|
 |
This site uses cookies - see our privacy policy. Ads & links in bold may give us a small payment from the seller, at no cost to the buyer. However, this never affects our views - if we like it, we recommend it.
20 Things To Do In Yarmouth And The West Wight (2024 Guide)
The West Wight is the least populated and (arguably) the most beautiful part of the Isle of Wight - although many South Islanders will disagree...
Parts of it are quieter than a trainload of sleeping mime artists and the nightlife is limited to say the least. However, that doesn't mean there isn't anything to do.
If you're looking for somewhere to stay in the West Wight, your options include:
Anyway, here are 15 things to do in the West Wight:
Parts of it are quieter than a trainload of sleeping mime artists and the nightlife is limited to say the least. However, that doesn't mean there isn't anything to do.
If you're looking for somewhere to stay in the West Wight, your options include:
- caravan parks - the Orchards Caravan Holiday Park is inland, but it gets good reviews and has a swimming pool, whilst Grange Farm has caravans on a cliff-edge.
- chalets and hot tub lodges - The Bay, Colwell has an indoor swimming pool, hot tubs and some accommodation with a sea view. West Bay Cottages has lots of accommodation, although it doesn't have a swimming pool.
- self-catering - HolidayCottages.co.uk has about 10 cottages in Yarmouth and 20 cottages in Freshwater. Hoseasons has 25 places to stay in Yarmouth and another 20 in Freshwater. I like the look of the self-catering cottages on the cliff edge at Fort Redoubt, which are called Upper Caponier (sleeps 6), Lower Caponier (sleeps 6) and Moonfleet Cottage (sleeps 2).
- quirky historic houses - the National Trust has several interesting old buildings in the West Wight for hire. Options include a cottage overlooking a neolithic monument, three former coastguard cottages and two seaside farmhouses next to my favourite beach.
- hotels - there aren't many in the West Wight, but the refurbished Albion Hotel in Freshwater Bay has the best views. Warner Leisure's Norton Grange Holiday Village and The George Hotel in Yarmouth are a couple of other options.
- camping and glamping - campsites near to the coast include Grange Farm and Compton Farm whilst Camp Wight is inland. Tapnell Farm has glamping in safari tents, pods, geo-domes and 'modulogs'. There are cheap ferry + pitch bundles on camping and touring at The Orchards.
- shameless self promotion - we have a self catering holiday apartment with a balcony and sea views of Freshwater Bay.
Anyway, here are 15 things to do in the West Wight:
1. Beaches in the West Wight
West Wight beaches are mostly lacking in facilities and seaside amusements but many of them are beautiful. They are quieter than resorts like Sandown, Shanklin and Ryde. There aren't many hotels right on the beach, or esplanades to wander along.
About half of my childhood was spent at Hanover Point and the adjacent beach at Compton Bay, which gets good surf on the right day.
Freshwater Bay is pretty and easy to access (you could take a wheelchair onto the top bit). There are caves that are popular for kayaking, paddleboarding and coasteering. The caveat is that you'll need a local expert who understands the dangers of the tides.
The walk up to the Tennyson Monument near Freshwater Bay is one of my favourites and has great views out to sea. It's also a key location in the Guardian's popular podcast about The Freshwater Five (see our Isle of Wight TV locations guide for more of that sort of thing).
About half of my childhood was spent at Hanover Point and the adjacent beach at Compton Bay, which gets good surf on the right day.
Freshwater Bay is pretty and easy to access (you could take a wheelchair onto the top bit). There are caves that are popular for kayaking, paddleboarding and coasteering. The caveat is that you'll need a local expert who understands the dangers of the tides.
The walk up to the Tennyson Monument near Freshwater Bay is one of my favourites and has great views out to sea. It's also a key location in the Guardian's popular podcast about The Freshwater Five (see our Isle of Wight TV locations guide for more of that sort of thing).
Compton Bay/Hanover Point is probably my favourite Isle of Wight beach
|
Freshwater Bay has a couple of different beaches, as well as caves
|
Colwell Bay has a sandy beach, though not a huge amount of space for ball games at high tide. Totland Bay has a lovely outlook but also doesn't have much sand at high tide. At low tide it is much nicer.
Colwell (pictured) and Totland are both attractive bays with parking...
|
...but they're much better at a low tide (such as this photo)
|
As you head towards the Island's southerly point (Whale Chine area) it gets more and more remote and the beaches become harder to access without abseiling or walking along from another beach. Chilton Chine, Atherfield and Brook Chine are rugged beaches with crumbly cliffs and few people.
