Jackian

My walk to the beach.

Ducie Beach , Bembridge.

Ducie Beach is less than ten minutes walk from my cottage , It has only been in the last few weeks that I have been able to go there for any length of time due to my knee replacement operation a year ago.

I feel confident now going on my own going up and down steps , over pebbles , and over rocks ( only small rocks )

The start of my walk is down a stony lane which leads to the beach . Walking down the lane to the beach is so relaxing as I have trees , flowers and wildlife to observe….Including at the beginning of the stony lane is this Edward Vll postbox which is still emptied every day.

This post box has been here since 1901 when Edward became King of United Kingdom . Edward was the second son of Queen Victoria .

I am now well on the way to the beach after passing a beautiful line of lavender .

Lavender has so many wonderful medicinal properties and has wonderful aromatic qualities.. .The flower heads can be used in essential oils , scented candles and soaps but is often used for stress relief , helping to reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.

Lavender oil can also be used to treat skin conditions like eczema and acne..It may also help with headaches ,nervous disorders and exhaustion. It can be used also as a natural insect repellent when placed around the home or in sachets.

I am now nearing the beach where there are about twenty steps down to the beach , by the steps is a lovely bench if I could not make the steps . I can sit here look at the solent and watch the world go by.

It is now the steps which I am just able to the do since my operation and I am at the most wonderful beach which is so beautiful and peaceful , I could be any where in the world .

All photos are taken by me unless otherwise stated.

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Sandown..Isle of Wight.

Sandown is a beautiful seaside town just about five miles from where I live in Bembridge . The sand is great and clean and you can walk for miles and the views are amazing . In the distance you can see Culver down with its monument easy to see.

Sandown has a pier that opened in 1875 and is 260 metres long . Today it holds an amusement arcade , indoor ten pin bowling and a children’s play area it is open all the year round but the end of the pier is open from April.

Sandown nearest neighbours are Shanklin with its wonderful thatched roofed houses and cottages and a theatre which is over 100 years old and in regular use for shows and plays . also a beautiful beach and a great walk along the beach back to Sandown about a mile ..A few miles away is the Roman villa and museum at nearby Brading . , which is a must to visit .

Things to do ..

Dinosaur museum

(these 4 photos are from Dinosaur museum site )

The island is a great place for fossils so no better to have the Dinosaur museum in Sandown within walking distance of the beach .

It is the Uk’s first purpose built dinosaur museum , Walk back through fossilised time where you will find wonderful fossils found on the island. You will also find life-sized dinosaur including Neovenator.. Guided fossil hunts ( which must be booked ) are also available.

http://www.dinosaurisle.com

Wildheart trust

The Wildheart trust is in Sandown next to the Dinosaur museum ,it is a registered charity which is dedicated to saving endangered species and animals especially lions and tigers that have been ill treated in circuses and zoos across the world .

Visit the Wildlife sanctuary and see for yourself the difference they are making to the lives of the rescued animals .

There is an incredible variety of animals from lemurs and lions to meerkats that they have rescued but at the same time hope to raise peoples awareness of our planet and the animals we share it with .

www.wildheartanimalsanctuary.org

Brading Roman villa.

The Roman villa is situated overlooking Sandown , the Roman villa is one of the finest Roman sites in the UK. The award winning visitor centre and museum offer unique insight into Roman life in Britain from beautiful mosaic floors an extensive collection of Roman archaeology.

www.bradingromanvilla.org.uk

All photos on here are taken by me unless otherwise stated .

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Wildlife from my window.

Living by the coast and walking along the beach there is no shortage of wonderful sightings of wildlife , but some of the best is from my window .

The Robin

The Robin known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in the British isles is a small bird which belongs to the flycatcher family .

it is 4-5.5 inches long and the male and female are identical in plumage , with a red breast and a face lined with grey and a whitish belly. They can become very tame and often won’t move if you are close.

