Red Squirrel Trail

The popular and scenic Red Squirrel Trail will take you through 32 miles of glorious Isle of Wight countryside, taking in woodland, farmland, estuaries and a stretch of the Island's fantastic coastline. The route begins in East Cowes, where you can disembark the Red Funnel vehicle ferry and cross the floating bridge to get to Cowes. If you’ve travelled as a foot passenger by Red Jet, you’ll already be in Cowes and you’ll be able to hire a bike from local providers. There is also a free-to-use Cycle Hub located next to the Red Jet terminal for anyone wishing to leave their own bike in a secure, covered area.

The full length of the trail can be broken down into four sections; East Cowes to Merstone (via Newport), Merstone to Sandown, Sandown back to Merstone and finally Merstone back to East Cowes.

The route allows you to see some stunning wildlife habitats, from woodlands to wetlands and farmed countryside. It also takes you along the Island's coastline - the seawall path from Sandown to Shanklin is a breath-taking ride and an excellent spot for an ice cream stop! To add a bit of variation to the mainly flat, off-road route, the Red Squirrel trail also has a couple of slightly more challenging passages which wind along bridleways over varied terrain and gradients.

To make the most of the Red Squirrel Trail, take two days to enjoy the whole route at a leisurely pace with an overnight stop along the way - possibly in the beachside accommodation of the Sandown and Shanklin bay area. We can’t guarantee you will see a Red Squirrel on your journey, but keep an eye out, they ARE there!

Click on the map above to be taken to the ViewRanger website. Download the ViewRanger app to your phone and search for Red Squirrel Trail to follow the map on your phone as you ride!

Rail Trail Cycling

In 2003 some of the Isle of Wight's disused railway lines were turned into smooth cycleways to create safe passages for cyclists. These paths are perfect for family groups of cyclists and beginners. Take in the stunning countryside as you ride the routes that cars can't access.

Red Squirrels & Wildlife

As you're cycling along the Red Squirrel Trail, keep a look out for the route's namesake! These allusive little characters are relatives of the grey squirrel but can only exist on the Island due to the fact that no greys live here.  

On the Red Squirrel Trail you will travel through red squirrel inhabited woodland, so the chance of catching a glimpse is pretty high! Don’t be too disappointed if you don’t see one though - they are notoriously shy. The best place to see them is at Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve. The red squirrels there are used to visitors, so take them some snacks to get really close and snap a selfie with our red residents!

Red Squirrel Hot Spots!

• The Garlic Farm - turn left off the trail at Landbridge, Newchurch, bringing you to the famous Isle of Wight "Garlic Farm", surrounded by fields filled with a variety of wildlife. Click for more info.
• Pedallers Café & Rosemary Cottage - Pedallers is the only café located directly on the trail. Popular with visitors and locals, it makes the perfect pit-stop during your cycling adventure! Rosemary Cottage is a wonderful place to stay and being situated on the route makes it the ideal stopover so you can get up and on your bike nice and early.
• Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve - turn left off the trail at Alverstone and the entrance to the reserve is 50 metres along the road. There is a bird / red squirrel viewing hide located here. Click for more info.
• Shanklin Chine - head to Shanklin Old Village where you will find the entrance to the Island's oldest attraction, Shanklin Chine. You will discover loads of different wildlife in the Chine as you descend through the glorious green to the seafront. Click for more info.

Want to learn more about the Isle of Wight's Red Squirrels? Click Here!