I saw them lose heavily at Cowes Sports up at Westwood. Newport probably didn't help themselves on that occasion - playing 90 minutes with 11 men is usually advantageous. I had a "derby" pencilled in one Boxing Day at St George's Park, only to be thwarted by an over zealous referee declaring that the pitch was unplayable. OK waterlogging and
weather are in the lap of those above, but it had hardly been a monsoon in the days prior and no rain was forecast on the day of the game. The Northern League would never complete a season, if that had been postponement weather! I made another forray to Newport for what was to be their final league game at the venue in 2019. This time the game was postponed because Alton couldn't raise a team. Could be bothered more like! They were apparently fined heavily for failing to fulfill a fixture, but it seemed a big let off. The whole episode still makes me mad.
The recent years at Newport have been a tale of woe. Relegation from the giddy heights of the Wessex League Premier Division and mass uncertainty over the future of a new ground has seen them in limbo. As we speak, St George's Park is off limits even though no redevelopment has taken place. The initial temporary home at East Cowes ceased at the end of last season with the home team keen on establishing a reserve team, which would need the venue alternate Saturdays. The compromise was a short term move to the
Brading Haven
.... sunrise over the Bay Smallbrook Stadium on the edge of Ryde, pending final completion of the new ground. Whilst Smallbrook has seen football before, it is essentially a speedway track and the home of the Wight Warriors. The very nature of speedway involves a perimeter track, making some distant viewing and dodgy sightlines for football. Newport have apparently invested in the floodlights, but they have proved unsatisfactory to light up the centre of the pitch from the speedway perimeter and thus enforcing the 2 pm kick off. The location isn't exactly ideal either. Newport it isn't. Ryde it isn't either. It is basically in the middle of nowhere and not public transport friendly. The fans fleet of foot could walk it from the centre of Ryde, as long as they were happy without footpaths on last leg. However, beggars cannot be choosers and Smallbrook Stadium it is for this season at least. I plotted my approach, only to find the road from up near the Tesco Extra closed until April 2022. A different route via Brading was established. At least car parking was sufficient for the limited attendance. It was £6 on the gate and £3.50 for an impressive looking pin badge. They looked
like they needed the cash, so I didn't make a point of pressing my new found concession status. Vera's initial impression of Smallbrook was favourable. The grass banking behind near goal was covered in rabbit poo.The Main Stand had a liberal supply of seats for those present. Vera established a front row slot to watch the acton, once she had bored of the rabbit caviar behind the goal. A more prestigious area had limited seating - the elevated area in front of the tea hut was entitled the Royal Box. As well as football, Smallbrook plays host to the speedway and the building the Main Stand is occupied by the Isle of Wight Table Tennis Centre. Table Tennis according to the local press is big on the island. The multi sports nature of the venue, wide open spaces and sparse crowd was akin to anything you could find in Eastern Europe. All we were missing were some classic floodlights leaning towards the pitch at 45 degrees. The ultras launched their pyro display from behind the goal, as the players emerged. Only joking! The players emerged from the bar area on the var side to muted applause. The visitors from Folland
Sports in Hampshire arrived as table toppers, but were soon put to the sword by a lively Newport. Newport were 3rd at the start of the day, but are clearly intent on securing promotion to coincide with the hopeful opening of their new ground. Despite having plenty of possession and a good claim for a penalty waved away, Folland found themselves 2-1 behind at the break. The 2nd half saw Folland trying to chase the game. They never really got close to being a significant threat and Newport helped themselves to 2 further goals. The 4th was a peach of lob from long distance, not often seen at this level. Goal of the season already in the bag. The ref kept himself busy fishing his yellow card on an ever frequent basis. The majority of the 135 crowd went home happy. Folland had already visited East Cowes on the previous Tuesday, so were probably keen to avoid the island for the forseeable.
Sunday saw us high on Culver Down. On a good day, there are unparalleled views. On an average day such as today, the views were still pretty impressive. As with the old Royal Isle of Wight Golf
St Helens
Beach Huts Club, much of the Down is National Trust land. The narrow approach road littered with passing places is accessed from the Benbridge - Sandown road. Parking at the top is plentiful, although I guess in the summer months things could occasionally get a little hectic. At one point, the Down was a military zone with restricted public access. The elevated position was ideal for the 1860s fort to protect the shipping approach to Portsmouth. The remains of the World War 2 battery are at the Bembridge end. Shell holes mark the ground at times from previous artillery training exercises, although the Down has seen some real action in it's time. A French force was defeated in skirmishes here in 1545. We walked Vera along the cliff top, being mindful to keep her on the lead given the long drop over the chalk cliffs. The fence near the path was littered with remembrance notes and flowers from those who chosen this as the place to end it all. The trees are sculpted by the wind. We both said it reminded us of Slope Ooi t on the tip of the South Island in New Zealand. The old buildings are now holiday
cottages in a cluster near the Clumber Down Inn, but the most prominent structure is the Yarborough Monument. The massive granite obelisk can be seen from miles around. It is a tribute to Charles Anderson-Pelham, 2nd Earl of Yarborough. He was founder of the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes. It was originally erected in 1849 at the site of Bembridge Fort further along the Down, but relocated to the current site. The Culver Down Inn was doing a brisk trade in Sunday lunches. The reviews and the visible evidence suggested that the popularity was no fluke. We managed to get a table for a coffee. The number of other pets in situ confirmed the very dog friendly status. Vera made friends with the other dogs out for a stroll with their owners and the resident canine. If you are planning to go for a meal, I would suggest booking. It was busy, but not at the expense of the service quality... and don't forget this was November.
