📽 Bonchurch Landslip - BEFORE THE LANDSLIDE - The Devils Chimney - NOW GONE - isle of wight

[@jacquettabanana]

I was there at the end of Sept with my family, we were visiting from Wales, I was born & raised on the Isle of wight until we moved here.. damn, I just looked at the news about this place & I have tears in my eyes, im actually gutted. So many memories of this place & im glad I spent a few hours there back in Sept, it will never happen again. So sad 😞

[@jacquettabanana]

Does that mean the wishing seat has gone too? The lot?

[@athewake]

@@ISLEOFWIGHTARCHIVE Seat still there for now but its right close to the edge of the precipice.

[@ISLEOFWIGHTARCHIVE]

@@athewake any photos ?

[@liabatson6043]

So has the chimney been covered in land mass / rubble, or has been physically decimated? Not that anyone would be safe to get down there and remove rubble to reinstate it anyway 😢 so devastating ❤❤

[@100SteveB]

So sad to hear about this. I have childhood memories of the place, and i have photos of my own kids standing down in the chimney. That part of the island used to have so many beautiful walks around that area - a few of which went in the big landslide about 30 or so years ago. I am really gutted to know that this great landmark is no more.

[@garywateridge]

Only live across the solent in christchurch.this Is so sad,just love visiting the isle of Wight,such a special place.walked this way before many times down to the beach and onto ventnor prom. Doesn't deserve this bad luck.

[@JoyOleary-j5q]

devil chimney still lives on vid utube

[@garethbramley1]

A SAD LOSS. A VERY SAD LOSS. I understand the Chimney was closed some time before this landslide but I certainly recall going up / down it in 2022. At that time part of the lower path had 'path closed' signage. It will now be buried under piles of chalk and rubble. Hopefully the other chimney a little further along towards Ventnor will have survived - but this will be susceptible to the same issues in time. I fear this will be the first of many landslides over the coming months and areas like St. Lawrence and Blackgang are now at risk where the area is mainly clay rather than chalk. Bits fell off Gore Cliff (chalk) a year or so back and I suspect an examination next spring will reveal some more slippage there too. Of course, IOW is not the only place to have had continual rain - other areas (here included) have had much more over recent weeks and months and it is worrying what devastation will occur in the near future.

[@athewake]

Nope the other chimney has also gone forever...along with hundreds of mature trees. Nature doing its thing.

[@liabatson6043]

​@@athewakehas anyone got pictorial proof yet? 😢 so sad 😞

[@sskinblade]

there are pictures comming out to say it is still there will have to wait and see@@liabatson6043

[@jwbakker5100]

its still there . 5 cm narrower and steps meshed up , and many fallen rocks , but there is a video that someone climbs through it . Ofcourse very dangerous , and I wouldend advice anyone going there . Just look at his video on yt.

[@ISLEOFWIGHTARCHIVE]

Everyone had a look the day after.