Most of the women had arrived in good time and we enjoyed use of the lounge/sun room to have a relaxed chat about the hotel.

We later met in the dining room to enjoy a 3 course meal and a chance to get to know each other and talk about the next days walks.

Sue decided to guide the Gentle and I, Sara, was to guide the Intermediate.

However both groups started out together - headed for the famous Needles.

We set off in rather blustery weather across Tennyson Down towards the Tennyson Monument with fabulous views across the Solent.

All the women were fairly evenly paced and we made it to the Needles old battery in good time.

From there we strolled on to the Needles and visited the rocket exhibition at the Needles new battery.

In strong winds we continued on down to Alum Bay, past a wonderful garden full of gnomes bearing wise and funny messages.

At Alum Bay there was such a contrast in the colour of the rock; a real mixture of chalk, sandstone and clay.

However no-one felt the need to venture down on the small and very steep chairlift to collect the coloured sand on the beach.

After lunching and some shopping at Alum Bay we continued up onto Headon Warren past the bronze age burial mounds and down into Totland.

Only one woman from the Gentle group wanted to take the bus back to Freshwater Bay, so the rest of us continued on across Headon Warren.

We went by lane and wooded path from there to Faringford - the old home of Tennyson and now a delightful hotel.

We were shown into Tennyson's old library and offered tea, biscuits and scones, which we enjoyed greatly.

It was also a great opportunity to get inside information from the staff about the most haunted places on the IOW. It seems that most of the places on the island has its own ghosts!!

In the library were lots of old photos of Tennyson and his family, Queen Victoria, Garibaldi and other famous folk - mostly taken by Victorian photgrapher Julia Margaret Cameron.

Feeling replenished, we walked out the back of the hotel garden to pick up the Tennyson trail back to Freshwater Bay.

We stopped at the gorgeous village church before a stroll along the bay.

Back at the Sandpipers, everyone had a chance to relax before enjoying dinner.

As yesterday had worked out so well for the women, we decided to set off as one group again, with the option of the bus from Yarmouth for the Gentle group.

Immediately out of the door from the hotel, we followed the Freshwater Way through Afton Marsh.

We then continued mostly on lanes over to the northern coast at Fort Victoria Country Park.

Here we got fine views across the Solent to Hurst Castle, jutting out from Milford-on-Sea, where Charles 1st had been imprisoned before his execution.

We ate lunch and drank tea, then headed off along the nature trail to Yarmouth. We walked on into Yarmouth and had a walk around the town.

Some women decided to get the bus back to Freshwater Bay from Yarmouth, whilst the rest of the Gentle group opted for spending an hour in the town, before making their way back to the hotel.

As luck would have it, just as we were enjoying a cup of tea in Yarmouth, the sky darkened and the heavens opened and finished just in time to start walking again!

The route back was along the Freshwater Way, running alongside the River Yar and then along the Causeway down to the seafront.

Sue's Intermediate walk had followed much the same route but at a different pace and had detoured onto the coastal cliffs on the way back, following them down to the hotel.

A great day was had by all, having walked from the south side of the island to the north and a well deserved dinner was enjoyed by all.

Sue took the Gentle walk today, starting out by bus to Mottistone Manor where they strolled around the beautiful gardens of this Elizabethen manor house.

There were amusing flowerpot men dotted about as well as lovely cultivated and wild flowers.

From there they walked down to the sea cliffs and caught sight of the intermediate group and joined forces again for the cliff walk home.

The Intermediate walk had meantime taken the bus to the pretty village of Shorwell, and walked from there along quiet lanes through the countryside towards the coast.

Reaching the the Tennyson Heritage coast, we were once again blessed with super views as far as the eye could see!

The beauty of this route is that everyone could walk comfortably walk at their own pace, whilst being able to keep the rest of the group within sight.

Shortly after a stop for tea and cake at the IOW pearl centre, we met up (by pure chance) with the Sue's gentle walk.

At Brook Bay we dropped down onto the beach, enjoyed lunch, then after checking the tide, we went out onto Hanover Point Fossil Forest where there is a dinosaur print (but we didn't find it!)

Back up on the cliffs we walked home with splendid views ahead to Freshwater Bay.

Most of the route had experienced a substantial amount of erosion and from speaking to one woman who visited the island last year, it seems to be quite a rapid process.

The women separated back in the bay, some stayed on the beach to enjoy the sun, along with many families who were out on their Sunday jaunt, whilst others visited the little café on the seafront.

A last night dinner was a great opportunity to swap contact details and have a look through photos.

Some women had to make an early get away due to the length of their travel, so a sad farewell was shared, before the rest of us headed off together across Compton Down on the Tennyson Trail.

Another beautiful morning gave us views across the Solent and inland with excellent visibility.

When we got to Brook Down, the group separated.

Those who needed to leave earlier made their way back with Sara following the crest of the ridge and through the golf course back to Freshwater Bay.

After a cup of coffee and farewells, they headed for the ferries back to the mainland.

The Intermediate walk had meantime continued with Sue onto the next hill which had five barrows on top and a trig point on top.

We had time to continue on to gain the next hill (Harboro) at all of 203m, again with burial mound on top.

It gave us lovely views down Mottistone Common and along the coast in both directions.

We descended and went into lovely woodlands and back towards Freshwater, deciding to climb back up onto the ridge for our final descent home.

9 miles and 203m ascent in only 4 hours! The walking is so lovely and easy underfoot.

Sandwiches back at the hotel and final goodbyes everyone went off for their various ferries back.

On one of the evenings we'd got into making up Haiku - a Japanese form of poetry containing 5/7/5 syllables. Here is some we made up:

Scones jam clotted cream
Walking poles and waterproofs
that's walking women

chalky cliffs crumbling
wind swept walkers making friends
exhausting but fun!

fields and fences, stiles
to cross, walkers paradise
tea rooms essential

rain sleet wind and sun
walking with the elements
suddenly the sea

On the Isle of Wight
Twenty one women walked round
They did not get lost