Robins lay their eggs between mid April and mid August .They will usually lay five to six eggs a brood and can lay around 20 -25 eggs in a year . Robins’ eggs are white and not glossy with small sandy or red markings which can vary in intensity . The time between mating and laying is very short usually just a few days and they sit on the nest 12 -14 days . The young are freckled brown all over and without the red breast

The Dunnock

The Dunnock is a lovely little bird which usually is not afraid of bigger birds when on my wall ,it will take tiny bit of food that over birds don’t want.

It is a robin sized bird and measures about 5 inches in length .It has a brown back streaked blackish, similar to a house sparrow. It has a drab appearance which may by camouflage to avoid predators. It has a fine pointed bill.

Dunnocks exhibit frequent wing flicking ,especially when engaged in territory rights or mating rights .

Dunnock eggs are a glossy ,bright blue and about 14 – 19mm in size.They are laid in a cup shaped nest made from twigs ,moss and other plant material. The Dunnock lays 4 -5 eggs usually blue but often white . The female incubates the young for about twelve days although both sexes tend the young .

The Blackbird

The Blackbird is a species of thrush . The adult male which is found throughout most of Europe is all black except for a yellow eye ring and bill. and has a rich beautiful song . The adult female and the juvenile have mainly brown plumage .

They breed in woods and gardens , building a cup shaped nest bound together with mud .It eats a range of insects ,earthworms , berries and fruits .

Both sexes are territorial on the breeding grounds , with distinctive threat behaviour .

Blackbird eggs in the British Isles are smooth, glossy , and blue or green – blue with red brown speckles. The nesting season is officially March – July this can change depending on the weather .So you may see blackbird chicks in the nest as late as August .

Magpies

The Magpie comes to my wall a lot chattering away and it is the most beautiful bird . When seen up close the Magpie with its black and white plumage reveals a purplish blue sheen to its wing feathers and a green shine to its tail.

They are usually accused of being scavengers, predators and pest destroyers on breeding birds will gather in flocks. They are often called the bad boy of the bird world as they steal eggs from other birds nests to eat .

Magpie nests are bulky ,dome shaped structures with a side entrance made of twigs and mud and are usually in tall trees ,bushes or hedges. They also often reuse nests built the previous year . The nests they build can measure around 50 x 70 cm. The male transports material to the nest site and the female builds the nest ( She probably wants an on suite and a kitchen diner !)

Their nesting season is April – July but can be from December. They only have one brood a year and lay 5 – 6 eggs which are pale blue or blue green with speckled olive brown markings. The incubation period is 20 days by the female and the babies fledge 24 – 30 days from hatching.

All Photos are taken by me unless otherwise stated.

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Gulls & more Gulls.

Living on small island obviously are the various types of Gulls that are around .

Looking out of my patio doors even though I am ten minutes walk from the beach They are all around , on roof tops , on my lovely wall and on the patio its self if they get the chance .

There are around 50 types of gulls worldwide and 6 types found in the United Kingdom. these are

I see a lot of gulls on the rooftops near me and they tend to often nesting unused chimney pots . They protect their young and are devoted parents and will dive bomb if they think the young are at risk or they feel threatened.

Gulls typically breed once a year with their breeding season usually beginning in April and lasting through till August.They build nests , lay eggs , and raise the young during this time.

Chicks generally begin to fly in July or August and then take four years to reach maturity and breed . Herring gulls tend to nest in colonies and once roof nesting birds get a foothold other gulls nest on other buildings near .If left unchecked a colony can develop.

an older name for gulls is MEWS , this still exists in certain regional English dialects which is connected to German Mowe , Dutch Meeuw and French Mouette .

large birds are long living and often live to to a maximum age of 49 years .

Gulls found in the UK

As mentioned earlier there are six species of gulls found in the UK .

Herring gull. They are loud noisy birds found throughout the year around the coasts and inland around rubbish tips especially in the winter . Adults have light grey backs ,white under parts and black wing tips.

Yellow legged gull . Adults have larger grey backs and wings than herring gulls .Their legs are bright yellow and there is a red ring around their eye.

Lesser black – backed gull This gull has dark grey to black back and wings yellow bill and yellow legs .The UK has 40% of these European gulls.

