Walk the Wight
2025 marks the 35th anniversary of, what is now known as an iconic event, Walk the Wight, which raises much needed funds for Mountbatten IOW.
Walking, as we all know, is the only way to really see everything properly. You have time to stop, observing flowers and blossom along the way, which are in abundance during May. You can also cast your gaze far ahead into the distance, glimpsing multiple views of the horizon line dividing sea and sky.
Walk the Wight originally started back in 1991 as a team building walk for a local timber and builders’ merchant, H.W.Moreys. Frank Stevens and Bill Bradley must have been quite forward thinking individuals at the time to instigate this team building exercise. Their idea didn’t take long to both grow and change direction in it’s purpose.
By the second year 120 people took part and funds were raised for two MRI scanners, one for the hospital and one for Earl Mountbatten Hospice (now known as simply Mountbatten Isle of Wight).
Quite often the most successful events start off as happy accidents and, to say it’s a successful event is an understatement as a staggering 12,000 people now take part each year, with a participation fee of £15 per individual.
In 2024 the walk raised an incredible £560,000 but it’s not just the fund raising aspect which is important. The walk is a way for relatives to remember and commemorate loved ones who have passed away and an opportunity to join together in community spirit to achieve a common goal.
If the idea of the full 26.5 miles from Bembridge to Allum Bay is too daunting, there are multiple walks and options available as alternatives.
You can start off from Carrisbrooke, located in the center of the Island, and walk to the finishing point at Allum Bay, or you can go from Bembridge to Carrisbrooke, the half way point.
There is also an eight mile flat walk from Sandown to Shide, which is excellent for those who might struggle with the Island’s hilly landscape.
The Schools Walk option is great for families who may not be able to get youngsters to complete the task in one go. This option allows families to complete the distance in sections before the actual day and then join in the final stretch over Tennyson Down, with the satisfaction of knowing they have, over time, completed the full 26.5 miles.
Finally, Walk the Wight Your Way can be done on a treadmill, or out in the open, in as short or as long sessions as you like. With all these different options available there really is no reason not to get involved.
Being the 35th anniversary a sunflower garden is being planned, the location of which is yet to be confirmed. Residents and walkers alike have been encouraged to create a sunflower, which is the Mountbatten emblem, in any way they like, be it a drawing, a painting or one made from paper. This sunflower garden will be a way to create an exhibition highlighting and celebrating all the wonderful achievements Walk the Wight has accomplished to date.
With Bembridge being the starting point for Walk the Wight, it makes sense to seek accommodation in Bembridge, or nearby Seaview or St Helens. Staying in Bembridge would give you time to fuel up before walking with a cooked breakfast and plenty of coffee and not have to worry about arranging transportation to the starting point.
In 2019 the Island was awarded Unesco Biosphere Status and traversing the entire width, from East to West, is the best way to understand how this award came about.
The landscape is incredibly diverse in relation to it’s size. With a number of unique ecosystems and geographical features it’s impossible not to soak up the magical atmosphere as you explore. Each area of the Isle of Wight has it’s own particular character, it’s almost like a kaleidoscopic view of nature and the environment, changing with each footstep but always equally beautiful and awe inspiring.
Isle of Wight residents also provide a large part in maintaining the Biosphere status by their commitment to work with the environment rather than against it, with sustainability being at the core of many businesses.
With Walk the Wight growing in popularity each year it’s definitely worth planning ahead and booking somewhere to stay in Bembridge well in advance. After completing the full 26.5 miles you’ll want to know you’ve got somewhere clean, comfortable and relaxing to return to at the end of the challenge. Alternatively, you could opt for Walk the Wight Your Way and plan a few short stays dotted throughout the year in order to get the miles in and take in the sights over a variety of seasons.
If you have Walked the Wight already then please share your photos with Curated Spaces IOW, you can simply tag us on instagram @curatedspacesiow, it would be great to see your happy faces when you complete one of the biggest challenges the island has to offer.