Walking the Isle of Wight coastal path

Walking the Isle of Wight coastal path is worth considering if a) you're fit enough to manage 65 miles over a few days and b) you're old enough to appreciate scenery.

Perhaps I'm being unfair, but I had absolutely no interest in views, scenery and picturesque landscapes until I was at least 20, so I personally wouldn't waste your time dragging a reluctant teenager on a week long walk.

The walking route hugs the coastline more closely than the official round the Isle of Wight cycling route so two legs do tend to offer better views than two wheels.

How long does it take to walk the Isle of Wight coastal path?

The Isle of Wight coastal path is 65 miles. You can obviously walk it in a couple of days if you're a lunatic, or you can take a month doing it if you really want to, but bear in mind that some parts of the route are very rural so don't have many accommodation options.

Option 1: The Isle of Wight coastal path over four days

One company, Contours, suggests a route over 4 days, with walks of 15 - 17.5 miles. This is an ideal option if you fancy a challenge rather than a sauntering holiday. The Isle of Wight coastline is not especially hilly apart from some bits around the West and South points.

The four day option stops at:

Ryde (start from the ferry port on Ryde Pierhead) (search for Ryde Hotels from Expedia)
Shalfleet (Little Idyll is one accommodation option)
Freshwater Bay
Ventnor (search for Ventnor hotels/accommodation from Expedia or HolidayCottages or our guide)

Ryde, Freshwater Bay and Ventnor will have plenty of choice of accommodation. Shalfleet is a village so don't expect a resort hotel, although there is Little Idyll which gets good reviews (about £100 B&B, 2017)

Option 2: The Isle of Wight coastal path over six days

The Official Tourism people have produced handy PDFs with walking routes with a route over 6 days, with daily walks ranging from 8 to 16 miles. This is closer to a holiday kind of pace, with some long days and some short days.

It includes stops in:

Cowes (start from here, or Yarmouth or Ryde as they all have ferry ports). (Search for Cowes hotels from Expedia)

Yarmouth (Search for Yarmouth hotels from Expedia or Warner Leisure Hotels)
Brighstone (Search for places to stay in Brighstone)

Niton (Search for places to stay in Niton)
Sandown (Search for Sandown hotels from Expedia)

Ryde (Search for Ryde Hotels from Expedia)

The only slight snag is that there isn't very much accommodation in Brighstone or Niton as they are very sleepy (but pretty) places. So you can either camp, or take what's available.

Option 3: The Isle of Wight coastal path over 7 days

This is a more leisurely option for those who want to have the time to sit on benches with sea views eating squashed sandwiches for hours on end. This one includes walks ranging from 8 to 11 miles and would include stops at:

Ryde (start from the ferry port on Ryde Pierhead or from Cowes) (search for Ryde Hotels from Expedia)
Cowes (search for Cowes hotels from Expedia)
Shalfleet (Little Idyll is one accommodation option, Newtown Creek Retreat)

Totland (search for places to stay in Totland)
Brighstone (Search for places to stay in Brighstone)

Chale (The Wight Mouse is popular, but there are other options)
Sandown (Search for Sandown hotels from Expedia)

Shalfleet, Brighstone and Chale are all quite small places so you won't have loads of choice for accommodation

Here's my summary of the 6 day Isle of Wight coastal path guide from the Official Tourism people. I'll link directly to them along with my advice on what to expect.

Day 1 - Cowes to Yarmouth (16 miles)

Yarmouth Pier is worth a wander

This leg tackles the North West coast of the Isle of Wight which is pretty sleepy, even by Isle of Wight standards of snooziness. There are very few houses or substantial roads and there are also not that many accessible beaches. Ask an Islander to talk about the last time they went to the area and most of them will give you a blank look.

It is, however, very pretty. A big chunk of it is Newtown Creek with its weird Town Hall despite not having a town (see our guide to historic attractions for more details).

