Thanks to Linda for this report from Stokey’s recent pilot walk. Ed
As published through OnTheWight recently, a new activity for Ventnor seafront was launched on Saturday 28th November.
Ventnor resident Stokey Woodall is an expert yachtsman and teacher of celestial navigation, who has been running courses about the Solar System, which inspired some of us who attended to set up a marked walk along the revetment from Bonchurch to Wheelers Bay.
Follow the plaques
Supported by Ventnor Enhancement Fund, we commissioned Signpost Express to make a series of plaques to mark out the planets to scale, each one bearing some interesting facts.
The walk is laid out on the 1,000 yard scale, where one inch represents 100,000 miles. At the Bonchurch end is a scale model of the Sun and the distance to Pluto can be walked in 1,019 paces, the equivalent of 3,666,000,000 miles!
Local support
On Saturday, Dave and Dianne from the Crab and Lobster Tap kindly accommodated us for coffee and lunch when a group of invited guests attended Stokey’s presentation. Sadly the weather was so unpleasant that we were unable to complete the whole walk, but, armed with newly acquired knowledge, most will be able to enjoy the walk in kinder weather.
Among the guests were teachers from St Catherine’s School, The Island Free School and East Dene, who were keen share Stokey’s knowledge with their students and use the walk as a resource. Liz and Stephen Izatt came along from Ventnor Arts Club, as did Helen and Frazer Cunningham from Vintage Vacations. Bernard Cawley represented Ventnor Enhancement Fund and we were pleased that Wightlink journalist, Karen Woods, came all the way from Fareham to see what the walk is all about.
Try for yourself
We were very pleased with the enthusiastic response to the event and look forward to seeing locals and visitors enjoying the walk and taking in a bit of knowledge with the sea air!
Start at the bottom of Shore Road in Bonchurch and walk towards Ventnor.
