Malcolm Smith's
Walks Pages

 

...  ISLE OF WIGHT   ...

 
ROUND THE ISLAND - Anti-clockwise on the Coastal Path

 
Section 1 : Cowes to Yarmouth

 
          Section 1 is sub-divided as follows :

          Cowes to Gurnard
          Gurnard to Great Thorness
          Great Thorness to Porchfield
          Porchfield to Newtown
          Newtown to Shalfleet
          Shalfleet to Hamstead
          Hamstead to Yarmouth

• Cowes Floating Bridge to Gurnard - The starting point is at the west side of the Floating Bridge.  Folow Medina Road, Birmingham Road, Shooters Hill and the High Street to the beginning of Bath Street, turning right down Watch House Lane to the waters edge at Victoria Parade.  Take the path on the water's edge round the Royal Yacht Squadron building and continue along the level esplanade all the way to Gurnard.  As the road bears away to the left, keep to the water's edge and pass in front of a row of beach huts.
• Gurnard to Great Thorness - On reaching the Gurnard Sailing Club, turn left up the tarmac lane until it joins Shore Road then turn half right at the sign into Winding Lane which ascends to rejoin Shore Road.  Turn right and continue as Shore Road becomes Worsley Road, then turn right into Solent View Road which runs steadily downhill becoming Marsh Road at the bottom of the incline.  Keeping to the road, pass the Salty Seadog cafe on the right then cross the river bridge past which take the track down to the right by a post box to an ally between the shanty houses to the beach.  Walk along the shoreline until passing over a small metal girder bridge to where the woodland begins and the signpost directs half left.
• Great Thorness to Porchfield - Take the gravel track bearing upwards away from the shore towards Thorness Bay Holiday VIllage, continuing straight through, passing a row of telephone booths.  Pass between caravans until reaching the entrance to the Holiday Village then turn right onto a path running behind cupressus trees screening the caravans.  Bear away to the left through a short copse then cross two planks then a stile into a field.  Proceed directly ahead through the narrow field, crossing a stile then heading past a lone tree to another stile beyond which is a concrete track.  Turn left onto the track as indicated by the sign, passing Thorness Lodge, and as the road descends round a left-hand bend, turn right at the sign, cross a stile into a field, keeping to the right past a farmyard then into another field and immediately turn left.  Follow the hedge on the left descending to a stile over which continue, as before, with the hedge on the left and a TV transmitter directly ahead.  Cross a stile next to a gate into the next field then a further stile next to a gate into another field.  There is woodland on the left and views of the downs opening up ahead.  Finally cross another stile by a gate leading out onto the road.  Turn right and follow Bunts Hill down to Porchfield.
• Porchfield to Newtown -  Pass Porchfield Post Office just before crossing the river bridge then the Sportsmans Rest pub.  Follow Main Road which crosses New Road and Elmsworth by a memorial and continues on at the roadsign for Shalfleet & Yarmouth.  The road runs level, passing Jersey Military Camp on the right hand side.  Keep right at the triangular road junction then drop down to the river bridge and back up the other side, passing Porchfield Business Park on the right to a crossroads then turn right at the roadsign to Newtown.  The road remains more or less level, passing through oak woods.  Pass The National Trust Walters Copse then Old Vicarage Lane and next The National Trust Newtown Old Vicarage.  After 70 yards, turn at the sign to cross a stile into a field.  Cross straight over through a gap in the hedge opposite then through a belt of oak trees.  Cross another narow field, then through a gap in the hedge opposite to a further narrow field to cross a stile close to an overhead electricity pole.  Thereafter, aim for the top right-hand of the field and through an opening to pick up a grassy track on the left, entering over a stile then exiting through a kissing gate out of the National Trust land onto the road again next to a National Trust building called Noah's Arc.
• Newtown to Shalfleet -  Turn left to pass Newtown Town Hall then cross Casset Bridge over Causeway Lake.  Continue level Town Lane to a tee junction to turn right following the roadsign to Shalfleet and Yarmouth.  Yarmouth Road undulates, passing Corfe Scout Camp on the right.  Immediately past Corfe Farm, turn right down the lane with a 'No Through Road' symbol.  At the far end, take the path off to the right into woodland, running down to a stream which is crossed on a wooden footbridge.  Pass Shalfleet Mill then follow Mill Road up and to the left passing the entrance to The National Trust Shalfleet.  Pass a public car park to join Yarmouth Road again by The New Inn pub.