Great black – backed gull A very large , thick set gull with a powerful beak. It will fight off any other gulls and can be quite aggressive.

Black legged Kittiwake Kittiwakes are medium sized gulls with a small yellow bill and a dark eye .They have a grey back with white underneath .Their legs are short and black .In flight the black wing tips show no white unlike other gulls . After breeding birds move to the artic for the winter.

Little gull This is a small gull. Adults in summer have black heads ,while young birds have a black mark n each wing which forms a W pattern.Little gulls are seen around the coasts from July to April usually in Tayside and Yorkshire , with smaller number further south.

The Law

All gulls are protected in theUK under the wildlife protection act of 1981. This makes it illegal to intentionally harm any gull or an active nest or it’s contents.However , the law says that in certain circumstances control measures may be neccessary.

Guss the Gull

This beautiful gull ( I call Guss ) comes to my wall by my widow most days . He or she stays a while , sometimes tapping on my patio doors . Other birds that come are not threatened by him and he is not bothered by them ..Often other birds gang up on each other but not when Guss is around.

All photos are taken by me on the Isle of Wight .

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Whitecliff Bay…Bembridge.

Whitecliff Bay is a sandy bay which is at the eastern most point of the Isle of Wight and about a mile from where I live in Bembridge . It is one of my favourite beaches especially at the end of the tourist season when the beach is usually quiet , perfect place for walking a dog which you can do on this beach all year. When people ask on Social media what are the best beaches to go to on the island I am often reluctant to comment as I love the quiet . The island is very often like a retreat and I would not want to be anywhere else .

To get to the bay you have to go through one of two caravan park which are private owned but once there it is so worthwhile with miles of walking ….but don’t get cut off by the tide… .Access is limited and only possible down two steep sloping concrete tracks.

Whitecliff Bay is renowned for its fossils and wildlife.

The site is of major geological interest being part of the Whitecliff bay and Bembridge ledges. Many groups enjoy the bay to research and explore findings.

It is a Site of Special Scientific interest which is from Bembridge Harbour around Foreland to Whitecliff bay. The site was notified in 1955 for both it’s biological and geological features.

Below are a few cliffs that are by the beach and most have fossils in .The first one has a seam of thousands of tiny shells going from top to bottom , the others have shells imbedded in them .

There are always treasures to be found, Sea glass which has been in the solent for possibly hundreds of years and china that has probably at some stage been thrown overboard from boats . Below a few of my finds which I have collected along with rubbish.

Culver Down.

The beach is surrounded by cliffs with access to Culver down with stunning views looking towards Sandown and beyond. Anyone can walk along the coastal path from here and get to the top of Culver Down within about twenty minutes.

Historically Culver has been known for breeding Peregrines as well as common Woodpigeons ( Culvers) the source of the cliffs name.You often see Cattle grazing there now plus there are wild flowers and orchids to be found .

French invasion 1545

Whitecliff Bay was invaded by the French in 1545 .On the 21st July the French landed on the Isle of Wight on Whitecliff Bay and would try and cross Bembridge Down in order to attack Sandown , another party landed at Bonchurch with the intention of linking up at Sandown .

The French force was intercepted crossing from it’s beachhead at Whitecliff bay to attack Sandown by locals under Sir John Oglander and a skirmish was fought on the down . The French were finally repulsed at Sandown.

The Battle of the Solent on 19th July 1545 saw 200 French ships attempt to invade England .It also saw the last action of the Mary Rose.

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Back to the beach .

Since my operation I have missed going to the beach which is 10 minute walk from my home…But.Im back if only gently as there are steps going down to the beach .

The sea , beach and woods are a great healer , just to be there walking , listening and watching . At the moment it’s a hobble and a rest but I’m getting there.

The other weekend we went to the lifeboat station where the wonderful and brave RNLI have their base and deal with hundreds of incidents every year when people get into problems . I managed to get on the beach there with the help of a crutch and it was wonderful … There is also a lovely pop up cafe that has wonderful home made cakes and sandwiches with tables ,chairs and benches so you can sit and admire the view looking out over the solent .

