Putting Your Heart into Walking
Fourteen Friends and Family Group Members of Equals IW came together to put their heart into a walk with Mark on Sunday 24th May 2026.
The group met at the National Trust Ventnor Downs car park to Join Mark on a flat walk to explore Bonchurch, Luccombe and Shanklin Downs.
Clear blue skies allowed them to enjoy spectacular views across the full width of the Isle of Wight from the cliffs of Freshwater Bay to the Culver Cliffs overlooking Sandown Bay including beautiful views of Wroxall Downs.
The group saw the entire Solent coastline from the South Downs in the east towards Brighton, past Portsmouth and its Spinnaker Tower, to the west towards the New Forest and Bournemouth.
They walked in very warm temperatures of 25–28°C which is the hottest Green Time Walk to date. So Mark encouraged everyone to rest in the shade and download the Merlin Bird app.
The group learnt how to identify different birds singing such as
- Eurasian Skylark
- Eurasian Wren
- Common Chaffinch
- Common Chiffchaff
- Eurasian Linnet
- Meadow Pipit
- European Goldfinch
- European Robin.
They finished the walk stood on the highest point of the Isle of Wight after walking 3.4 miles, 5.5km, burning 318 Kcal, and making 8,000 steps.
The Three Downs Walk across Bonchurch, Luccombe, and Shanklin Downs gave everyone the opportunity to improve their physical fitness while boosting emotional wellbeing, confidence, self-esteem, and overall mental health.
Those attending were able to relax with others in friendship in a warm and welcoming atmosphere and safe environment spending time getting out of the house and meeting new people.
The Three Downs Walk is one of the activities of Green Time a Partnership Programme between Equals IW, MCEnhancement and Isle of Wight Council Mental Health Alliance Mental Wellbeing Small Grants Funding.
The Mental Health Alliance Mental Wellbeing Small Grants Fund aims to support community-based projects promoting mental wellbeing and prevent mental ill health for people of all ages on the Isle of Wight.
We took photos
Green Time a fun, informal way using the great outdoors to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.