One of the joys of the Isle of Wight is that away from the mian roads you can find the most glorious unspoilt countryside and so many beautiful wild flowers that the mind boggles. This book brings you pictures of some of these, in the hope that they will whet your appetite for more and tells the reader of some of the many interesting aspects of this historic and heritage-rich Island.
Even if you are confined to the house or a wheelchair there is something in this book to interest you and bring a breath of the countryside into your life. To bring you, in fact, a glimpse of Traveller’s Joy.
“A little voice said to us (only a little voice, but oh so loud and clear) ‘You say you love this Island with its fields and woods, its chalk downs and little valleys, its streams and multitude of wild flowers. So, go out into the Island, into its highways and byways, write about it, photograph it, and see if you can communicate to others some of the joy you have found in its wild and lonely places, its stupendous views of land and sea and sky. Go on. Try hard. You never know. You may be lucky.’”
Traveller’s Joy takes the reader on a journey along the many footpaths of the Isle of Wight, sharing the sights, sounds and history of each area. Accompanied by over one hundred photographs and several maps and plans, the book advises the reader on ‘what to look out for’ using map references, as well as supplying interesting facts in the ‘Did you know?’ sections.
Author the late Ron Winter was always adept at painting images with his words, describing the scenes with the accuracy of a linguist and the imagery of a poet:
“…Underfoot the going was level and good apart from a few large puddles left by recent rains and a gentle sou-westerly breeze was blowing in our faces. Immediately on our left the river flowed smoothly eastwards between steep banks, the water looking peaceful and clean, though weedy. Away to our right, one field width distant, was what appeared to be another stream or ditch with patches of scrub and thorn running parallel to the bridleway. Behind them the ground began to the rise from the valley floor, culminating in the mass of Mersley Down a mile away…”
Ron Winter’s text is complemented by his wife Pat’s beautiful photographs, in which she demonstrates her skill in capturing the beauty of the countryside, and particularly its wild flowers. A period piece of its time which has become a tribute to a couple who gave so much to the Island.
