Walking on the Wight: Tim Wander, Author, Historian and Lecturer

It’s time for some Rambles with a Purpose…Discovering the Island’s History with Tim Wander, author, historian….and sometime rambler.

Well at the very outset let me say I am not a dedicated long-distance walker. I am actually in slight awe of those dedicated souls who seem to be able to smash out epic amounts of miles in all weathers; but in all honesty it is not really my cup of tea. Also, my knees are far too old. I’m more a stroller. Get out there, take a breath, and if the weather is nice pause regularly to take in the magnificent scenery, beautiful sunsets, superb coast line and rest the old knees (did I mention them?) ….

But most of all I do like a ramble with a purpose. So much so that I co-wrote (back in 2017) a book with Island Historian and walker John Farthing about some rambles…called Where PLUTO Crossed the Path…. The 26 dedicated rambles therein remain popular and there are even groups who head off to find the hidden Pipeline Under The Ocean (hence PLUTO) ‘gateways’ and old pump stations during summer weekends. The groups have actually found at least seven more adding to our understanding of this unique, ambitious and critical WW2 engineering project. I really must do one of these for a future walking festival. Maybe even get John out of retirement.

The next book of rambles with a purpose is called Indicator Loops and Scaffolding Poles, another series of walks mainly around the coast (often at low tide) to again discover a whole lost technology (the loops) and investigate a series of defensive works (the scaffolding poles and others) that once kept this island safe during WW2. As I mentioned if I’m going for a ramble its really does need a purpose. What can be better than to find a lost Heavy Anti-Aircraft battery site or a cold war bunker? We are lucky to have (by my calculation) over a hundred sites and destinations of historic interest in this little island.

At this stage I will have to state that I’m not an islander, but I married it nearly 40 years ago and my wife’s family go back ten plus generations since the family left Southampton, all those miles away. We actually returned to the Island just eight years ago after some time in Spain where again my rambles took in old lead mines and abandoned workings… Today we live in Cowes – I often do Cowes history tours and guided tours around Northwood House where I am a Trustee and Director of the Charitable Trust dedicated to preserving and restoring this amazing Georgian house with its unique and complex history.

So I am pleased to be involved with Visit Isle of Wight and their ever popular walking festivals now twice yearly! As I mentioned it is never going to be 16 plus miles with me – more a few miles with new friends. If you stroll along, I’ll tell you the story about all you can see. – Previous walks have been historic rambles around Cowes, Culver Cliff, Puckpool Battery and even Ventnor radar station up to the not-so-secret nuclear bunker. But this year, by popular demand I’m doing Yaverland beach (again), more or less end to end again. Hopefully I get the tides right – we need a low tide or we get wet! It a great, very dog friendly flat walk, with much to see. From fossils to gun emplacements, lost harbours to Palmerston forts appearing out the cliffs and even some of those secret cables system mixed up with a bit of lignite mining.

So why not put your walking boots on and come walk with us? Trust me your knees are better than mine, but we will get there and back because there are tales to tell and still many rambles with a purpose to do!

Best Wishes,

Tim Wander.

Tim will host A Historic Stroll Down Yaverland Beach on Monday 15 May – this walk is now fully booked. 

For more books written by Tim click here.