Brook Chine is popular with dog walkers and is easy to access
|
Whale Chine is much harder to access - you'll need to walk from a nearby beach
|
Alum Bay is perhaps the most famous beach on the Isle of Wight, but it is full of people admiring the multicoloured sands so I wouldn't go there for a beach day out (see #2).
There are plenty of other lesser-known beaches to discover if you have an adventurous spirit and a tolerant spouse. Sandhard Beach in Yarmouth is half a mile from the nearest parking space, but it is quite charming and has views of a busy stretch of the Solent. Atherfield Beach is a shingly beach that is considered busy when two people visit at once. There are about two spaces to park by the road and then you walk down a rough footpath to reach the beach.
There are plenty of other lesser-known beaches to discover if you have an adventurous spirit and a tolerant spouse. Sandhard Beach in Yarmouth is half a mile from the nearest parking space, but it is quite charming and has views of a busy stretch of the Solent. Atherfield Beach is a shingly beach that is considered busy when two people visit at once. There are about two spaces to park by the road and then you walk down a rough footpath to reach the beach.
You won't be fighting for space at Atherfield Beach...
|
...or at Sandhard Beach, which is hidden out the way near to Yarmouth Harbour
|
See our lovely clickable beaches map for locations.
If you've arrived to find it is minus three and the forecast is for rain all week, you might consider West Wight Swimming Pool in Freshwater.
If you've arrived to find it is minus three and the forecast is for rain all week, you might consider West Wight Swimming Pool in Freshwater.
2. Alum Bay and the Needles
Opinion was always divided in our family about Alum Bay and The Needles. The coastline and bay are undoubtedly dramatic, and there are really lovely views from Headon Warren when the purple heather is out.
My father was amongst those who are horrified at all the clanging amusement arcades, glass blowing, funfair rides and the like.
Personally, I love the view from the chairlift and have started to enjoy the attractions and the boat trip. There's also a bit about the odd history of the Needles, which includes space rocket testing and wartime defence.
At the headland you'll find The Needles Old Battery, which is a National Trust property. You can go through a tunnel to get a great view of The Needles and sit in their rather quaint café.
You pay a bit to park (£6 last time I went) and then you just pay for each attraction. If you're a National Trust member, you can flash your membership card to get the parking at The Needles a bit cheaper (see our cheap parking directory).
Read more about our day out at The Needles or our Treasure Trail round the Old Battery.
My father was amongst those who are horrified at all the clanging amusement arcades, glass blowing, funfair rides and the like.
Personally, I love the view from the chairlift and have started to enjoy the attractions and the boat trip. There's also a bit about the odd history of the Needles, which includes space rocket testing and wartime defence.
At the headland you'll find The Needles Old Battery, which is a National Trust property. You can go through a tunnel to get a great view of The Needles and sit in their rather quaint café.
You pay a bit to park (£6 last time I went) and then you just pay for each attraction. If you're a National Trust member, you can flash your membership card to get the parking at The Needles a bit cheaper (see our cheap parking directory).
Read more about our day out at The Needles or our Treasure Trail round the Old Battery.
Park your bottom here for a good view of Alum Bay
|
The Needles Lighthouse is closed to visitors, but you can take a boat out to it.
|
Good times on the Needles chairlift on a summer's evening
3. Tapnell Farm Park
Tapnell Farm Park is great for families with a children's adventure play barn, minigolf, pedal go karts, football shooting area, decorated plastic cows, bouncing pillow, soft play area, petting zoo, wallabies, meerkats and some other animals.
A love of farm animals or stick insects is not really essential as there are loads of other things to do, including quite a bit indoors for rainy days.
They also have an events barn where they put on things like a pumpkin festival, Christmas fun and games and summer shindigs.
The same site has a nice café and restaurant with good views of the site of the famous 1970 Isle of Wight Pop Festival, which was attended by every hippy and his dog.
We've written several blogs about our love for Tapnell Farm Park over the years, but one of the more recent ones was about the summer party.
A love of farm animals or stick insects is not really essential as there are loads of other things to do, including quite a bit indoors for rainy days.
They also have an events barn where they put on things like a pumpkin festival, Christmas fun and games and summer shindigs.
The same site has a nice café and restaurant with good views of the site of the famous 1970 Isle of Wight Pop Festival, which was attended by every hippy and his dog.
We've written several blogs about our love for Tapnell Farm Park over the years, but one of the more recent ones was about the summer party.
