Walk! the Isle of Wight - Softcover

The book we were waiting for! Having recently moved to the Island and both being keen walkers, we searched in vain for a good walking book. Our wishes have been answered by this book, a revelation! We tried walk 27. Whitwell, Week Down and the Undercliff, what a cracking route, easy parking, good pub, all round excellent. If the rest of the walks are half as good as this we are on to a winner. Next walk 'The Long Stone'! Well done Martin Simons. Eileen and Patrick (Isle of Wight) Prepare for a treat! As a resident of the South Coast, "Walk! The Isle of Wight" seemed something of a natural progression for me, having been well and truly bitten by the walking 'bug' after acquiring Martin Simons' superb debut Guide, "Walk! The South Downs". Easily accessible, yet somehow pleasurably 'remote', the Island and its walks beckoned me across the Solent, from the moment I opened the book, and day trips will now fast become a regular feature of my leisure time. I have already been persuaded, against all my better instincts(!), to abandon the car, and sample life as a foot-passenger, taking advantage of the Island's bus services, the stops for which are incorporated into the walks. I would happily repeat the experience. The winning presentation of the Guide- the overview/summary of the walks, the symbols ratings for effort, distance, time, refreshments etc. - continues to prove invaluable. However, as a solitary, female walker, it is the detail and accuracy of the descriptions that matter most to me. I choose to walk without the support of GPS, yet I am able to set out, with confidence, secure in the knowledge that my walk will be both safe and memorable because the routes are so diligently researched and so clearly explained. Practical considerations aside, I have been both surprised and enthralled by the scenery that the Island has to offer. If, like me, your pleasure derives simply from the joy of being outside, and an uncomplicated appreciation of landscape/seascape, wildlife, flora and fauna, this book will guide you to the best the Island has to offer. If, however, you need the 'history' and the 'geology' to complete the experience, Martin will point you in the right direction! Unlike many of my friends and colleagues resident on the South Coast, I have no 'past history' with the Isle of Wight - no recollection of childhood outings; no burning desire to re-visit old haunts or bask in the nostalgia of lost youth, so its discovery has been an entirely new source of pleasure to me. Either way, pioneering or re-visiting, sampling the walks in this book comes highly recommended! Martin's first book transformed my leisure-time, so I had rather high expectations of his second! I have not been disappointed! S James

Walk! the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight is different, almost a step back in time, with a slower pace and more relaxed way of life. A fantastic variety of beautiful and varied scenery, changing with the seasons, is crammed into the Island, which measures only 23 miles by 13 miles. The Isle of Wight offers formidable hills, towering cliffs, river valleys, marshes, rich farmland, a variety of woodlands, prehistoric burial mounds, ancient churches, attractive villages, and a wealth of inns and pubs. Criss-crossed by over 500 miles of footpaths and bridleways, as well as additional paths across access land, it also boasts nature reserves, forests, and the most spectacular beaches in the south of England. Small wonder then, that the Island is one of the best walking venues in England, and no accident that it is home to the UK's biggest walking festival, perfect, as it is, for a day trip walking expedition from the mainland. Martin Simons has produced the classic Isle of Wight walking guide, with most walking routes linking to frequent Southern Vectis bus services allowing you to leave the car at home if you want to. 40 fully detailed walking routes, plus short walk and stroll alternatives. Each walking route itinerary includes:- - walking route summary. - ratings for Effort, Time, Distance, Ascents/Descents, Refreshments and Vertigo risk. - fully detailed walk description, including frequent timings to aid navigation and check your progress. - GPS Waypoints at every key point on every route for pin-point navigational accuracy. - full colour 1:30,000 scale OS map of the route. - short walk and stroll alternatives. There are a wide range of walking routes across the picturesque Isle of Wight. With Martin's excellent walk descriptions you'll know which routes are for you - and all of them are a true adventure. Full GPS Track and Waypoint files for Walk! the Isle of Wight are included on the Personal Navigator Files CD published by Discovery Walking Guides.