This walk starts at the main car park in Yaverland. Postcode: PO36 8QS; grid ref: SZ 612 850. As a circular walk, it is possible to start and finish any where along the way, and there is the possibility of making the walk longer. My walk was about 6 miles and took just over two hours. Although a bit hilly in places, this walk is accessible for a wheelchair or pushchair.
From the car park, walk along Culver Parade towards Sandown. When you get to the mini roundabout, turn left and walk along the Esplanade. Once past Sandown Pier, you are on the Sandown to Shanklin revetment. There are a number of cafés along this path, some of which are open all year round. I turned right at the end of the revetment and walked up the very steep Hope Road (I love cycling along the revetment but always dread the end as the cycle up Hope Road is so hard). At this point, you could alternatively keep walking along Shanklin Esplanade, and then turn right just before Shanklin Chine, at Fisherman's Cottage.
Shanklin Chine is a geological feature and tourist attraction. It is a wooded coastal ravine, containing waterfalls, trees and lush vegetation, with footpaths and walkways allowing paid access for visitors. There is also a heritage centre explaining its history.
Once the steep part of the Hope Road hill is over, I joined the coastal path and turned right. This coastal path will take you all the way back to the car park in Yaverland. It is hilly (as the photo below shows) but the views of Sandown Pier, beach, Yaverland and Culver Down are amazing.
There are a few cafés on this path too, although not all open all year round. There are blackberries and raspberries growing the coastal path but I would only pick those in reach as the evidence of coastal erosion is there in places with very steep drops! There is a short section, after Winchester House, where the coastal path has completely disappeared and the detour, which is clearly marked, takes you out on to the road by the railway bridge. This is the Island Line, the Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin railway. The diversion takes you back on to the coastal path via Cliff Top Gardens. There are a number of footpaths off of the coastal path, some leading back down to the revetment and some taking you in to Lake. You can access Lake railway station via a footpath on the coastal path (this could be a start and finish point if coming to the island from the mainland without a car).
The coastal path leads slowly downhill and back on to Sandown Esplanade just before Sandown Pier.
It's then back along the Esplanade with the sea to your right this time, and along Culver Parade to the car park in Yaverland.
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