Bembridge and St Helens sit at the eastern end of the island, separated by Embankment Road. Brading Haven cuts into the land and extends inland towards the ancient village of Brading. Bembridge,
once a domestic holiday choice of the well heeled, retains an air of superiority in a friendly sort of way. A significant retirement community is bolstered during the summer months by the sailing fraternity. I sat and listened to a prospective son in law trying to impress his future in laws with his grand plans to further his career and keep their daughter in the standard to which she had become accustomed. The new 2014 lifeboat station was all quiet, but the shop in the original Victorian structure was open as the volunteers tried to keep the funds rolling in. I took a few snaps of the propellor statue and mural on the sea wall nearby. We parked the car up by the church in the centre of the village. The Holy Trinity Church is one of three in the village and was completed in the 1840s. A quick stroll around the centre of the village showed that the two estate agents present were fighting to sell a very limited supply of property. On closer inspection, little of this actual supply seemed to be in Benbridge. The prices were eye watering - at least to a northern eye. We walked
Ryde
Victoria Arcade, Uniion Street up past the War Memorial on the village green. It was designed by the ironically named local architect, Percy Stone. Stone had a hand in a number of memorials on the island and the statue of Queen Victoria in Newport. A queue of locals were waiting to be served in Woodfords Butchers - it must be good to have survived 110 years and now online supermarket deliveries. Christmas orders are now being taken. Turkey hampers for "the family" can be yours at £120. The pasties and sausage rolls in the window looked tempting. James Martin no less is quoted as saying, "if they gave Michelin stars for sausage rolls, this place would have three". Michelin star quality sausage rolls are yours for a mere £2.
I had hatched a plan to walk across to Brading, so we set off for the Bembridge Windmill on the edge of the village. It was built in the early 1700s when the Bembridge area was effectively an island from the main island. It is the only surviving windmill on the Isle of Wight. Turner produced a watercolour of the windmill in 1795, showing the sea lapping at the foot of the building. The
St Helens
Beach huts area was reclaimed from the sea in the 1880s and 1890s and the advent of a railway connection bring cheap flower from elsewhere meant only cattle feed was produced from 1897 onwards. The windmill effectively closed from 1913 onwards. The start of World War 1 saw the workforce go off to fight and it never reopened after the hostilities finished. The building was used as a lookout in World War 2. The railway link incidentally closed in 1953.
We set off over the rather boggy fields towards Brading. As indicated above, the sea once lapped over this land. The path follows on to the old sea wall and the surface becomes drier. The original sections of sea wall were built in the 1500s and the remainder was completed started in 1881 to allow the railway link. The depth markers either side of the "wall" showed we were surrounded by 4 foot of water either side of the path. Light aircraft landed at Bembridge Airport to our left. We crossed to Centurion Copse, supposedly a good place to see elusive red squirrels. The grey squirrel has yet to learn to swim. The Centurion name perhaps suggested this was a resting
place for the Romans, but apparently that is not the case. The Brading Roman Villa confirms however that Brading was one of their early settlements. We walked into town along Quay Road. As the name suggested, this was where the ships tied up in yesteryear. Brading is now a seaport without the sea. The quayside was actually just behind the Bugle Inn on the High Street. Quay Road was now just a quiet lane. A few houses were mixed in with horse stables, offering bagged delight for our Vera had she been able to read.
Quay Road entered the town by St Mary's Church and the Old Town Hall. A steady flow of people emerged from viewing at the local auction house. It seemed to be the only thing open. All else was quiet, apart from the road through to Sandown which is totally unsuitable for the demands of modern day HGVs. I photographed a few points of interest - the Lilliput Toy Museum, the new 1903 Town Hall and the bull ring. In times gone by a bull 2ould tied to the ring and baited by dogs - not the sort of thing Vera would condone. We retreated
back to Bembridge.
The last afternoon on the island was spent at Seaview. Where Brading has gone down in the world, Seaview retains the air of grandeur still found in Bembridge. The sailing club sits on the foreshore, but was quiet now for the winter. Maintenance guys were hard at work doing necessary works on the seafront properties to prevent the sea from reclaiming the assets. The owners are apparently responsible for their own section of sea frontage even to the extent of driving in some expensive concrete piles. It is fair to say that would be beyond our means, let alone the houses. We settled for the more affordable - a light lunch at Lily's. Well recommended. Vera waited patiently before her last Isle of Wight beach run... at least for this trip.
Appendix 1
Sydenhams Wessex League Division 1 Newport IOW FC 4 Folland Sports FC 1 Venue: Smallbrook Stadium, Ashey Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight. PO33 4BH
Date: Saturday 13th November 2021 @ 1400 Hours
Attendance: 135
Scorers: 1-0 1 Mins Craig (Newport), 1-1 7 MIns Gange (Folland Sports), 2-1 Wright 9 Mins (Craig) 3-1
Newport IOWFC v Folland Sports
Vera the Norfolk Terrier settled in her front row seat 67 Mins Craig (Newport), 4-1 73 Mins Burford (Newport)
Newport IOWFC: Streeter, Hughes, Trigg, Burford, Sampson, Pearce, Kelly, McDonough, Craig, Wright, Younie Subs: Butcher, Harper, Lamb
Folland Sports FC: Casey, Gange, Getera, Gray, J Johnson, Manuel, Moore, Newman, Newton, Rowe, Sutherton Subs: Carey, B Johnson, Barnett
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Rainyb
Lorraine Brecht
Such a beautiful dog!!