Down to the Beach

From my cottage at the bottom of the road is a stony pathway possibly taking five minutes leading to the sea and beach . That in it’s self is pleasure as there is so much to see .

Along an old stony wall is an array of plants and shrubs , starting at the beginning of the season rows of daffodils and spring bulbs followed by lavender and and an abundance of wild flowers.. Not good when it’s wet unless you are equipped with wellies as it gets very boggy.

Once there it is not a beach for sitting on a sun lounger and getting a tan but a beach for walking the dog or strolling to Bembridge harbour one way or Whitecliff Bay the other. . For children it’s a beach for looking under rocks and finding crabs ..armed with fishing nets and buckets.

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Looking up and around.

Looking up.

Just a few chimneys

We don’t observe what is around us enough , we are all. guilty of it including me because we are so busy rushing around ….but anyone who knows me , know that I’m partial to a nice chimney on top of old buildings and anything that makes me think ” that’s interesting I must find out more”

The moon , the sky , chimneys , a roof or even what’s on top of a roof . We are all guilty of not seeing what’s above us .

Chimneys have been an important part of buildings for centuries – particularly in colder climates where there is a need to retain heat but remove smoke, and prevent downdrafts. In British architecture, they were first found in castles , and then in manor houses.

It was in manor houses that the first of what today would be called chimney pots appeared. And in the Tudor period it became fashionable to have very ornate brick chimneys and stacks. While much simpler versions of chimney pots became common on ordinary homes around the Elizabethan period.

A chimney is the entire structure that carries off the smoke from a fire. Rather oddly, to modern eyes, some early chimneys were made from wood – until the practice was outlawed by early fire prevention laws.

chimneys were also a status symbol , the taller and more ornate the chimney the richer you were and higher up the smoke was in the air the less pollution.

Look up and see the Four Seasons statues

The Four Seasons which is on top of the Victorian arcade in Union street Ryde which has inside the Donald McGill museum among other small shops ., on the side is an old sign for Hughes & Mullins .Many members of Royal family were photographed here.

This is Regina House which was built in 1865. and once home and business of Jabez Hughes Royal photographer.

Later Gustav Mullins became a partner and their names are on the side still and the beautiful four seasons statues still n the top..Take a look up when next in Union Street.

St .Helens Duver Church

The church is a great monument to the area and has been here since the 15 th century and before ..It stands just off National trust land perched where the sea meets the land .It serves as a marker for those at sea.

Only the rower was left in the 17th century and was bricked up and pasted white asa seamark for nNavy ships in 1719.

If you look up you can see the beautiful emblem on the top.

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Bees in abundance.

Bees and butterflies are so important to our environment , in fact it has been said that without them we would not be here . This year I have tried to plant as many bee and butterfly plants that I could .

The bees below were in my little garden over the last few weeks and on these plants. The Verbena plant is beautiful with hundreds of tiny flowers on each flower head and I am sure the bees go on every tiny flower . I could watch them for hours .

of course it’s getting near to the times when they mostly disappear for the winter but there is a bee called an ivy bee which only appears between September and November when pollen on other flowers is in short supply .

About the Ivy Bee .

The ivy bee was first recorded in the UK in 2001, and has now been found in much of Southern England and Wales, and in the Channel Islands. As suggested by its common name, Ivy is the main plant used by this bee for pollen. It is seen when ivy is in flower, from early September to early November. Ivy bees nest in loose, light or sandy soil on southern-facing banks and cliffs with ivy nearby for foraging. They are solitary bees, but when conditions are suitable, there may be thousands of nests in the same area.

Our bees are incredible…

As a type of pollinator, bees drink the sweet nectar of flowers, moving between plants and transferring pollen, which fertilises different species, enabling them to produce fruit and seeds!

Pollinators are vital for life on earth as we know it, without them, we wouldn’t have potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, coffee, chocolate or cotton!

