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Day trips from Lymington to the Isle of Wight – ferry advice and things to do

Let me start with a controversial statement.

The Lymington to Yarmouth ferry crossing is my absolute favourite of the six different Isle of Wight ferry crossings. Sure, the Hovercraft is great fun and I like wandering along the pier at Ryde but the Lymington to Yarmouth crossing feels the most holiday-esque and it's usually the quietest route.

The crossing goes through a nice stretch of the Solent with plenty to look at and then either side of the water you've got Yarmouth and Lymington which are both well-to-do towns with gorgeous countryside a little further afield. 

As a result, it's a great way to see the Isle of Wight on a day trip. The crossing only takes 40 minutes and it links up conveniently with a train on the mainland side of the water at Lymington Pier.

Here's our guide to planning a day out from Lymington to the Isle of Wight:

Should I bring my car to the Isle of Wight for a day trip from Lymington?

Bringing a car will give you a lot more choice and ability to explore the Isle of Wight but it's certainly possible to have a day trip from Lymington as a foot passenger. I would make the decision based on a) cost and b) what you want to do. 

Regarding cost, a day trip with a car will cost you anywhere from about £40 to £100 (check for offers as they sometimes do fixed price deals). The price fluctuates depending on the time of year, the time of day and what colour socks you are wearing. The good news is that you're allowed to fill up your car with passengers without paying extra, so it's good value if you're a couple with five children and a dog. 

Meanwhile, travelling as a foot passenger will cost you somewhere around £20, at the time of writing. There are sometimes offers, such as bringing kids for free as foot passengers. You can also try booking your ticket with a railcard to get a decent discount but generally speaking the passenger prices don't generally fluctuate much. Bringing a bicycle doesn't cost any extra.

So, I'd start by doing a price comparison as you might find it's actually cheaper to take the car if there are two or more of you once you've paid for bus fares.

There's only one ferry which links Lymington and the Isle of Wight, so it will take you the same amount of time (40 minutes) regardless of whether you bring a car or not. 

Now onto the second half of my answer, which is that whether you need a car depends on what you want to do.
Wightlink ferry between Lymington and Yarmouth
The Wightlink ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth takes about 40 minutes

What should I do on a day trip to the Isle of Wight from Lymington?

Your options for a day trip from Lymington to the Isle of Wight vary massively depending on whether you are arriving on two legs, two wheels or four wheels. 

Day trips from Lymington without a car

If you visit the Isle of Wight from Lymington without a car or bike then you will need to stick to the local bus routes from Yarmouth. I wouldn't waste your time travelling east towards Newport or you'll just spend your whole day staring out of a window and smelling diesel (perhaps not what you had in mind).

Instead, you can explore a chunk of the West Wight which is very pretty and it less built up than most of the East Wight.

If it's operating, I would get the open top bus which is great fun on a hot day and a pleasant attraction in itself. It circles around the West Wight and you can hop on and off once you've bought a ticket. When I checked it was visiting the Needles and Freshwater Bay as well as Yarmouth but I would suggest checking for yourself as these things do change. 

Places to visit via bus include:
  • Alum Bay and The Needles. The busy and touristy part of the attraction are the chairlift down to the beach, the boat trip which goes around the lighthouse, a small funfair with flashing lights, minigolf and - of course - filling a plastic shape with layers of multicoloured sand (just like you did on your school trip when you were 11). There's also a National Trust attraction called the Old Battery which has a neat tunnel which overlooks the lighthouse and a tea rooms with fantastic views. You're less likely to encounter hundreds of school children with the second option.
  • Yarmouth itself is not a large town at all. If you're looking for the town centre then you are probably standing in it. However, it's pretty and it does have a few different places to eat and some nice walks around the harbour and along the coast. I certainly wouldn't spend the whole day there, but it'll fill an hour of pottering about. 
  • Freshwater Bay is a lovely stony beach and the nearby walk up to the Tennyson Monument is one of our favourite walks. You might find that the bus doesn't take you right down to the bay, depending on the time of year.
  • Colwell and Totland are both nice beaches which are on a bus route. You can walk between them in about 20 minutes via the seawall. They've both got restaurants on the seafront called The Hut and The Waterfront. If you're visiting at a quieter time of year, I would check opening hours etc.