Tapnell Farm Park has a mix of animals, indoor fun and outdoors activities...
|
...as well as events including a pumpkin festival
|
Looking for accommodation? Try our guides to caravan holiday parks or quirky cottages
4. Isle of Wight Aqua Park
The Isle of Wight's Aqua Park offers a series of inflatable slides, climbing things and other ways to fall in the water. It's next door to Tapnell Farm Park and is run by the same people but it operates as a separate attraction. It costs about £20 for a session.
It claimed to be the Island's first ever aqua park when it opened in 2020. Of course, it's possible that Queen Victoria had a secret inflatable waterpark at Osborne House but I admit that's not very likely.
A trip to the aqua park has become a bi-annual event for us. I'm never sure if 'bi-annual' means twice a year, or every two years but suffice to say that we go quite a lot...
It claimed to be the Island's first ever aqua park when it opened in 2020. Of course, it's possible that Queen Victoria had a secret inflatable waterpark at Osborne House but I admit that's not very likely.
A trip to the aqua park has become a bi-annual event for us. I'm never sure if 'bi-annual' means twice a year, or every two years but suffice to say that we go quite a lot...
Inflatables which won't let you down at the Isle of Wight Aqua Park
5. Football Golf, Archery, Axe Throwing and Clay Pigeon Shooting
Tapnell Farm is also home to a few other attractions that are particularly good for older children/teenagers or stag parties.
The Isle of Wight's only football golf course has two nine hole courses, including an easier one and a harder one. There are obstacles to avoid and plenty of chances to shout "'ave it, my son!". We completed them both on a wet and windy day.
Archery, axe throwing and clay pigeon shooting also take place at the same location. I seem to recall Tim Vine had an excellent joke about his pet clay pigeon called Paul. I will get back to you when I've remembered it...
The Isle of Wight's only football golf course has two nine hole courses, including an easier one and a harder one. There are obstacles to avoid and plenty of chances to shout "'ave it, my son!". We completed them both on a wet and windy day.
Archery, axe throwing and clay pigeon shooting also take place at the same location. I seem to recall Tim Vine had an excellent joke about his pet clay pigeon called Paul. I will get back to you when I've remembered it...
Football golf combines the prestige of golf with the "giving it some welly" of football
6. Historic Churches
The Isle of Wight is overflowing with ancient old churches, many of which are worth a visit, if that's your bag. West Wight options include:
Several of these are featured in our guide to historic days out on the Isle of Wight.
Remarkably, the village of Brighstone has its own volunteer-led museum on North Street. Please don't turn up expecting to fill a whole day though, it's very small...
- All Saint's Church in Freshwater dates from the 11th century or earlier.
- St. Agnes Church in Freshwater is the only thatched church on the Island (lots of I-Spy points for that one)
- St Peter and St Paul Mottistone is the one where Benedict Cumberbatch married Sophie Hunter in 2015.
- St. Peter's Church in Shorwell features a 15th century painting of St Christopher.
Several of these are featured in our guide to historic days out on the Isle of Wight.
Remarkably, the village of Brighstone has its own volunteer-led museum on North Street. Please don't turn up expecting to fill a whole day though, it's very small...
St Agnes Church is the only thatched church on the Isle of Wight
7. Mottistone Manor Gardens and Farringford
Mottistone Manor Gardens is a National Trust property that is a favourite of ours.
My mother enjoys the walled garden of leeks and onions as well as the immaculately kept flower beds. For the children there's usually a trail of some sort and there's an area where they can build dens.
Personally, I like the sea view from the high point of the gardens and the outdoor café that will sell you a latte and a piece of cake.
You can't go in the house and the gardens aren't open every day, so check before you travel. It's near to the Longstone (see further down this list).
My mother enjoys the walled garden of leeks and onions as well as the immaculately kept flower beds. For the children there's usually a trail of some sort and there's an area where they can build dens.
Personally, I like the sea view from the high point of the gardens and the outdoor café that will sell you a latte and a piece of cake.
You can't go in the house and the gardens aren't open every day, so check before you travel. It's near to the Longstone (see further down this list).
There are multicoloured floral displays at Mottistone Manor Gardens...
|
...and there's usually a trail for children
|
Meanwhile, Farringford is the former home of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It is privately owned rather than being part of the National Trust or English Heritage.
He lived at the Freshwater manor house for about 40 years. In those days, poets were top celebs and some people trekked across to the Island just to catch a glimpse of him. According to the Farringford website, fans were known to 'press their noses against the windows and peer in at the family'.
I guess it was inevitable that he would move to Freshwater considering the remarkable coincidence that the local hill was called Tennyson Down (Ed: I think it might have been the other way round).
