You could start this walk from Rylstone Gardens in Shanklin. Postcode: PO37 6RG. There are tea rooms, crazy golf and bands play at the bandstand on summer evenings. The gardens, set in Shanklin Conservation Area, close to the coastal path, Shanklin Chine and Shanklin Old Village, are a bit of a hidden gem. There is plenty of free parking on the road nearby: on Popham Road, Luccombe Road or Priory Road.
I parked the car in Popham Road and walked down the hill towards Rylstone, then took a left turn into Luccombe Road to pick up the coastal path. If you have an Ordnance Survey map, the grid reference for the junction is: SZ 583 808.
Follow Luccombe Road until it becomes a footpath and continue walking, past some very pretty cottages and bungalows, through to Luccombe Chine. Luccombe Chine is a wooded coastal ravine, with plenty to see of interest: we spotted unusual plants and fungi; huge trees and some trees that had fallen and so had altered what was growing around them; birds like jays and green woodpeckers; and many, many butterflies. This was during the 2019 Big Butterfly Count, where you spot, identify and record sightings of butterflies over a 15 minute period. We saw painted ladies, red admirals, speckled woods, common blues and meadow browns.
Follow the coastal path through the woods as far as The Old Church (photo below) and then leave the coastal path, walk around the side of East Dene (a wedding venue and outdoor activity centre) and follow the pavement in to Bonchurch. We took a few minutes to step inside the small norman church.
Stop at the pond in Bonchurch to see the ducks, moorhen and turtles. The sign says that there are kingfishers but despite waiting still and quiet for ages, we unfortunately didn't see any!
Follow Trinity Road in to the town of Ventnor, a traditional Victorian seaside resort, down the steep road by the Winter Gardens and down on to the seafront. We visited at the time of Ventnor Fringe, a multi-award-winning arts festival held annually.
Turn left at the seafront and you are back on the coastal path. Follow the coastal path signs to take you back to Luccombe Road and your starting point. The walk along the seafront before you climb back up the hill back into Luccombe Chine is exhilarating. Do stop to read the information board about the Glanville fritillary, a butterfly that is now really only found on the Isle of Wight.
This was one of my favourite walks of the summer: nature, history, local culture, beautiful sea views and a bit of exercise walking up and down the hills!
