Heraldry in Inn Signs. An illustrated talk by Roy Middlebrook, member of the Isle of Wight Family History Society and of the Heraldry Society. After churches, the most public source of heraldry available to us is in the inn sign.  This talk gives the background of some of the most frequent heraldic pub names, with examples from around the Island. Venue: Arreton Community Hall.

A lecture on Archaeology and Climate Change by Delian Backhouse-Fry MSc. Venue: Society HQ, Salisbury Gardens.

Meet at the lay-by on south side of Ashey Down (GR 575 874). A walk around Knighton footpaths with some good views and varied scenery. Probably a bit early for spring flowers but you never know. Downhill at start and then some gentle inclines with a steep but short climb at the end. No stiles. About 2 miles. Leaders: Beth Dollery, Jackie Hart, Maureen Whitaker

Contributions of sandwiches and cakes for the refreshments table would be very much appreciated.

Sunday 30 March at 0930 hrs.

Meet at Brading Railway Station car park (GR 610 869) for a walk to Laundry Lane, provided it is not too wet under foot we will make it a circular walk. Pot luck. Leader: Laurie Tiller ( 564594.

Fishbourne Copse A visit to the ancient woodland bordering the Solent to the north of Quarr Abbey to record spring flowers and galls, by kind permission of the Abbot. Please bring identification books hand lens and pencil. The tearoom will be open for those wishing to visit after the meeting. Meet in the car park. (GR 563 927)

Meet at the far eastern end car park on Culver Down (GR 636 856) for a walk in the area. We shall be on the look out for early migrants. Leader:. David Biggs ( 292595.

Practical Archaeology. Hands on training, basic identification, recording and conserving finds. Please bring a picnic lunch. Venue Society HQ, Salisbury Gardens.

Thursday, 24 April at 1000 hrs and throughout the day.

Chris's celebratory birthday walk. Meet St Helens Green car park at 1000 hrs for a walk round lanes and fields, finishing at Chris's house for a piece of cake and a cup of tea. Drop in to 2 Laneside, Field Lane, St Helens, at any time of the day just for the cake and tea. Also see whether you can find 90 different kinds of plant in Chris's garden. No presents please, but your presence will be very welcome. Walk leaders: Jackie Hart, Beth Dollery, and Maureen Whitaker. Tea makers: Access Section Committee.

Mill Copse. Come and see the progress of work carried out by Wight Nature Fund to remove conifers from this ancient woodland site. There are opportunities for species recording to assist future management. Meet in the River Road car park, Yarmouth (GR 353 896) Leaders Bob Edney and Colin Pope.

St Catherines Point. We are holding a joint meeting with IWOG at SCP. Park in St Catherines Road and meet at the top of the tarmac track that leads down to the Lighthouse (GR 501 757). This should be an ideal opportunity to see birds on migration and some landfall birds taking a rest in the bushes after a long journey. Stay as long as you want. IWNHAS leader: Jackie Hart ( 612677.

West High Down. Meet at the National Trust Chalk pit car park above the Highdown Inn, Totland (GR 325 856) for a downland walk. Some styles. Raven and Peregrine are a possibility, and for the third time of trying, maybe Dartford Warbler. Leader: Caroline Dudley ( 754935.

Parkhurst Forest. A visit to look for spring butterflies, including skippers and possibility of pearl-bordered fritillaries Meet main car park (GR 480 900) Leader: Richard Smout ( 527477.

Jersey Camp to look for violet hybrids. We will be particularly looking for violet species and their hybrids on the grasslands of the Jersey Camp ranges, by kind permission of the TAVR. Please bring identification books hand lens and pencil. Meet in the car park (GR 443 909) promptly at 1400 hrs as we will have to enter as a group.

Meet Playstreet Lane Recreation Ground car park, Ryde. (GR 583 917). A walk in the Millennium Wood and Dame Anthony's Common. About 2 miles. Leaders: Access Section Committee.

A visit to Wight Salads, Arreton Valley. A chance to look at the hidden land that surrounds the enormous green houses at Wight Salads. The range of habitats include woodland, lakes, pools and undisturbed grasslands. The wooded eastern edge of the site incorporates part of the Wacklands Withybed. Please bring identification books, hand lens etc. Dr Phil Morley MIHort MBRP (hort), Wight Salads Agronomist, will give an introductory talk, followed by a walk round the site. Leader: Ian Boyd, Ecologist Island 2000.

What the Council for British Archaeology does in Wessex. The guest speaker to be announced. Venue: Society HQ, Salisbury Gardens.

Meet entrance to Lighthouse Road, Niton, (GR 502 757) for walk towards St Catherine's Point. Anything could be about at this time of year, including Glanville Fritillaries. Leader: Andy Butler ( 854925.

Alverstone Mead nature reserve. Moth trapping in Skinners Meadow (GR 580 851). We will be hoping to find Alder Kitten. Limited parking. Please share transport where possible. Leader: Richard Smout ( 527477.

Newtown Meadows Recording the species on the unimproved grasslands of Newtown NNR by kind permission of the National Trust. Please bring identification books hand lens and pencil. Meet in the car park (GR 424 906).

