10 of the Best - Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is in very many respects, a chunk of land off the south coast of England rammed with a multitude of holiday highlights. There is a surprising amount of attractions for all ages and abilities that even the solo traveler in their mid-20's can be kept entertained.

This is the briefest of summaries of 10 spots on the Island you must see. (In No Particular Order)

1. Mottistone Manor Garden

This is a real hidden gem! A modest but varied garden of a Tudor Manor House maintained by the National Trust. It sits in its own little valley with fantastic view points out to Compton Bay.

While here try and get up the top of the hill to the ‘Long Stone’ - a neolithic standing stone and one of the oldest man-made features on the Island.

Walk along the ridge for even better views across the South West stretch of the Island as you’re standing halfway between The Needles and Blackgang.

Keep your eyes peeled for Kestrels on the hunt for prey in the fields below.

2. The Needles

The tourist attraction is a little antiquated, but the shopping emporium is good to look for local products in one place.

The chair lift and boat rides are a must, but you can always choose to head up to the Old & New Battery to get close to the Needles themselves too.

My personal recommendation is to walk from the Tennyson Monument to the Needles Battery along the Tennyson Trail coastal path.

Look for the car park for Tennyson Down: From Freshwater Bay head to Totland and turn left, up the road next to Highdown Inn. The car park is small but the view from the Tennyson Monument is worth it.

3. Shanklin Chine

A little gorge walk with its own micro climate (i.e. it’ll be warmer and less windy than by the beach).

Not only is there a quaint walk following the stream, but a good deal of local history including P.L.U.T.O & a WW2 Commando training school.

Best way to enjoy is to start up in Shanklin Old Village and walk down to the sea front. Have a pint or glass of wine in the Fisherman’s Cottage Pub right at the bottom and soak in the views of Sandown Bay.

4. Culver Down

One of the high points on the Island, sitting between Bembridge, Brading and Sandown. Access via Sandown Road and beware of the sharp corner to turn off for the cliff top road.

A nice Pub up the top called Culver Haven, décor looks like it hasn’t changed since 1970’s but is a handy place to dive into for a cuppa if the weather is rough.

Great views towards the mainland to the North, and to Sandown Bay to the South. Look out for Fort Bembridge and associated defenses on the cliff top.

5. Compton Bay

This beach is great to walk along with a sweeping bay, colourful cliffs & sands + fossils to be found!

The area is at the forefront of paleontology with a small ‘Dinosaur Farm Exhibition’ near-by (open on certain days). At low tide you may be able to spot some rocks with Dinosaur footprints on.

This is a National Trust car park, so get your card scanned for a free ticket.

But the best part? Sunset. It turns the bay gold as it sets over The Needles.

Sunset over Compton Bay, off the Military Road

6. The Military Road

The road that runs between Freshwater Bay & Niton along the South West arm of the Island, is one of the best drives to do as it handrails the coast. One of the few roads you can reach 60mph.

You can really feel like you’re driving through the Cote D’Azure if you start in Shanklin, twisting and turning along the coast via Ventor and Whitwell then on to Totland and Alum Bay. A few good places to stop to admire the view including Compton Bay.

7. Yarmouth

Basically looks like a tiny smuggler’s town. Has the Whitelink Ferry Terminal so traffic can be an issue as well as car parking.

Lots of nice looking pubs, shops & cafes as well as Yarmouth Castle. Entrance to the Castle is down an alley way between Salty’s & Island Spice.

The 'castle' itself is the remnants of a Tudor fort and takes a whole 5 minutes to go around. You'll spend at least 4x longer admiring the view across the Solent from the battery wall.

8. Newtown

Out on the quiet part of the Island between Cowes & Yarmouth. The whole coastline here is protected salt marsh, forests and creeks. The town itself is the best part of 3 streets, lined with idyllic cottages and a solitary church.

Park at New Town Old Town Hall (National Trust car park) and follow the suggested walk along to the waterfront and along the breakwater. You may spot some interesting wetland wildlife and boats a-plenty.

9. St Catherine’s Oratory

Also known as the ‘Pepper Pot’, was originally a form of lighthouse. The car park for it is at the top of the hill between Niton and Chale and sits right above Blackgang Chine on the Southern tip of the Island.

It is a bit of an uphill walk from car to Oratory but Niton and Chale have nice places to stop for food a short drive away.

Stunning views across Compton Bay and up to the Needles. On a clear day, from the Oratory you can see as far as Swanage and even over towards Yarmouth and Carisbrooke.

10. Carisbrooke Castle

About 1000 years of history here and Donkeys. Need I say more?

In terms of Castles, Carisbrooke is best described as a medium size - the addition of the Bowling Green and the outer moat walks beyond the castle compound almost double the size of the site, though are often missed.

You can walk around (almost) the whole castle walls and right up to the top of the keep, see a Donkey turn a medieval water-wheel and see the window in which King Charles I got stuck.

Give yourself a couple of hours to properly explore the castle and Carisbrooke Museum, but definitely visit here.