Once we had secured funding and had set up the walk, all that remained was to get the word out that it was there and encourage some folk to try it out. The walk is laid out on the 1,000 yard scale, where 1 inch represents 100,000 miles. At the Bonchurch end is a scale model of the Sun and the distance to Pluto can be walked in 1,019 paces, the equivalent of 3,666,000,000 miles! Each planet passed along the way is marked by a plaque with some key facts on.
On Saturday28th November,
Dave and Dianne from the Crab and Lobster Tap kindly accommodated us for coffee
and lunch when a group of invited guests attended Stokey's presentation in the Masonic Hall opposite. He used his expert knowledge to deliver an engaging interactive presentation to illustrate the size and timescale of the solar system, and introduced the concept of the Solar System Walk.
Sadly
the weather was so inclement that we were unable to complete the whole walk,
but, armed with newly acquired knowledge, most of the guests have since been able to enjoy the walk
in kinder weather.
Among the
guests were teachers from St Catherine's School, The Island Free School and
the Allnatt Centre at East Dene, who were keen share Stokey's knowledge with their students and use
the walk as a resource. Liz and Stephen Izatt came along from Ventnor Arts
Club, as did Helen and Frazer Cunningham from Vintage Vacations. Bernard Cawley
represented Ventnor Enhancement Fund and we were pleased that Wightlink journalist Karen Woods came all the way from
Fareham to see what the walk is all about.
We were very
pleased with the enthusiastic response to the event and have since enjoyed to seeing
locals and visitors enjoying the walk and taking in a bit of knowledge with the
sea air!