Farringford isn't on the same scale as Osborne - there's no gift shop or café. However, they do offer tours of the house if you pre-book and they also do garden tours.
He lived at the Freshwater manor house for about 40 years. In those days, poets were top celebs and some people trekked across to the Island just to catch a glimpse of him. According to the Farringford website, fans were known to 'press their noses against the windows and peer in at the family'.
I guess it was inevitable that he would move to Freshwater considering the remarkable coincidence that the local hill was called Tennyson Down (Ed: I think it might have been the other way round).
Farringford isn't on the same scale as Osborne - there's no gift shop or café. However, they do offer tours of the house if you pre-book and they also do garden tours.
Tennyson lived at Farringford and had the occasional nosey visitor
8. The Needles Breezer Open Top Bus
There are a couple of open top buses run by Southern Vectis that operate during the warmer months. If you get a seat on the upper deck then they turn a fairly dull activity (a bus ride) into something approaching a tame theme park ride (Ed: a slight exaggeration perhaps).
Open top bus rides also drop the temperature by about 10 degrees and send hats and wigs flying off cliff edges.
The Needles Breezer circles around the West Wight and is a great way to see Yarmouth, Freshwater Bay, Colwell and The Needles. The biggest advantage is that the bus takes you right to the entrance of the Needles Old Battery, whereas car drivers have to walk the last half a mile.
If you can get your head around the timetable then you can hop on and off for 24 hours. When we used the open top bus we had discussions along the lines of this:
Mr Guru: "...so that gives us 38 minutes to explore the Needles and then either 19 minutes or 79 minutes in Colwell followed by 36 minutes in Yarmouth..."
Mrs Guru: "Couldn't we just go with the flow and see how we feel at the time?"
Mr Guru: (INCREDULOUS) "NO! NO! NO! We definitely couldn't do that!"
Very canny travellers might like to do The Needles Breezer open top bus ride in the afternoon and then take the Downs Breezer the next morning as you'll only pay for one ticket.
A 24 hour open top bus ticket costs about £15 for an adult or about £37 for a family of up to 5 people.
Read the blog for a stop-by-stop account of the Needles Breezer bus.
Open top bus rides also drop the temperature by about 10 degrees and send hats and wigs flying off cliff edges.
The Needles Breezer circles around the West Wight and is a great way to see Yarmouth, Freshwater Bay, Colwell and The Needles. The biggest advantage is that the bus takes you right to the entrance of the Needles Old Battery, whereas car drivers have to walk the last half a mile.
If you can get your head around the timetable then you can hop on and off for 24 hours. When we used the open top bus we had discussions along the lines of this:
Mr Guru: "...so that gives us 38 minutes to explore the Needles and then either 19 minutes or 79 minutes in Colwell followed by 36 minutes in Yarmouth..."
Mrs Guru: "Couldn't we just go with the flow and see how we feel at the time?"
Mr Guru: (INCREDULOUS) "NO! NO! NO! We definitely couldn't do that!"
Very canny travellers might like to do The Needles Breezer open top bus ride in the afternoon and then take the Downs Breezer the next morning as you'll only pay for one ticket.
A 24 hour open top bus ticket costs about £15 for an adult or about £37 for a family of up to 5 people.
Read the blog for a stop-by-stop account of the Needles Breezer bus.
The Needles Breezer passing through Freshwater Bay (I was too slow to get a photo of the front)
|
The route travels along this stretch of coastline near Alum Bay
|
9. The coastal path and cycle paths
You can, of course, walk along the coastal path at any point on the Isle of Wight, but the stretch around the West Wight is probably the nicest bit (South Wighters will disagree). Some parts of the north east coast Ryde and East Cowes spend quite a lot of time inland because of accessibility issues, but the West Wight stretch is much more open.
In my opinion, the two best walks around the West Wight are:
In my opinion, the two best walks around the West Wight are:
- Freshwater Bay to The Needles, which varies from about 6 - 8 miles depending on how much exploring you do at The Needles (read the blog about our attempt to do this walk). You can find route maps and more details at #1 in our guide to circular walks. For a shorter walk, just climb up the hill from Freshwater Bay to the Tennyson Monument. It's about 1.5 miles each way.
- A National Trust walk that covers Compton Bay, Brook Down and Afton Down. It is 7.5 miles and features at #2 in our guide to the best walks.
Freshwater Bay can be admired on many walks around the West Wight
|
The walk from Freshwater Bay to The Needles is a corker
|
Walkers might also like The Tapnell Trail. It follows a six mile walk around the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival site where hundreds of thousands of people watched Jimi Hendrix's last UK performance. It took the Isle of Wight 32 years for its ears to stop ringing before the festival was revived in 2002.
