Starting Off

It is an odd thing that we often wish to travel and see other places in all their minutiae, but then ignore what we have upon our own doorstep. I have walked numerous paths across Britain and Europe – Hadrian’s Wall, the Dingle peninsula, the Jura Way – but the Isle of Wight Coastal Path has eluded me. Sure, I’ve undoubtedly walked sections of the path on various excursions with the boy and the dog, but never in a conscious sense of completing the walk as a whole. And it is a path that encapsulates this little island both physically and metaphorically – history, geology, food and mini-golf courses abound. In some ways it encapsulates Britain as well – an island apart, linked to it’s larger mainland cousin by proximity, but separated by a narrow stretch of water that can make all the difference in so many ways. I am an ‘overner’ (from the mainland) not a caulkhead (born and bred upon the island for several generations). I moved to the island 18 years ago from Manchester with not the faintest idea of the culture shock that awaited. From the wet, urban, hundred mile an hour life of a major northern conurbation, to the relatively mild, seaside, ‘it’ll happen tomorrow’ lifestyle of the Wight. Having commuted nearly 50 miles a day both ways in Manchester I laughed when people told me I’d soon find the 5 miles from Ryde to Newport a trip too far. I hate going to Newport now – it’s just too far. Given that the urge to begin this walk came along in mid-November the boy, the dog and the good lady decided to give most of the effort a miss.