However, they’re currently in decline , due to a number of factors including disease, habitat loss and the impacts of pesticide use

Agroecological ways of farming, like organic is beneficial- did you know that, on average there is 50% more abundance of plant, insect and bird life on organic farms?!

Facts you might not know

about bees🐝

1. £690 million is the mind-boggling amount that insect pollination is worth to UK crops each year. 76% of globally important commercial crops depend on insect pollination, which equates to 1 in 3 mouthfuls of food!

2. The “waggle dance” is used by bees to teach each other about the direction and location of food sources over 6 kilometres away. Known as ‘a sat nav for bees’, the bees perform precise movements to tell other bees in the hive exactly where they have found their new fantastic food source!

3. Bees have four wings, not two – they actually hook them together to form one big pair when flying and then unhook them when not flying!

4. There are around 75% more wild bees on organic farms – organic farming can improve the numbers of bees found in habitats surrounding the farm.

5. The average hive produces about 11kg of honey during a season! That’s the equivalent of about 24 jars. Bees must fly about 55,000 miles just to make one pound of honey (which is less than half a kilo!)

All photos on this site are my originals taken by me on the beautiful island of the Isle of Wight.

Why not visit …..

https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/

http://www.love-bees.co.uk

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Love Lane , Bembridge.

Out of my driveway and turn right and I walk to the bottom of the road . Just before I Carry on down the stony road to the beach there is a coastal path that leads in to Love lane..

So how did Love lane get its name?

Love Lane.

There are many beautiful houses down this lane , some have a lot of land with huge gates , some are just small dwellings but with many a tale to tell.

There is a family living in the lane named Love and their family and ancestors have lived in the house since the early 19th century.

One rumour is that in the 19th century wealthy merchants brought houses for their mistresses here in Love lane Bembridge to keep the mistresses away from their wives.

One thing to be noted is that many houses had Pineapple finials on the posts of their gates as a sign of wealth as pineapples to eat that had come from the Caribbean were very expensive . The owners of the houses often brought them back but never ate them but left them to rot by their gates as a sign of wealth . when the Pineapples died they replaced them with stone ones.

The first ever record of the word ‘Pineapple’ dates back to 1398. …
A pineapple can take up to 3 years to grow and mature into a plant. …
Only one pineapple is produced by a single plant in a single season. …
A pineapple plant can stay alive and continue giving fruits for up to 50 years.

All photos on this site are my originals taken by me on the beautiful island of the Isle of Wight.

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Findings on the beach.

While walking on the beaches on the island , its amazing what you can find while walking and keeping your head down . ..and having patience ! But you can come across some lovely bits of china or sea glass that have usually fallen from ships or boats.

We have mainly found china pieces along the beach by the side of Ryde or Sandown pier as well as sea glass. I love the bits that have writing on that would have started out as an earthen ware container.

My favourite to collect is blue china , which is usually well worn and and a bit faded in colour but amazing how the colours are still good considering the time some of it has been in the solent .

Then there are handles which of course at one time would have been joined to a cup , mug or jug .

My best find was down by Ryde Pier it is what they apparently call a pie crust dish obviously because of the base . We took it to Newport museum to be checked and was told by the expert there that it was 16th century which makes it round about Henry VIII s reign..So exciting . One of my most treasured pieces.

Sea Glass

Sea glass is naturally weathered glass which often looks like tumbled stones and is found along shores and beaches. It looks like frosted glass and is tumbled and tossed about in salt water until the edges are smooth and the glass loses its slick appearance .

Sea glass takes 20 – 40 years and sometimes over 100 years to get its appearance.

most common colours are colours of sea glass are brown , green white and clear and generally come from beverage bottles. Less common are types of green which comes from early to mid 1900s they come from ink , fruit and baking soda bottles . These are found in every 50 – 100 pieces.

Less common also is blue from early milk and magnesia bottles ,poison bottles and Vick vapour rub containers.These colours are found once for every 200 – 1000 pieces found.

All photos on this site are my originals taken by me on the beautiful island of the Isle of Wight.

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