Alternatively, there's a short section of former railway line which has been turned into a cycle track in Yarmouth (read our blog post for details of the route). It's alongside a bike hire place called Wight Cycle Hire and there's a café en route if you decide you'd rather spend the day sipping a latte.
Alternatively, there's a short section of former railway line which has been turned into a cycle track in Yarmouth (read our blog post for details of the route). It's alongside a bike hire place called Wight Cycle Hire and there's a café en route if you decide you'd rather spend the day sipping a latte.
The bike ride along the River Yar is particularly good for families
More adventurous cyclists can tackle the West Wight section of the Round The Island route. If you've got a mountain bike and legs the size of tree trunks then I would highly recommend that Tennyson Trail.
We did the Tennyson Trail on electric mountain bikes and thoroughly enjoyed whooshing down hills with gorgeous sea views along the way. The route goes from Carisbrooke to Freshwater Bay and then carries on to The Needles. Read our full guide to the Tennyson Trail.
We did the Tennyson Trail on electric mountain bikes and thoroughly enjoyed whooshing down hills with gorgeous sea views along the way. The route goes from Carisbrooke to Freshwater Bay and then carries on to The Needles. Read our full guide to the Tennyson Trail.
We did the Tennyson Trail with 'Turbo-Assist' e-bikes but bigger boys could do it with a proper bike
10. Stargazing
There aren't really a great deal of people in some parts of the West Wight, as it is pretty much all an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'. As a result, there is not much light pollution so you can actually see the night sky.
A guide on Red Funnel's website recommends sites including Atherfield, Compton, Newchurch, The Needles and St Catherine's Down (the guide is no longer available, so I've removed the link). Visit Isle of Wight has produced a useful map that suggests what you might see at different times of year.
Google's Sky Map App is also good for this sort of thing. Download it into your phone and then point it at the sky to see the constellations.
A guide on Red Funnel's website recommends sites including Atherfield, Compton, Newchurch, The Needles and St Catherine's Down (the guide is no longer available, so I've removed the link). Visit Isle of Wight has produced a useful map that suggests what you might see at different times of year.
Google's Sky Map App is also good for this sort of thing. Download it into your phone and then point it at the sky to see the constellations.
This Google map shows one stargazing spot, near Atherfield in the West Wight
11. Dimbola Museum and Galleries
Back in the day, sleepy Freshwater was a meeting point for various artsy bigwigs. A lot of them visited Julia Margaret Cameron who was a photographic pioneer and based herself at Dimbola.
Nowadays, papparazzi would be flogging photos to Heat Magazine of visitors coming to the house, including Alfred Lord Tennyson (the Poet Laureate who wrote "Charge of the Light Brigade", mentioned earlier) and GF Watts (no, me neither, but apparently he was a famous sculptor and painter).
You can see Julia Margaret Cameron's work at Dimbola, and a statue of Jimi Hendrix, who played at the nearby 1970 Isle of Wight Pop Festival. There's also an exhibition about the Festival.
Read the blog about our visit to Dimbola.
Nowadays, papparazzi would be flogging photos to Heat Magazine of visitors coming to the house, including Alfred Lord Tennyson (the Poet Laureate who wrote "Charge of the Light Brigade", mentioned earlier) and GF Watts (no, me neither, but apparently he was a famous sculptor and painter).
You can see Julia Margaret Cameron's work at Dimbola, and a statue of Jimi Hendrix, who played at the nearby 1970 Isle of Wight Pop Festival. There's also an exhibition about the Festival.
Read the blog about our visit to Dimbola.
Dimbola Lodge is five minutes' walk from Freshwater Bay and has a nice cafe
12. The Willow Maze
There's a mum at my daughter's school who makes butterflies and dragonflies out of willow. They're very nice but they do look a little feeble compared to the whopping willow maze/sculpture at Golden Hill Country Park.
You won't get very lost in it, but it looks nice and younger children will enjoy running around it. The park is home to a fort which was famous for hosting parties in the 1990s, but is now plush holiday accommodation (including The Sergeants Quarters).
The willow maze was created by a charity called Gift To Nature which does lots of lovely things on the Isle of Wight. You can find the car park just north of the fort at PO40 9SJ.
Read the blog about our visit to the willow sculpture.
You won't get very lost in it, but it looks nice and younger children will enjoy running around it. The park is home to a fort which was famous for hosting parties in the 1990s, but is now plush holiday accommodation (including The Sergeants Quarters).
