Brook Beach

About

Brook Beach can be found on the unspoiled south west coast of the Isle of Wight, and is a beach made up of golden sands adjacent to the popular Compton Bay. Brook is a great beach for many activities, from cricket on the beach, to kite and wind-surfing for the more adventurous. Swimming is popular from this beach, although care should be taken as it can be quite rocky at certain points in the tide.

One of Brook Beach’s most unique features is the fossilised forest of huge trees which appears from beneath the waves at Hanover Point at low tide. Beyond this is a sandstone ledge with the fossilised footprints of dinosaurs imprinted within it. To the back of the beach, closer to the cliffs, fossils can also be found amongst the pebbles along with the casts of further dinosaur footprints. These three toed lumps of rock are again best discovered with a guide who will be able to recognise them.

Experts have discovered at least two, if not three, different types of dinosaur footprints in the sandstone ledge that cross one another, travelling in different directions. As with the others it is best to make the trek out to these amazing indentations with a guide who can point them out and tell you about the different beasts who made them.

The fossilised trees which make up the forest look like large lumps of coal, and have iron pyrites, or fools gold, embedded within their fissures – an exciting find for children; this mineral has little value but looks quite like nuggets of real gold!

There is a National Trust Car Park serving Brook Beach, but there are no additional facilities. A stony road/slipway leads to the beach from the car park.

TOP TIP:
Buy a pair of jelly or 'surfing' shoes from a beach shop and it will make bathing here much easier underfoot. If you're walking out to see the dinosaur footprints remember that you are likely to get wet feet and be very careful with cameras, mobile phones etc.

For bus information please visit the Southern Vectis website - www.islandbuses.info/