Thursday 27th October 2022
My last full day on the Isle and the sun was shining at full strength. I wasn't sure what to do with my day because the bus takes a long time to cover the area so I went through my initial internet searches and found the Abbey. Fortunately it was only a half hour bus trip so that was my first plan.
I bought a 2 day unlimited bus travel ticket which shows up on my phone. I know my conspiracy theorist friends might complain about using the QR code for tracking, but hey, they can track me if they want, lol. I've loved having these tickets because bus drivers never seem to understand my destination in my accent. I follow the GPS signal on my phone, plus the bus calls out the stops which makes me far less anxious about getting lost. That used to be one of my biggest fears- getting lost.
I got off at the Abbey entrance and was thankful for the sunshine. The pathways were muddy and I saw some kids in wellington boots which seemed like the ideal shoe. I walked to the old Abbey ruins first, which aren't open to the public, being on a privately owned farm. There were some houses built on a quiet road and I wondered how the owners felt about their idyllic quiet homes have stomping folk wander past daily.
The new Abbey was built by a monk who had trained as an architect, Dom Paul Bellot in 1907. It was funded by the French because in France, religious orders had been banned in the 19th century (I did not know this) The Abbott from France had sent his monk community to England to look for safety.
The young architect used bricks from Belgium and the tall towers have a Byzantine look. I was amazed at the height of the towers but the inside of the church wasn't as impressive as others I've seen. But knowing that this is a working monastery made the design fit. I walked around the gardens after some peppermint tea and orange cake. I managed to spot the shy Red Squirrel in the graveyard, which I was very chuffed to see. I said hi to the piglets and sheep and decided it was still early enough to take a bus to Ryde.
I had felt a bit feverish briefly but thought if the sea air of Ryde didn't help I would jump straight back on the bus. I was very glad I'd decided to visit, as this little town had a lovely feel to it. Perhaps it was the sunshine or tourists but there was more bustle and fun. I walked out on the half mile long Pier and admired the hovercraft starting up, the wrought iron fence from Glasgow and people walking their dogs.
I sat briefly on a bench and listened to the waves make strange sounds as if they were slapping the walls. It was high tide and apparently the beaches are great when the tide goes out. I walked along the main street then the high street and admired all the different styles of buildings. There was a busker singing some nice songs and overall the holiday feel just spread everywhere. Suddenly I'd had enough, so made my way to the bus stop led by Google and sat on the front seat again. I only scratched the surface of the island, in fact it seems like that of every town I visit, but I also know not to overwhelm myself.
Another great day. On the move tomorrow.
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