The willow maze was created by a charity called Gift To Nature which does lots of lovely things on the Isle of Wight. You can find the car park just north of the fort at PO40 9SJ.
Read the blog about our visit to the willow sculpture.
This willow sculpture appeared in the West Wight in 2021
13. The Longstone
One of the Isle of Wight's weirder historic attractions is the Longstone, which are two big lumps of stone which sit in a field in the middle of nowhere. There are various odd stories online about rituals and the like. These are most likely nonsense, but they do make guided tours a bit more juicy.
You can read more about their history in our guide to 25 historic attractions on the Isle of Wight. The nearest postcode is PO30 4EA (see map below).
You can read more about their history in our guide to 25 historic attractions on the Isle of Wight. The nearest postcode is PO30 4EA (see map below).
Not quite Stonehenge...but a nice diversion on a West Wight walk
This Google map shows how to find The Longstone
Do you love crouching and chemical toilets? Check out our camping guide
14. Isle of Wight Pearl
Isle of Wight Pearl seems to have a constant stream of coach parties who tuck into cream teas whilst admiring the impressive view before stocking up on this year's must-have pearl.
It is free and it is in a really lovely location, right on the edge of the cliff (there are even signs telling you not to walk off the cliff). If pearls aren't your thing, the car park next door leads down to a very quiet little stretch of dog-friendly beach called Chilton Chine, which I'm rather fond of.
It is free and it is in a really lovely location, right on the edge of the cliff (there are even signs telling you not to walk off the cliff). If pearls aren't your thing, the car park next door leads down to a very quiet little stretch of dog-friendly beach called Chilton Chine, which I'm rather fond of.
A helpful sign for idiots near Isle of Wight Pearl
15. The car park viewpoint tour
The West Wight coastline is not the Isle of Wight’s best spot for a rainy day, unless you are one of those hardy ramblers who loves the feeling of water dripping off your nose whilst your cold knuckles clutch a transparent map holder.
Normal people might consider a tour of the West Wight’s finest car parks. It might sound as much fun as a punch in the face but it is actually a pleasant experience, compared to sitting in your holiday home and playing Uno all day.
There are a handful of West Wight car parks with good views including:
You can find out more about locations in our guide to Isle of Wight car park viewpoints or follow the Wighty 90 Driving Tour.
Normal people might consider a tour of the West Wight’s finest car parks. It might sound as much fun as a punch in the face but it is actually a pleasant experience, compared to sitting in your holiday home and playing Uno all day.
There are a handful of West Wight car parks with good views including:
- the Hanover Point car park
- the small layby at the top of the Military Road (perhaps my favourite layby on the Isle of Wight - a big shout, I know)
- Freshwater Bay (you can get away with hovering at the top bit out of high season)
- the seafront at Totland Bay
- the Yarmouth viewpoint car park, although it was somewhat obscured by trees last time I visited
You can find out more about locations in our guide to Isle of Wight car park viewpoints or follow the Wighty 90 Driving Tour.
Good times and good views from the Hanover Point car park (warning, it won't look like this in the rain)
16. Fossil hunting
I once spent an entertaining hour trying to find the dinosaur footprints that are allegedly visible at Brook Chine. After much searching and a strange conversation with a local enthusiast I returned home to be told by my mother that I had just been looking at a foot shaped rock.
Nonetheless, the West Wight is prime fossil finding territory with the area around Yaverland near Sandown also a popular spot.
There are organised fossil tours led by people such as Dinosaur Expeditions, Wight Coast Fossils and Island Gems who hopefully know the difference between a stone and a priceless fossil. Dinosaur Isle also organise fossil walks, but they are mostly in the East Wight.
Island Gems was a winner at Red Funnel Isle of Wight Awards in 2023 for their fossil hunts.
Read the blog about our feeble fossil hunting expedition.
There's also a small museum about dinosaurs in the West Wight that is run by Dinosaur Expeditions.
Nonetheless, the West Wight is prime fossil finding territory with the area around Yaverland near Sandown also a popular spot.
There are organised fossil tours led by people such as Dinosaur Expeditions, Wight Coast Fossils and Island Gems who hopefully know the difference between a stone and a priceless fossil. Dinosaur Isle also organise fossil walks, but they are mostly in the East Wight.
Island Gems was a winner at Red Funnel Isle of Wight Awards in 2023 for their fossil hunts.
Read the blog about our feeble fossil hunting expedition.
There's also a small museum about dinosaurs in the West Wight that is run by Dinosaur Expeditions.
