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Day trips from Lymington to the Isle of Wight – ferry advice and things to do (2021 guide)
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:
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. |
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 carIf 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:
See our West Wight days out guide for more ideas |
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:
If you want a busy fun-filled day out:
If you're interested in history:
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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. |
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