Isle of Wight Coastal Path

Isle of Wight

The coastal path encircles the island and, with the exception of detours to the west of Thorness Bay and round the Osborne Crown Property at Osborne Bay, stays close to the coast. It is a very varied walk over chalk and sandstone cliffs, through popular holiday resorts and the less crowded inlets, bays, marshes and saltings. Coastal links from north (Cowes) to south (St Catherine's Lighthouse) and from east (Bembridge) to the Needles (west) add further route options. The bus service allows it to be split over several days and the route can be joined at many convenient places.

Route details may be downloaded from the Visit Isle of Wight website below.

The sections from Ryde to Bembridge and from the Needles to Yarmouth form part of the E9 E-Route.

There are several other short trails on the island which are included on OS mapping some of which connect to the Vectis Trail and the Isle of Wight Coastal Path.

A British Walking Federation Permanent Trail No 73, the Isle of Wight Round the Island Trail, starts and finishes at Shanklin railway station and is a circumnavigation of the island following the signed Coastal Path. See Amesbury Walkers website.

See also E-Routes (E9).

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Details:

Path Type:	Paths Marked on OS mapping
Waymark:	Named signs, blue with white gull motif
Attributes:	Challenging Coastal Downland/Wolds
Start and Finish:	SZ500956 - Cowes, Isle of Wight
Web Sites:	Visit Isle of Wight - Isle of Wight Walking Routes Amesbury Walkers - Round the Island Trail British Walks - Isle of Wight Coastal Footpath [blog] Jason McDonald's Walking Pages - Isle of Wight Coast Path [blog] Stephen and Lucy Dawson - Isle of Wight Coast Path [blog]

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Publications, Badges and Certificates:

Guidebook	Walking on the Isle of Wight  (Cicerone Press  - 2017 )
Guidebook	Complete Isle of Wight Coastal Footpath  (Challenge Publications  - 2015 )
General Interest Book	Beaches, bars and blisters of the Isle of Wight  (Halsgrove Press  - 2009 )
Guidebook	Isle of Wight North to South & East to West  (Challenge Publications  - 2002 )
Certificate	Certificate for Isle of Wight Coastal Path  (Challenge Publications )
Guidebook	Walkers' Britain  (AA Publishing  - 2011 )

Click to showhide 2 more Publications, Badges and Certificates

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