I'm pretty sure this one's just a rock actually...
17. Fort Victoria
Towards Yarmouth you'll find Fort Victoria Country Park, with its quirky little collection of mini attractions. There's a planetarium for stargazers, a reptilarium for animal lovers and an exhibition about HMS Gladiator. There was once a model railway, but it has been replaced with a place called the Imaginarium where you can do crafts.
It costs about £6 for individual attractions at Fort Victoria.
There's also a nice woodland at Fort Victoria with a trail you can follow and various sculptures to look out for. We found some homemade swings and steps down to a beach that we had to ourselves whilst we ate our sandwiches and watched yachts sail past.
The main beach at Fort Victoria is nothing special but it has nice views across to Hurst Castle. The council provides barbecue stands that are free to use.
It costs about £6 for individual attractions at Fort Victoria.
There's also a nice woodland at Fort Victoria with a trail you can follow and various sculptures to look out for. We found some homemade swings and steps down to a beach that we had to ourselves whilst we ate our sandwiches and watched yachts sail past.
The main beach at Fort Victoria is nothing special but it has nice views across to Hurst Castle. The council provides barbecue stands that are free to use.
Fort Victoria offers good sea views and some small attractions
18. West Wight Alpacas
Opening an Alpaca Farm on the Isle of Wight may sound like a premise for a Brit-com starring Rosamund Pike and David Tennant (with a small comedy role for Maggie Smith) but it is a real thing. You can take an Alpaca for a walk for about £25, eat in the café and then buy a pair of deluxe Alpaca socks if you fancy it.
"Why does everyone keep looking at us?"
19. Treasure Trails
One way to explore the West Wight is to do an organised treasure hunt. At the time of writing, there are three on offer from Treasure Trails covering Yarmouth, Freshwater Bay and The Needles.
You pay a few quid for the clues (£10 when we last did it) and then you can text them if you get stuck.
We did the Yarmouth one with our five year old, which went down well. She only started complaining about tired legs after about an hour and a half of walking, which is about an hour and twenty minutes better than we'd have managed without the clues...
We also did the Freshwater Bay Treasure trail. The scenery was more spectacular than the Yarmouth one but it was quite a long walk for little legs with a steep climb up to the top. The view from the top of Tennyson Down is fantastic and it's a good picnic spot.
Finally, we completed the Needles and Alum Bay trail (read the blog). It required a bit of climbing and wasn't pushchair friendly but the views were very good for the whole trail. The only downside was paying £6 to park. See our cheap parking directory to avoid such perils.
Read our reviews of the Treasure Trails on the Isle of Wight.
You pay a few quid for the clues (£10 when we last did it) and then you can text them if you get stuck.
We did the Yarmouth one with our five year old, which went down well. She only started complaining about tired legs after about an hour and a half of walking, which is about an hour and twenty minutes better than we'd have managed without the clues...
We also did the Freshwater Bay Treasure trail. The scenery was more spectacular than the Yarmouth one but it was quite a long walk for little legs with a steep climb up to the top. The view from the top of Tennyson Down is fantastic and it's a good picnic spot.
Finally, we completed the Needles and Alum Bay trail (read the blog). It required a bit of climbing and wasn't pushchair friendly but the views were very good for the whole trail. The only downside was paying £6 to park. See our cheap parking directory to avoid such perils.
Read our reviews of the Treasure Trails on the Isle of Wight.
The Tennyson Monument features in one of the Isle of Wight's Treasure Trails
20. Shopping, pier walking and castle exploring in Yarmouth
Don't plan a whole day shopping in Yarmouth, it really is a very small town. Visitors can be found wandering around looking for the town centre, not realising they are standing in it. However, it is a really pretty little place with several places to eat.
It has a pier which you can walk up, although there's not a lot to do on it unless you're holding a fishing rod. Freshwater has a few more shops - not exactly a heaving metropolis but it's got a couple of supermarkets at least.
Yarmouth Castle is worth a visit. It is smaller and less famous than Carisbrooke Castle, but it's got good sea views and it's free to English Heritage members.
It has a pier which you can walk up, although there's not a lot to do on it unless you're holding a fishing rod. Freshwater has a few more shops - not exactly a heaving metropolis but it's got a couple of supermarkets at least.
Yarmouth Castle is worth a visit. It is smaller and less famous than Carisbrooke Castle, but it's got good sea views and it's free to English Heritage members.