Yarmouth itself is a lovely little sailing town (and quite posh). There are enough places to sleep and eat to give you a choice and there's a little castle by the pier.

Cowes hotels (from Expedia) or see our guide to places to stay in Cowes

Yarmouth hotels (from Expedia or Warner Leisure Hotels)
West Wight campsites (see our camping guide)
Or stop halfway at Newtown Creek Retreat

Download the official PDF route from Visit Isle of Wight

Day 2 - Yarmouth to Brighstone (14 miles)

This is probably my favourite section of the Isle of Wight as it is largely 'unspoilt' by which I mean that your peace and quiet won't be broken by clanging amusement arcades. Well, that's not quite true - the section around Alum Bay and The Needles is full of such things, but the walk from the Needles towards Brook and Brighstone is gorgeous with really nice high cliffs looking down on sandy beaches.

It's a very rural area, so there isn't a great deal of choice of places to stay or eat, and there's zero nightlife. You'll find a pub inland a little bit at Brighstone but the choice is limited.

Search for places to stay in Brighstone or take a look at some of the campsites in the West Wight

Download the official PDF route from Visit Isle of Wight

Day 3 - Brighstone to Niton (8 miles)

Whale Chine is one of the hardest to reach beaches

The planners of this route decide to give you a nice easy day today. It's another lovely stretch of unspoilt coastline without a great deal of people to get in the way. Some of the coastline - like Whale Chine - is difficult to get to thanks to landslides and the like.

Again, you'll find that there isn't a huge amount of choice of where to stay or eat in Niton (which makes me wonder why it's a suggested stop off point), but it is a lovely area with an olde worlde feeling.

Search for places to stay in Niton.

Download the official PDF route from Visit Isle of Wight

Day 4 - Niton to Sandown (9 miles)

This is a busy stretch of coastline which takes in three of the Isle of Wight's most famous seaside resorts - Ventnor, Sandown and Shanklin.

The first half of the walk wanders through the olde worlde South Wight which has the feeling that time stopped about a century ago. Ventnor Esplanade is a good spot to stop for something to eat. You'll pass St. Catherine's Lighthouse, which offers tours in high season.

Sandown and Shanklin are pleasant bucket and spade-type resorts with lots of hotels, guest houses and counters selling chips and ice cream.

Sandown hotels (from Expedia)
Shanklin/Sandown caravans and camping (Park Resorts sites at Lower Hyde and Landguard) or our camping guide.

Download the official PDF route from Visit Isle of Wight

Day 5 - Sandown to Ryde (12 miles)

There are some really attractive beaches along the Sandown to Ryde route, most of which have shallower water than the West Wight.

St Helens, Bembridge, Whitecliff Bay and Priory Bay are all popular spots with holidaymakers although not quite as hectic as Sandown and Shanklin.

Bembridge has a huge great lifeboat station on stilts which is free to visit if you have time.

Ryde self catering (from HomeAway)
Ryde hotels (from Expedia)

Download the official PDF route from Visit Isle of Wight

Day 6 - Ryde to Cowes (8 miles)

Considering it's called a 'Coastal Walk' this day does spend a curiously long time away from the coast. My suspicion is that this is because some of the coastline is privately owned by people who would shout things like 'Gerofff my land!' at you whilst waving a musket.

Queen Victoria's Osborne Bay is en route and is a pretty little beach where her madge used to be wheeled into the sea in her bathing hut. However - it's only accessible if you pay the entrance fee for Osborne House.

You can also see from the ferry as you approach the north east coastline that there often isn't a great deal of beach available to walk along.

The Ryde to Cowes route does have some nice features though, passing over Wootton Bridge, near Quarr Abbey and Osborne House and through some woodland. We like the Folly Inn at Whippingham, which is only a small detour.

Personally I'd say this is the least interesting section, but I'm sure others would disagree. One option is to arrive at the ferry at Cowes and depart from the ferry at Ryde, which would miss out this section. This option is not recommended for anyone with vaguely completest tendencies...