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Isle of Wight Treasure Trails and Treasure Hunts (2024 Guide)
We've had much success with the Isle of Wight's Treasure Trails, which incorporate some of the Island's local history and landmarks.
You pay about £10 for a trail but you only need one set of clues per group and they are a good way to con children into thinking they are on a puzzle-solving adventure rather than an historic walk (if a walk is too much then you might like to try our Isle Spy game, which is a sort-of car treasure hunt).
I imagine Treasure Trails would also work with a group of adults as they follow a logical route round a town and include some local history.
There are about 10 different ones on the Isle of Wight and we've done eight of them so far.
I've ranked them in order of how much we enjoyed them but it's worth realising that there are many factors at play - such as whether the children behaved, whether the sun was shining and how much sleep I'd had the night before. They all passed the time nicely, so don't get put off too much by a low ranking.
You pay about £10 for a trail but you only need one set of clues per group and they are a good way to con children into thinking they are on a puzzle-solving adventure rather than an historic walk (if a walk is too much then you might like to try our Isle Spy game, which is a sort-of car treasure hunt).
I imagine Treasure Trails would also work with a group of adults as they follow a logical route round a town and include some local history.
There are about 10 different ones on the Isle of Wight and we've done eight of them so far.
I've ranked them in order of how much we enjoyed them but it's worth realising that there are many factors at play - such as whether the children behaved, whether the sun was shining and how much sleep I'd had the night before. They all passed the time nicely, so don't get put off too much by a low ranking.
1. Alum Bay and The Needles
I like to think of myself as a bit of a cool kid who doesn't instantly recommend the usual places to visit on the Isle of Wight. Suggesting a visit to The Needles and Alum Bay is a bit like a Londoner suggesting a day out at Buckingham Palace.
However, I couldn't help but enjoy myself on this Treasure Trail, which offered a view for about 90% of the walk. It spends a little bit of time around the attraction with the chairlift but mostly wanders up to the National Trust's Old Battery.
This part of the Isle of Wight is always windy and it's not a good one for pushchairs but we loved it. I even wrote a blog about it.
However, I couldn't help but enjoy myself on this Treasure Trail, which offered a view for about 90% of the walk. It spends a little bit of time around the attraction with the chairlift but mostly wanders up to the National Trust's Old Battery.
This part of the Isle of Wight is always windy and it's not a good one for pushchairs but we loved it. I even wrote a blog about it.
This famous view of The Needles is on the Treasure Trail
2. Ventnor to Steephill Cove
The wind was howling when we did this Treasure Trail in Ventnor. I was so cold that I rummaged about in the car for warm clothes and ended up wearing my kayaking lifejacket under my coat. My sister-in-law wore a picnic blanket.
It is full of ups and downs, much like life, and includes a visit to Steephill Cove. It's a pretty little beach with a café.
There are lots of steps, so it's not a good one for pushchairs.
It is full of ups and downs, much like life, and includes a visit to Steephill Cove. It's a pretty little beach with a café.
There are lots of steps, so it's not a good one for pushchairs.
Looking towards Ventnor from the coastal path
3. Shanklin
We completed the Shanklin Treasure Trail over two days including one sunny day and one grey day. The scenery and local interest is excellent and includes the thatched village, the coastal path on the cliffs and the wartime stuff on the beach. You have to contend with some road-crossing and traffic at the start but it is mostly through parks and on quiet roads.
The thing that let down the Shanklin trail was that some of the best footpaths had fallen off the cliff (or at least been closed because of a crack appearing). This is always a risk with a coastal walk but it was particularly bad in Shanklin after a wet winter.
We also became convinced that a plaque we needed to read had fallen off. Mrs Guru spotted a rough outline on a wall where she figured it had recently vanished. On the plus side, this led to some proper detective work and we were able to text for further clues.
There are quite a few places to eat along the route.
The thing that let down the Shanklin trail was that some of the best footpaths had fallen off the cliff (or at least been closed because of a crack appearing). This is always a risk with a coastal walk but it was particularly bad in Shanklin after a wet winter.
We also became convinced that a plaque we needed to read had fallen off. Mrs Guru spotted a rough outline on a wall where she figured it had recently vanished. On the plus side, this led to some proper detective work and we were able to text for further clues.