See our West Wight days out guide for more ideas
Colwell Bay Isle of Wight
Colwell is a family-friendly beach at low tide, but is a bit squashed at high tide
Tennyson Down on the Isle of Wight
Tennyson Down is a walk with a view in the West Wight

Day trips from Lymington to the Isle of Wight with a car

If you bring your car to the Isle of Wight from Lymington then you could realistically go anywhere. The furthest point is about 40 minutes away, but there are lots of things to do which are only a short drive.

If you want tranquillity and nature:
  • Compton Bay and Hanover Point are perfect beaches if you like an unspoilt coastline without facilities or attractions. It's 15 minutes away and is lovely for an evening stroll at low tide or for bodyboarding if the surf is right. I proposed to Mrs Guru on the cliffs over Compton Bay with a message drawn on the sand. What an old romantic, eh?
  • If you want a walk with a good view in the West Wight then I would head for Freshwater Bay (10 minutes) and climb up to the Tennyson Monument. Alternatively, walk along the coastal path towards Compton Bay or park at the Blackgang Viewpoint Car Park (25 minutes) and climb up to The Pepperpot which is an abandoned lighthouse overlooking a large chunk of the Island.
  • Other nice beaches in the West Wight include Chilton Chine and Brook Chine (both good for dog walking but zero facilities) or Colwell Bay and Totland Bay which have sandy beaches at low tide.

If you want a busy fun-filled day out:
  • The Needles and Alum Bay is a 10 minute drive. It is what my geography textbook would call a 'honeypot site'. The boat ride and chairlift are great fun and the views from the National Trust's Old Battery are gorgeous. My father could never cope with the flashing lights of the small funfair and hook-a-duck but my children enjoy it.
  • Blackgang Chine (25 minutes) and Tapnell Farm Park (10 minutes) are two of the Isle of Wight's most popular family friendly attractions. They've both got nice sea views. Blackgang Chine is more expensive but I'd say the views are better and it's a bit bigger and more famous. Tapnell Farm Park is very nicely done and has a bit more indoors. 
  • Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor are very popular but they're about 35-40 minutes drive away, so I would only really drive that far if you are desperate for a busy and traditional seaside resort which will sell you a tray of chips with a wooden fork. In my opinion, Shanklin has the best seafront amusements, Ventnor is the most charming whilst Sandown has the sandiest beach and a good playground. 

If you're interested in history:
  • Osborne House (30 minutes) and Carisbrooke Castle (20 minutes) are probably the Isle of Wight's two most famous historic sites. Queen Victoria lived at Osborne whilst Charles I reluctantly lived at Carisbrooke Castle.
Alum Bay from the cliffs
Alum Bay and The Needles is one of the most popular Isle of Wight attractions
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight
Osborne House is a half hour drive from the Yarmouth ferry

Day trips to the ISle of WIght from Lymington with a bicycle

If you're an enthusiastic cyclist then the Lymington to Yarmouth crossing is a good one as you can bring your bike and immediately pick up the suggested Round The Island cycle route. The whole thing is about 65 miles but the West Wight section has some of the best scenery so you could just do part of it. 

You can either head clockwise towards Gurnard and Cowes or anti-clockwise towards Freshwater and the Military Road. The anti-clockwise route will give you better scenery but Cowes has a better choice of places to eat. Personally, I'd got for the anti-clockwise route and stop at a village pub or in Freshwater, but let's not fall out over it.

If you really want a challenge, there's something called the Chalk Ridge Extreme which is a mountain bike route which you can pick up in Yarmouth. The full thing is more than 50 miles, but you can easily make a smaller circular route.

Alternatively, you can just do a much less strenuous and mostly-car free section which goes from Yarmouth to Freshwater and is about 6 1/2 miles as a round trip.

See our Isle of Wight cycle holiday guide for more waffle.
Low tide at Hanover Point car park
If you take the Round the Island cycle route anti-clockwise you'll reach Compton Bay and Hanover Point
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