• Shalfleet to Hamstead -  Turn right along Yarmouth Road, pass the New Inn then Shalfleet Manor opposite the church.  Continue past Warlands Lane and Shalfleet House, then as the road starts to descend, leave to the right over a stile at the sign.  Follow the hedge along the right-hand boundary of the field right down to the bottom then cross a wooden footbridge over Ningwood Lake into woodland where the path generally follows the waterline.  Pick up a gravel road and turn right to cross Newtown River bridge then follow the road through woodland where it rises initially then undulates before meeting another track from the left.  The Hamstead Trail joins the Coastal Path at this point.  The track now drops down, past a woodsman's shed then back up the other side to another track leaving to the right.  Turn right and climb steadily through woodland before levelling off as the track breaks out into fields.  At this point the track is actually heading east with a TV transmiitter visible over to the right.  Pass Creek Farm then Lower Hamstead Farm to reach the end of the lane at Hamstead Quay.  Turn left over the stile to an enclosed path, with field to the left and scrub to the right, leaving over a stile after which bear left following the edge of the creek.  Cross two stiles and a series of boardwalks before leaving the marsh behind.  Cross a small culvert into a field ahead which and follow along the hedge to the left continuing over the crest until reaching the stile in the hedge and cross into another field to traverse diagonally right to the far right corner.  Cross a stile directly onto a wooden causeway leading straight onto a muddy path through a thorn thicket, finally discharging through a gap in the fence then down a short flight of steps to the shoreline.  Turn left and follow the level grass path along the back of the shoreline.  Take the track as it climbs up, generally with woodland to the right and fields to the left, all the way to Hamstead Farm.
• Hamstead to Yarmouth -  Pass Hamstead farm, bearing right past the barns, and out through the farm entrance gate which has a cartwheel incorporated in it.  The road twists left, right, then left again at which point immediately on the right hand side the Coastal Path leaves to the right, crossing a stile into a field.  Keep to the right of the field to areach stile next to a gate into another field then cross to the far left corner passing underneath overhead electric cables.  Pass through a pedestrian gate then trough a narrow field to the far side then over a stile after which bear left to follow the overhead electric cables, passing underneath them then bearing right.  Follow the boundary of West Hamstead Farm on the right, crossing the farm entrance then passing a glasshouse and an orchard.  Next to a pole for overhead an electric cable, cross a stile into a field then follow the right hand boundary.  Cross another stile and pass the front of Cliff Cottage using their driveway to reach a lane.  Turn left into Seaview Road which becomes Cranmore Avenue as it meets Solent Road.  Continue for 20 yards along Cranmore Avenue thren turn right into West Close, continuing to the end to turn left, next to Green Acres.  Cross a stile into woodland then out of which the path bears right into a field to follow the right hand edge as directed by yellow way markers.  It then ducks back into woodland via a stile behind which is a sign 'Forestry Commission - Bouldner Forest - Coast Path'.  At the top end of the wood, bear left along a broad path along the cliff top.  The track generally descends in altitude and is quite muddy in places.  Pass a stone WD boundary right in the middle of the path.  Maintain the direction along the cliff line until sign Coastal Footpath diversion indicates half-left to follow the meandering path throuh the trees, but still heading in the same general direction.  Cross a track as the path meanders further into the trees before heading straight out onto the shoreline.  Turn left across a shingle bank with reeds to the left, then after 50 yards or so, climb back into woodland, roughly keeping in line with the cliff edge.  Continue ahead as the path becomes twisty, narrow and a bit overgrown, until leaving past a sign 'Forestry Commission - Bouldner Forest - Coast Path'.  Turn left onto a track, then at the end, out through a gap in the fence onto a gravel lane and turn right to follow it gently upwards to the road.  Turn right into Yarmouth Road, keeping to the road and passing Porte Salle, then the car park at Bouldner View Point wher ythe road becomes Main Road.  After passing the junction with Thorley Road and at the start of some railings on the right, take the steps down and walk along the sea wall.  Where the sea wall ends, the path leads up to the road.  Turn right and follow High Street in a straight line between houses on each side leading into The Square and the town itself.  A short way beyond is the ferry and adjacent bus station.