There are quite a few places to eat along the route.
Shanklin's Treasure Trail had lots of good views...
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...but when visited there were lots of closed footpaths
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4. Freshwater Bay and Tennyson Down
This felt like a long walk with children but the views at the top of Tennyson Down are outstanding. I was a bit miffed that I dropped half my lunch on the floor at the top but I'm nearly over it.
There's a much shorter route up to Tennyson Down but the trail was nearly all off road. We did it with a pushchair but I wouldn't recommend that.
There's a much shorter route up to Tennyson Down but the trail was nearly all off road. We did it with a pushchair but I wouldn't recommend that.
Allow a bit of time to stop for an ice cream at Freshwater Bay
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The view from the Tennyson Monument is the highlight of the Treasure Trail
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5. Yarmouth Town, Estuary and Harbour
This felt like a very sedate and pleasant trail. It wasn't hilly so it didn't have spectacular views but a lot of it was alongside water. It was mostly off-road with only short sections where we had to grab onto the children.
We managed to do this one with a pushchair.
Yarmouth has a few places to get an ice cream or a sandwich.
We managed to do this one with a pushchair.
Yarmouth has a few places to get an ice cream or a sandwich.
Yarmouth is a pretty town with a harbour...
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...and Yarmouth Pier, which features on the town's Treasure Trail
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6. Ventnor Town and Esplanade
Ventnor Town and Esplanade Treasure Trail was very nice, but I preferred the one which went to Steephill Cove.
The advantage of this trail is that there's a playground with a view to stop at. The downside is that quite a bit of it involved walking along pavements rather than footpaths.
There was some good local history and it was a good workout for my buttocks.
The advantage of this trail is that there's a playground with a view to stop at. The downside is that quite a bit of it involved walking along pavements rather than footpaths.
There was some good local history and it was a good workout for my buttocks.
Ventnor's Isle of Wight shaped paddling pool can be found on the Esplanade
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This playground with a view features on the Ventnor Town Treasure Trail
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7. Cowes Town and Esplanade
Cowes is a pretty sailing town with plenty of local history. I love the views of yachts on the Solent and it has a good buzz about it during Cowes Week.
I enjoyed the trail but it didn't have many sweeping views and it's not a rural area. My memory may have been swayed by child two being an absolute pain after about ten minutes. I'm sure you'll love it.
I enjoyed the trail but it didn't have many sweeping views and it's not a rural area. My memory may have been swayed by child two being an absolute pain after about ten minutes. I'm sure you'll love it.
The beach at Cowes is shingle, much like Sean Connery was before he met his wife
8. Godshill
Godshill is a twee village with thatched roofs, which feature on postcards and boxes of fudge.
As an aside, I once claimed that Godshill appears on 92% of Isle of Wight fudge boxes. I made this figure up and meant it as a hilarious joke (Ed: steady on, my sides are splitting). Unfortunately, an Isle of Wight hotel website didn't get the joke and repeated it as a 'fascinating fact', without offering a source. I explained this to them and they finally removed it after several months. And that - ladies and gentlemen - is why you should question what you read on the internet.
Anyway, I didn't particularly enjoy this trail but a group of grown-ups probably would.
It's a crowded spot on a busy day with throngs of people visiting for a cream tea (Ed: how many is a 'throng'?). There's also a high chance of getting your feet run over by a double decker bus when the pavement runs out.
It was a very short trail and not too far to walk between clues.
As an aside, I once claimed that Godshill appears on 92% of Isle of Wight fudge boxes. I made this figure up and meant it as a hilarious joke (Ed: steady on, my sides are splitting). Unfortunately, an Isle of Wight hotel website didn't get the joke and repeated it as a 'fascinating fact', without offering a source. I explained this to them and they finally removed it after several months. And that - ladies and gentlemen - is why you should question what you read on the internet.
Anyway, I didn't particularly enjoy this trail but a group of grown-ups probably would.
It's a crowded spot on a busy day with throngs of people visiting for a cream tea (Ed: how many is a 'throng'?). There's also a high chance of getting your feet run over by a double decker bus when the pavement runs out.
It was a very short trail and not too far to walk between clues.
Godshill's model village is as twee as the village itself
