This walk is about 3 - 4 miles and should take a couple of hours (allow more to stop and enjoy the isolation of Priory Bay!).
There is a car park in the village of St Helens at grid ref: SZ 628 890. It is free to park there. Or alternatively, you can park on the street in Upper Green Road, Lower Green Road or Latimer Road. Head down Latimer Road to start this walk behind Brading Haven Yacht Club, at the bottom of Mill Road. Turn left from Mill Road across the causeway. There are beautiful views of both St Helens to the left and Bembridge harbour to the right, as you cross to St Helens Duver. When you reach the Duver, you can take the footpath to the right to the beach and then walk along the sea wall, or cross the Duver.
You need to get on to the sea wall from the Duver at some point or else you end up walking along the road (quite safe but not as interesting!). You are heading for the remains of St Helens Old Church, built in Saxon times. You are looking for an old tower on the beach.
From the Old Church, keep walking along the beach until there is woodland on your left. You need to take the footpath through Priory Woods (photo below). This is hilly and can be very muddy. This is not an easily accessible route at all and good walking boots are recommended. I would also recommend that you walk out of the woods and down on the Priory Bay beach as it is lovely. Once out of the woods, take the wooden footpath along to the Esplanade at Seagrove Bay. Turn left up the slipway. Take a left turn again and take the signposted coastal path around the side of the holiday park, back to the Old Church. From here, walk back along the sea wall and across St Helens Duver, and then back across the causeway.
There is parking on the beach by the Old Church and on the Duver, if you wish to park there and not take the walk back and forth across the causeway. You have to pay to park in these car parks.
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