This is one of my favourite walks. It's a circular walk so there are a number of possible starting points, and there can also be some variations. I am starting the walk today at Bembridge Windmill, which is on the corner of the High Street and Mill Lane, Bembridge, Isle of Wight: postcode PO35 5SQ; grid ref: SZ 639 875. The walk that I intend to do is about 8 miles and should take about 3 - 4 hours.
Go through the gate to the right of the windmill and head off across Brading Marshes. You will see the village of St Helens up on your right, and as you cross farmland and Bembridge airport land, you will see Culver Down and the Yarborough monument up to your left. The path through the RSPB Brading Marshes nature reserve takes you to Centurion's Copse. It is a clear, well-kept path all the way to the Copse, but the path through the Copse can be quite muddy in winter.
From Centurion's Copse, the path, with the stream on your left, takes you to the Great Sluice. There will be a junction with a choice of paths but you want to take the path on the right towards Brading. There are three paths to the left, across Gander Down which all come out on road from Brading to Bembridge (Sandown Road).
There is a lovely viewing point (see photo of the Eastern Yar below) after you come out of the trees after passing Gander Down to your left, and then you have another choice of path. You can cut across Fatting Marsh or stay on the path until you get to Laundry Lane and then you need to turn left. Both arrive at the railway line which you need to cross. Watch out for the trains! This is the Island Line from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin. After a short walk through a housing estate in Brading, you can take a footpath to your right which comes out at the end of the station, or you can cut through Brading Station, which also has a Heritage Exhibition and Visitor Centre. Cross the line again and follow the path alongside the railway line which finishes with steps on to the road at Yarbridge. Cross the road, turn left and look for the footpath on your right, to cross the fields to Yaverland. These fields can be very wet and the path difficult to find. There is a path with bridges which cross the wettest parts: take this path with Marshcombe Copse on your left and head towards the stile in the trees. If it is too wet, then you can turn right from the railway line path, left at the lights, follow the main road and go left under the railway bridge, heading for Culver Parade, which takes you back round to Yaverland.
This path reaches the back of the bungalows at Yaverland, then you follow the row of bungalows to the stile and out on to the road. Turn right and walk alongside the road for a few steps before crossing and walking down the grass to Yaverland car park where you will find a café and toilets. You actually don't need to go that far as the footpath is on the left before the car park and then another left takes you up towards Culver Down. The views from the Yarborough monument on top of Culver Down are amazing: Forelands ledge looks particularly pretty.
You could take the steep path down from the monument, which crosses a field and comes out in Peacock Hill. You would then need to go along the road to your right before taking a quiet road to the left. After crossing this road, you can take the footpath through Steyne Woods back to the windmill.
I have chosen to go right from the monument and over the stile to walk down the Coastal Path, in woods initially, to Whitecliff Bay holiday park. Pass the holiday park on your left and the wider path which goes down to Whitecliff Bay beach on your right and continue on the footpath until you take a left turn through the woods. This footpath comes out in Jenny Street Lane on Hillway. Turn left and look for another footpath on the opposite side of the road. Take this path and cross another road to Steyne Woods where you join the footpath back to the windmill.
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