Malcolm Smith's
Walks Pages

 

...  ISLE OF WIGHT   ...

 
ROUND THE ISLAND - Anti-clockwise on the Coastal Path

 
Section 5 : Ventnor to Sandown

 
          Section 5 is sub-divided as follows :

          Ventnor to Bonchurch
          Bonchurch to Luccombe
          Luccombe to Shanklin
          Shanklin to Lake
          Lake to Sandown Pier

• Ventnor to Bonchurch - At the end of Ventnor esplanade continue along the seafront on the sea wall.  On reaching Bonchurch, continue ahead along the promenade.
• Bonchurch to Luccombe - Just past the Beach House cafe, and just before the wall ends, take the turning to the left and climb the concrete steps.  These becomes a tarmac path, climbing upward between houses, then into woodland before meeting a lane by the Church of St Boniface.  Turn right onto Public Footpath V69 to reach the cliff edge again, with a field on the left coming down close to the shore line.  Descend a short flight of stone steps then turn left and return back up a gravel lane.  Continue straight ahead along the cliff top onto a dirt path running through scrub.  Climb upward a short way on a grassy area to where the landslip, then continue upward on a boardwalk, returning to an undulating dirt path passing through woodland.  The path breaks out of the woodland and from this point crosses a major landslip where the ground is cracked and distorted in places.  Beyond the highest point, the path divides.  Turn left and the path becomes generally less steep and has several short upward flights of stone steps as it bears inland to reach a bench at the high point.  Take the path to the right, starting downward on stone steps, still in woodland, on a fairly level dirt path bounded each side with stone wall.  Pass through a kissing gate and pick up onto a descending tarmac driveway.  The driveway bears away to the left but continue straight ahead on a track, still progressing downhill, with a line of chestnut trees on the right.  The track becomes tarmac before passing Luccombe Chine House Country Hotel.  100 yards further on, as the track bears away to the left, continue straight ahead, entering The National Trust Luccombe Cliffs.  The path undulates on a reasonably hard surface, passing Luccombe Tea Gardens where the path opens out onto a track.  Where the track turns left, continue ahead on Coastal Footpath SS2 back onto a hard surfaced footpath summitting onto a tarmac road as it leaves the National Trust Luccombe Cliffs.
• Luccombe to Shanklin - Follow Luccombe Road, descending gently until reaching a stile on the left leading into a field.  Follow the hedge round the right hand side, parallel to the road.  At the bottom corner of the field, opposite the Bourne Hall Hotel, leave over a stile back onto the road.  Continue downhill on Luccombe Road to the junction at the end then turn right towards the beach, passing the entrance to Rhynstone Gardens.  Pass through the concrete bollards outside Chine Court and continue ahead to the cliff edge.  Descend the steps onto the beach and continue past The Fishermans Cottage public house until reaching the sign indicating Coastal Path sharp left up the hill.  Proceed steeply upward, bearing right past the entrance to Shanklin Chine, and zig-zagging all the way.  Pass The Chine Inn then the end of Everton Lane, following Chine Road to the point where it bears away left.  Continue ahead along the cliff top footpath which is tarmaced.  This is Clifftop Promenade.  Pass the end of Osborne Road onto Eastcliff Promenade.  Near the crest of the walk pass Shanklin Lift on the right.  The promenade then descends to meet a Delphi Road.
• Shanklin to Lake - Cross Delphi Road and continue up the other side, through a set of cast iron bollards and continue on The Promenade, following along on the top edge of the cliff.  Past the Cafe Bar the path tends to undulate in short steep stretches.  After the last high point, pass The Halfway Rest Cafe.  Pass Lake Cliff Gardens before reaching the Sunny South Cafe.  The walk here is called Cliff Path.
• Lake to Sandown Pier - Follow Cliff Road as it runs along the cliff top.  At the end of Cliff Road, the promenade continues ahead and Sandown beach comes into view.  Pass The Grange Hall Hotel as the path starts to descend towards Sandown.  After a small garden on the left, come to a semi-circular driveway in front of a block of flats.  Descend a set of steps on the right to a small lane called Ferncliff Road and turn right to continue down to the esplanade.  On reaching the esplanade, turn left adjacent to public toilets then walk along the esplanade to reach the pier.