Five must-do climbs on the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is spoilt for choice when it comes to walks and views, so why not combine the two with an energetic climb up some of our rolling countryside hills, where the view from the top will knock your socks off. Say Yes to fun-packed adventures with our top picks of climbs on the Isle of Wight…

1. Tennyson Trail

If you are feeling really energetic, you could do the whole thing by starting in Carisbrooke and finishing at Alum Bay. However, if it’s a good climb with a view to die for at the end that you fancy, then a much shorter (but still heart-pumping) walk provides it all. Starting at Freshwater Bay on the track up to Fort Redoubt, you can immediately see the direction you are heading - it’s up! Follow this steep trail as it cuts through National Trust land, where you can spot cows grazing (keep your distance) and ground-nesting birds (dogs must be kept on a lead) as you walk in the footsteps of Alfred, Lord Tennyson who was the poet laureate during Queen Victoria’s reign. You’ll reach the Tennyson Monument, marking the highest point at 147m above sea level. From this point, you can continue on and you’ll be glad to know you are now on the descent.  Follow the trail as you reach West High Down and the National Trust's Needles Old Battery comes into view (a perfect stop for a slice of cake and an amazing view of The Needles) before continuing along the road to Alum Bay, where the trail ends and you can get a bus to take you home - you’ve earned the rest!

Find out more about the walk here.

2. St Boniface & Ventnor Downs

Dramatic views await those that make it to the top of the highest point on the Island on Ventnor Downs, which is cared for by the National Trust. The walk is worth it but you can drive to the top should you wish to. Walkers will likely encounter Ventnor’s very own herd of goats roaming in the open grassland and heather, as well as stunning butterflies including the Adonis Blue, as you ascend the 240m above sea level. At the summit, you’ll be treated to views across the Island in all directions and even to Portsmouth in the distance. Look out for the St Boniface Well plaque - once believed to grant wishes - marked by a plaque on a large stone; and the Dakota Crash Memorial, a plinth erected in memory of a passenger flight from Jersey to Portsmouth which crashed into the cloud-covered St Boniface Down, killing most of those on board.

Find out more about the walk here.

3. St Catherine’s Down

Located near Blackgang Chine, there is a convenient look-out car park just opposite the start of this climb, where you can often get an ice cream and a cup of tea before or after your walk. From the car park, cross over the road to ascend some steps and through a gate onto St Catherine’s Down, National Trust land. From here, head straight up towards what is known to locals as the ‘Pepperpot’, the only surviving medieval lighthouse in England, which was built in 1314 as penance for a local who stole wine from a ship that had run aground in nearby Atherfield. You can either choose to end your climb here and return back for a cuppa and to take in the view, or continue on along St Catherine’s Down, following the well-trodden trail towards the Hoy Monument. Named after Michael Hoy, a wealthy merchant who traded with Russia and lived nearby, he had the monument erected in 1814 to celebrate Tsar Alexander’s visit to England.

Find out more about the walk here.

4. Brighstone Down

This circular climb takes in views out across the English Channel, as well as lots of wildlife to spot and Brighstone Forest, the largest on the Island, provides welcome shade in the warmer months. Cutting across Isle of Wight National Landscape (formerly known as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and National Trust land, a great place to start your walk is at Jubilee Car Park in Brighstone. From here you can pick up a section of The Worsley Trail, following it east towards Limerstone, where you will find an excellent viewpoint. You could choose to keep going and follow the Worsley Trail to its end, but it is a good 13 miles so to keep it a shorter route, turn north-west to enter Brighstone Forest where you can follow the trail to its highest point, some 214 metres. Follow the trails through the forest where you will find yourself on Lynch Lane in Calbourne and from here, you can follow up the hill and back to the car park.

Find out more about the walk here.

5. Chillerton Down

Set in the heart of the Island, Chillerton Down (cared for by the National Trust) offers a leisurely climb across open farm and chalk downland. From the bottom, head up the hill towards the communications mast (visible from nearly everywhere on the Island) which was built in 1958 in order to provide the main site in central and southern England for ITV. It now broadcasts DAB and FM radio.

Follow the fence line to the right and head through the gate. You’ll find a nice spot for a rest with a bench and a view! Once rested, follow the path to a gate where you will need to turn left and pass through a further gate following the trail through a copse. Shortly you will reach a well-defined track which you need to follow until it becomes a minor road. Take a left just past Newbarn Farm and follow the uphill bridleway. Follow past a sign for Dunkham Down before passing through a gate with a pretty dew pond on your right before taking the path marked to Shorwell. You’ll pass the Chillerton Down Transmitting Station again, before heading back down towards where you started.

Find out more about the walk here.

For further climbs and walks to do with all the family, find more inspiration here.