Yarmouth has a busy harbour and a ferry which connects with Lymington
|
Yarmouth Castle sits between the George Hotel and the Wightlink ferry
|
The castle in Yarmouth is much smaller than Carisbrooke Castle but the location is great
|
Yarmouth's Pier is pleasant, but it isn't a day out on its own
|
21. Brighstone, Yarmouth, Totland and Freshwater playgrounds
Brighstone's playground isn't particularly new, large or flashy (I'm selling it well, aren't I?) but it is in a pretty location alongside a stream. We wasted a happy hour playing Pooh Sticks and messing around on the playground, which was quiet despite it being a sunny day during the school holidays. You can park on the street for free at PO30 4BD.
Freshwater's playground is larger though it's not in such a pretty spot. Again, it isn't the most modern, but it does have stuff for toddlers and primary school aged children, as well as an outdoor gym so you can work on your six-pack for the beach. Park on the main road at PO40 9AX.
Yarmouth has a playground that is hidden away on fields near Station Road. It's modern and had enough to occupy us for an hour.
There's also a small outdoor gym at Bouldnor playing fields, which is also known as Yarmouth Park and is just off the main road from Newport. The forest at Bouldnor is also a popular spot for looking for red squirrels.
Finally, a mention for Totland, which is a rather appropriate name for somewhere with a playground. Again, it's not massive but there's a zip wire as well as the classics. There's a football pitch attached and free parking.
See our toddlers guide for more on playgrounds or our contentious guide to the six best playgrounds on the Isle of Wight.
Freshwater's playground is larger though it's not in such a pretty spot. Again, it isn't the most modern, but it does have stuff for toddlers and primary school aged children, as well as an outdoor gym so you can work on your six-pack for the beach. Park on the main road at PO40 9AX.
Yarmouth has a playground that is hidden away on fields near Station Road. It's modern and had enough to occupy us for an hour.
There's also a small outdoor gym at Bouldnor playing fields, which is also known as Yarmouth Park and is just off the main road from Newport. The forest at Bouldnor is also a popular spot for looking for red squirrels.
Finally, a mention for Totland, which is a rather appropriate name for somewhere with a playground. Again, it's not massive but there's a zip wire as well as the classics. There's a football pitch attached and free parking.
See our toddlers guide for more on playgrounds or our contentious guide to the six best playgrounds on the Isle of Wight.
Brighstone's quiet little playground
|
Yarmouth has a modern playground hidden away near Station Road
|
22. Brighstone's Dragon Tree
If you've visiting the Brighstone playground (above) then you might like to combine it with a quick trip to Brighstone's Dragon Tree. You can find it by walking down a footpath called BS23, which is on New Road.
I wouldn't normally recommend a tree as a day out, but the Dragon Tree was voted the UK's third best tree in a Woodland Tree competition in 2019. Surely that will impress the children? (Ed: err, I doubt it...). It's an oak tree that appears to be growing sideways with branches which cross a stream.
Local legend says it was once a dragon that was defeated by a knight and turned into a tree. My children didn't seem very interested in that, but they did find a tyre swing and squelched in the stream for half an hour.
You will need a) wellies and b) to pretend that you aren't bothered about your children getting covered in mud.
I wouldn't normally recommend a tree as a day out, but the Dragon Tree was voted the UK's third best tree in a Woodland Tree competition in 2019. Surely that will impress the children? (Ed: err, I doubt it...). It's an oak tree that appears to be growing sideways with branches which cross a stream.
Local legend says it was once a dragon that was defeated by a knight and turned into a tree. My children didn't seem very interested in that, but they did find a tyre swing and squelched in the stream for half an hour.
You will need a) wellies and b) to pretend that you aren't bothered about your children getting covered in mud.
Brighstone's Dragon Tree is a muddy detour if you're in the area
23. Calbourne Mill
What's the opposite of 'whiteknuckle' thrills? Normal coloured knuckles? Anyway, whatever it is, you can find it at Calbourne Mill, which is a serene/sleepy day out.
Bits of it have been sold off recently as part of efforts to get the water mill up and running. At the time of writing it is free to get in, and then you pay a bit to do the minigolf or one of the activities.
Reviews are about 3/5.
Bits of it have been sold off recently as part of efforts to get the water mill up and running. At the time of writing it is free to get in, and then you pay a bit to do the minigolf or one of the activities.
Reviews are about 3/5.
(The more astute amongst you will have noticed that this 'top 20' guide actually has many more things to do. Sorry about that).
The-Isle-of-Wight-Guru-Don't-Blame-Us-Disclaimer™ All the information on this website is correct, as far as we know, but please do check details directly - and please contact us if you find anything inaccurate. Here's our full disclaimer.
