The Tennyson Trail

Today we hiked part of the Tennyson Trail, named after the poet  Alfred Lord Tennyson, who lived on the Isle of Wight for 40 years from 1853, and loved to walk the route.

Starting at the Tennyson Memorial cross (147 m) on Tennyson Down....

And following the undulating chalk ridge to view the three Needles off Alum Bay. A former fourth needle-shaped pillar called Lot's Wife used to stand in the midst of the formation, until it collapsed in a storm in 1764. The remaining rocks are all short and squat and not at all needle-like, but the name has stuck.

The Needles - View from the experimental rocket launching site 

The Needles - once four, now three distinct stalks of chalk 

Close-up of The Needles and Lighthouse (built 1859)

Round the other side

Sand cliffs of Alum Bay

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Half a league, half a league,

  Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

  Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns' he said:

Into the valley of Death

  Rode the six hundred.

          Alfred, Lord Tennyson