Parkhurst Forest. Trish Merrifield, who lives locally and knows the forest well, has kindly agreed to lead a walk to see and hear Nightjars and maybe see some Glow-worms. Bring hand torches that can be used when surfaces are rough. Trish will arrange for car parking in their field that can be found at Hillisgate corner – opposite to the Lodge. It will be appropriately marked. (GR 475 924).

Old Sarum Hill Fort, Durrington Walls, Woodhenge and Stonehenge and for some the chance to see the Great Bustards on Salisbury Plain. Meet at Red Funnel ferry terminal East Cowes at 0815 hrs in good time to catch the 0830 hrs. Please bring a picnic lunch. Travel cost including ferry and coach is £20 approximately. We are very fortunate to have with us for the day, local Archaeologist and Blue Badge Guide Don Bryan.

We should arrive at Old Sarum at approximately 1010 hrs and will have about 40 minutes at this site. Access to the ramparts and surrounding area is free; time will not allow for entry into the main area.

We will leave Old Sarum at about 1100 hrs we will travel up to drop off the group for the Great Bustards on Salisbury Plain. I have booked a session for 8 people, which starts at 1130 hrs; the visit takes approximately 90 minutes. There is a charge of £7 each place. The main group will then go to Woodhenge/Durrington Walls for the rest of the morning. We will need to collect the Great Bustard group at 1300 hrs and then we then spend the rest of the afternoon at Stonehenge. Entry cost to Stonehenge as follows: FREE English Heritage or National Trust Members, otherwise £6.30 adults, £4.70 with concessions (student/ pensioner) £3.20 per child

We will leave Stonehenge in good time to catch the 1700 hrs from Southampton. To book a place, or for further information, please contact Lynda Snaith ( 298162 evenings/weekends.

National Moth Night.    Meet at 1, Moorside, Moons Hill, Totland (GR 329 859) for moth-trapping Leader Sam Knill-Jones ( 752605.

Meet Afton Down car park (GR 351 856) for a walk through Freshwater Bay and along the new field path up to the downs. Returning via Farringford Farm and Tennyson Down's northern edge. About 3 miles. Leader: Colin Black.

Knighton Down Recording the species on the chalk grasslands of Knighton Down. Please bring identification books hand lens and pencil. Meet in the lay by along the Downs Road between Ashey Down and Knighton Down. (GR 575 875).

Eaglehead Copse. (GR 579 872) A meeting to look for and record insects. Depending on conditions we may move on to nearby downland. Limited parking. Other pull ins further along the road. Please park with care. Leader: Richard Smout.

The Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeological Society, in partnership with the National Trust, will be holding a celebration of '50 years of the Newtown Survey' at the Visitor Centre at Newtown from 6th July.

Kern Farm The opportunity to record a recently seeded wildflower meadow and chalk downland. Please bring identification books, a hand lens and a pencil. Meet at Kern Farm (approach from Alverstone via track to Chiddle’s Farm) (GR 579 867).

Fort Victoria. July is a difficult time for bird watching, as they all seem to go and hide after breeding. We have found this site fruitful in recent times so, again, we shall meet at the car park at Fort Victoria (GR 338 899) for a sea watch followed by a walk in the area. Potluck. Leader: David Biggs ( 292595.

Fieldwalk to Little Span Farm, Wroxall. (GR 546 790) Looking at the Neolithic onwards. There is parking available at the farm, members are reminded that this is a working farm and great care should he taken at all times. There is an alternative road route with parking for non- hill climbers. For further information please contact Delian Backhouse-Fry (Co-ordinator) ( 853292.

Place Names of the Bowcombe Valley. John Margham has kindly agreed to lead a walk in the Bowcombe area. Starting and finishing at the car park by the Priory above the Castle, (GR 489 875) John will lead us in an anticlockwise direction, into Carisbrooke, through St Mary's churchyard, up Down Lane along the Tennyson Trail to the site of the pagan Anglo-Saxon cemetery, down to Bowcombe Farm, to Plaish Farm and returning past Froglands Farm along Millers Lane. This route will take in or provide views of all the significant sites in the lower part of the Bowcombe Valley. Approximately 4½ miles, some steep slopes.

Volunteers requested for Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology Bouldnor Project, over period of 2 weeks. Please contact Delian Backhouse-Fry ( 853292 or Margaret Nelmes ( 852274 for further details.

Bembridge Point. There has recently been extensive clearance of sea buckthorn scrub on Bembridge Point and we are intending to record the flora that is re-establishing in the cleared areas. Please bring identification books, a hand lens and a pencil. Please park considerately along Embankment Road, Bembridge (GR 643 887).

A visit to Yaverland Manor, by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Buckeridge. A chance to look inside the Manor and Church, our guide will be Johanna Jones. We are limited to 25 people for this visit, to register please contact Lynda Snaith ( 298162 evenings/weekends.

Sibden Hill (GR 574 812) Meet at junction of Chatsworth Avenue and Orchard Road, Shanklin, to look for insects on this nature reserve Leader: Richard Smout.

Ventnor Downs. Meet at the far car park, on Luccombe Down (GR 573 787) for a walk in the area looking for passage migrants. I should warn you that there maybe ponies roaming around. Leader: Jackie Hart ( 612677.