The New Carnival Company will be leading a very unusual series of leisure walks across the Island on the weekend of 15th and 16th March – and you are all invited!
These 9 easy one-mile walks are all part of the new Carnival Trail project – a 100mile route in total – which links all the carnival towns and villages on the Island together in a single joined-up loop. The Walk and Talk weekend is for anyone who has organised, taken part in, or watched Isle of Wight Carnivals over the years and who would like to contribute their memories to the project, or would enjoy listening to other people’s. The stories will be captured and collated digitally as you walk and will be published as part of The Carnival Trail Companion which will accompany the inaugural 100miles in May, as part of the Isle of Wight Walking Festival.
Alison Knapman, General Manager of the New Carnival Company, who will be taking part in the Walks and Talks explains:
“It’s a bit like speed dating for carnival! People from all over the Island can come and join us and share their stories. It will be fun, free, informative and innovative. Richard White, who is a professional digital artist based in Bath, and local digital ambassadors David Holden and Rebecca Sallee, will be working with us to create a snapshot of IOW carnival over its 125 year history. The Carnival Trail Companion is for walkers and visitors to enjoy via their smartphones or tablets or to access online from their armchairs! It will be there for future walkers in years to come.”
If you would like to Walk and Talk carnival, here are the meeting places and times for the weekend. Alison advises:
“There may be some uneven ground in places, so come in sensible footwear and bring a rain jacket just in case! Some walks are shorter and more accessible than others; contact us if you are unsure of suitability. All dogs on leads please”.
Saturday 15 March
9.30am: St Helens Green (Pavillion) to the Duver
11am: Culver Down (by Monument) to Sandown Culver Parade
1pm: Winchester House (Lake) to Shanklin Clock Tower
3pm: St Boniface Down (by transmitter) to Ventnor Harbour
5pm: Carisbrooke Castle (by Priory) to Newport Quay
Sunday 16 March
10am: Totland (Turf Walk) to Colwell Common
11.30am: Fort Victoria to Yarmouth Green
2pm: Gurnard Yacht Club to Cowes Parade
4pm: Ryde (Western Esplanade Gardens) to Appley Beach (by Tower)
The Carnival Trail Project is being supported using Public Funds by Arts Council England and The Big Lottery.
