Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2014 | Page 109

the Old Village
although it is easy to become
immersed in the sights and
sounds of the area, and forget
about the passing traffic just
a couple of yards away. But as
the best way to indulge yourself
in Shanklin Old Village is on
foot, and with street parking
virtually non-existent, the
easiest option is to head to
the Vernon Meadow pay and
display car park, a site on
which some of the older locals
still remember cattle roaming
on the grassland. Indeed, many
years ago the road through the
Old Village was little more than
a dirt track, with the main road

running to the west of it.
The famous stream of water
that eventually cascades down
Shanklin Chine and into the sea
below can first be seen at the
top end of the Old Village near
St Blasius Church. It wends
its way down through the Old
Village forming an integral part
of some of the houses’ truly
spectacular landscaped back
gardens.
Shanklin Chine itself is a leafy
gorge that has been much loved
by poets, artists and writers
over the years. The winding
woodland, with its steep sides is
a magical place for rare plants,
www.visitilife.com

109