The Isle of Wight Coastal Path  (Short break)

Try a taste of the Isle of Wight Coastal path on this short break holiday


Yarmouth to Freshwater
Your first night will be spent in the picturesque Port of Yarmouth. Located on the western side of the Island the town has grown up as a result of its natural harbour. The town was ransacked by the French in 1377 and 1524, and suffered numerous raids until Henry VIII improved the security situation by building a stone castle, in the town, which was completed in 1547. This is a bustling town which has an active community all year round.  An impressive feature of the town is the unique 700ft long timber pier dating from 1876 , which is a Grade II listed building.

In the morning you will Leave Yarmouth behind walking through the wild heather & gorse landscapes of Headon Warren, topped by a Bronze Age burial mound dating to 1500 BC. You may catch site of one of the local population of Dartford warblers. You will then walk towards Alum Bay and pass this beautiful bay, with its deep blue, clear waters. When you get onto the downs, you can see the Needles, white spires of chalk which rise up from the sea with the lighthouse at the end. This lighthouse guides ships safely past the treacherous rocks. Whilst there, check out the battlements and concrete structures which were used to forward rocket science. The Black Knight Rocket was tested from here.  Shortly after reaching the Tennyson monument you will then descend into Freshwater bay.

Freshwater to Chale
There are two parts to Freshwater, the main town and Freshwater Bay.  Freshwater Bay is open to the Channel and takes the brunt of the prevailing winds in the winter months. Here you can see the rolling waves coming in from the Channel, crashing against the cliffs. In the summer months, however, the waters are calm and still and where the beach is pebbly, the waters are clear. Alfred Lord Tennyson lived and wrote much of his work at The Farringford which looks out towards Freshwater Bay. Margaret Cameron, a noted Victorian photographer, attracted many members of Victorian society, whom she photographed at her home in Freshwater Bay. Dimbola Lodge is now a trust and preserves much of her work and is open to the public.

Leaving Freshwater bay you will follow the coastal path along the cliffs. The cliffs vary from towering white chalk to crumbling sandstone and blue slipper clay and form one of the most exposed parts of the Islands coast and feature the Isle of Wight's famous Chines (coastal gullies).

Chale to Shanklin
The tiny village of Chale is located close to Chale Bay which was branded the "Bay Of Death". At the Southern end of Chale Bay lays Rocken End, beyond that lays St Catherine's Race, one of the worst seas in the British Isles. Between the two lies St. Catherine's Deep, which is a narrow channel that the sea has scoured to enormous depth. There are also several chasms 300 feet deep, which cause, in certain conditions, seas to erupt from the depths and charge in random directions. These often swamp ships, which sink without a trace. 

As you leave Chale you will see up on the downs a rather curious rocket-shaped building, which is Britain’s only surviving medieval lighthouse. Known locally as the ‘pepper pot’, the tower would have had an internal light that acted as a beacon for passing shipping. Following the cliff line you will the descend into the landslip and past  Ventnor Botanic Gardens which thanks to Ventnor's mild climate, the garden contains palms and many other varieties of sub-tropical plants. The Landslip is so named as it suffered in the great landslip of 1810. The area was further disturbed in 1928 and continues to slip very gradually. You end your days walk arriving in the coastal resort of Shanklin which is most famed for its good weather and its Old Village area. In the heart of The Old Village is the entrance to Shanklin Chine, a deep gorge carved out by a stream, which is a restful and picturesque. In the evening the waterfalls and woodland are illuminated, giving the gardens a totally different aspect and atmosphere.