We thought it was really big but it wasn't. This was the start (and the finish) ...
Not sure where the water is ?
It was good though, we went in the bird hide which is a first for us. 
Walked a bit further and found the water :O)
Found this weird looking plant with flowers & berries. Looks like a tomato/potato plant. We wondered if it was deadly nightshade ~ ooooo!!
And that was that :O) So we decided to visit the end of the 'Sunshine Trail'. A few weeks ago we walked from Newport to Sandown and right at the end of the walk was a bit of a nature reserve. We were so tired at the time, we didn't bother to explore it. So we drove back to Sandown, parked in the works car park and walked to the nature reserve. 
It was really muddy underfoot obviously ~ doh ~ it's wetland!!! How daft are we!! We had gone in flip flops too. 
Andrew & I somehow got parted, I think it was my fault as I was following this electric blue dragonfly trying my hardest to take a photo but it just wouldn't keep still. I came to this pond and there were a few more flying about all over the place but they were just not having any of it :O) They were magnificent ~ oh well. 
I couldn't see Andrew anywhere but I could hear him ~ no wonder!! 
We walked up along the side of the caravan site where I work and round by the rugby club. We were chatting so much I forgot to take any more photos apart from these sycamore keys that Andrew spotted. 
All in all a bit of a disastrous day ~ ROFL. Not really, we still enjoyed each others company :O) After lunch we started packing Elena's case, I managed to get everything in it too including 2 towels, a pair of trainers, a pair of disco shoes, all her clothes and a washbag!! AND it's the smallest case we have :O) Just hope she can get it all back in for the journey home ~ lol!!
Andrew put the Gazebo up outside. 
Liam's working 10 - 6pm today so Lisa's revising for her next exam, sat outside with her bikini on and cooling off in the pool from time to time :O) 
Yep, she's got tonnes of factor 15 all over her :O)Had a roast beef salad outside for tea with Gemma too :O)
Liam was so hot when he got home from work he cooled off in the pool and messed about with Lisa for a while :O) 
We laughed and giggled through most of the food especaially at Lisa who stuck the squirty cream lid to her chin pretending it was a beard ;O) 
This afternoon it was 33 oC on the thermometer ~ paradise I tell ya!! By twenty to eight it was still 25 oC 
Last but not least my 3191 photo today ~ my gorgeous sqiffy diffy pegs :O)
Just got to tell you this. I learnt something new yesterday. We were looking on the OS map when I came across lots of 'TUMULI'. The word's written in an Old English type font so I looked it up and it means ~ ancient burial ground!! Didn't know that. Lisa taught me something new today too. Carrots used to be white!!! I kid you not, they were all white until a King who had the last name Orange wanted a vegetable that was orange in colour. So through selective breeding or whatever you call it, they produced an orange carrot!!! How cool is that. That just about somes me up, he, he ~ full of useless information :O)
The same spot looking forward ~ only another 8 miles to go :O) 
First thing we saw was a cockerel and some chickens. 
We followed a little stream most of the way, flanked both sides with beautiful ferns. The sound of water is so peaceful when you're walking through the countryside. 
It wasn't long till we reached Blackwater. There are lots of white gates & picket fences along the cycle track to protect you from the road. 
As we crossed the road and looked back we could see the old Station House that belonged to the railway. 
There were a couple of donkeys in a field and no matter how I tried they wouldn't pose for a photograph. Talk about being as stuborn as a mule!! 
The views were pretty amazing. I adore the countryside :O) 
Good job the route is well sign posted otherwise which way would we have gone? 
This is the only place on the cycle route where we could see the main road to Newport. Blackwater Quarry is in the background. 
I love it when the farmers start ploughing the fields, every field ends up being a different colour or texture so it looks like a big patchwork quilt :O) 
The wind was quite strong in places making it difficult to photograph the wild flowers :O) 
It has dried up the mud really quickly though, considering it has never stopped raining for a week! 
Oh well, only another 5 1/2 miles to go :O) 
Woops, make way for the tractor :O) 
Just along the track Andrew found 1 single poppy. 
Lots of people were out horse riding. 
Came across a little cross road where the wooden bridge either side led into the field :O)
The farmers had planted the potatoes under polythene. 
As we got nearer to Merstone we found a settee made out of grass, of course I beat Andrew to it *lol* 
The platform at Merstone is the only evidence of the former railway line apart from the bridges! 
We are always amazed how many wild flowers there are :O) 
And the variety of wildlife. 
One of the bridges. 
A view of St Boniface Down. 
Redway Farm, a typical Isle of Wight building, grey stone walls with a red roof. 
A decked walkway has been installed over the marsh land :O) 
This is Horringford, don't you just adore the names of villages :O) 
We reached Arreton where you have to cross the main road. Luckily we have a pelican crossing to use :O) 
Got to the other side and continued walking. We spied a beautiful garden through the trees. 
Andrew's phone went off just as we reached Haseley Manor. It was Claire his sister wanting to know if we wanted any Tittertons Sausages & pork pies bringing next week. These are a northern delicacy and a rare treat for us southerners *lol* 
3 weeks ago we had walked to 
A swan was gliding along the river where we had played 'Pooh Sticks' with Elena last time :O) The rain has made the water look really dirty. According to the Wildlife Trust notice boards there are sticklebacks & water voles living there. 
Wasn't long before we were walking through the gates at Allverstone, crossing the road and carrying on along the final stretch :O)
Andrew spotted another swan with her baby cygnets disappearing up the otherside of the river bank. 
And I spotted a little Moorhen hiding in the river bank foliage. 
We stood on the bridge for ages watching the wildlife. 
A pair of ducks. 
The trust have even put decoys on the electric pylons to stop the swans etc flying into the wires. 
The route from Allverstone to Sandown is classed as an area of outstanding natural beauty and has been enhanced with allsorts of weird & wonderful wood carvings, like this ball of fungus attached to a tree??? 
And this carved archway. 
I love this apple & pear :O) 
There's even a new gatepost at the end of the trail. 
There, according to the sign we had walked 7 
Just the 
Up the road. 
To the junction at the end where the road joins with the main road and Denness Road where we live.
Past the monument, horse trough and bus stop. 
And home ~ what a sight for sore eyes and sore legs and sore feet and aching muscles *lol*
It was 1:45pm when we got home. We must have looked shattered as Gemma volunteered to pick Elena up from the Roman Villa at 2:30pm for us. She even volunteered to give us a lift back to Newport to pick up the car ~ what a star!!