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HOME PAGE
This
page is still being constructed. More grid references coming. I have not
double checked the lefts & rights yet!
Tracklogs route. (Tracklogs digital mapping file)
Underlined words within the text are links to further
information, other web sites or to photographs. Grid
references are marked in blue. Please read disclaimer.
- STARTING POINT: West Wight Sports Centre, Freshwater. 337,870 [Sports facilities, cafe and 'Pay &
Display' car park.] Public toilets in car park. Village shops nearby.
- Out of the car park, turn right, then
immediately left 'Brookside'. Stream on left. Short distance to T
junction.
- Turn left up the hill. Queen's Road.
Tree lined road. Pass school on left,
pass Pound Green on Right. Continue to T junction.
- Turn right. Bedbury
Lane. Pass Farringford on right (former home of Lord
Tennyson). Road drops downhill. Pass thatched
Church on right. Arrive at Freshwater Bay.
Freshwater bay boasts a pub, a hotel
and a tearoom. The bay has a short sea wall with shingle and a little sand.
The beach is steeply shelving. Cliffs with rock pools at the base border
the bay on both sides. A coastal fort occupies the cliff to on the west
side. On the east side there used to be three rock
stacks but one fell during the mid 90s.
Isle of Wight Sea
Kayaking is based in the hotel car park.
- From Freshwater Bay, climb steep hill
on east side A3055. This is Afton Down. The views are spectacular.
- Descend other side into Compton Chine
and up second climb. Through cutting and down long descent. Car park & toilets at the bottom (also
ice cream van during summer). This secton of
road was recently rebuilt as the old stretch was lost to the sea. Photo: Compton Bay
- Continue to next left signposted Brook.
- Pass through Brook (a collection of
houses) and begin climb. Continue to triangular junction.
- Turn right toward Brighstone. B3399
Brook
Church perches on the edge of the hill beside the junction. You will
need to take the longer route around the triangle to see it.
- Continue due east. Pass pub on right, pass Mottistone Manor on left. Take next left (Strawberry
Lane). Have the low gears ready!
- T junction at top of second climb. Turn
left. Big descent, but watch the road surface and the bend. Arrive in Calbourne.
Calbourne is a village. Winkle
street is a row of picturesque cottages. You pass the entrance as you enter
the village. Further up is the pump and the Church. At the top of the
village there’s a pub next to the crossroads.
- Climb up through village to cross roads
where you cross the B3401. Straight across and continue to crossroads
with small lane. Turn right to 'Five Houses'.
- Up gentle incline. Left at the top.
Descend to junction with A3054.
- Right on A3054, then
immediately left. Follow lane to grassy triangle junction.
- Turn right, then immediately left.
Follow lane through woodland, pass views across harbour, negotiate sharp
left and arrive at Newtown village.
Newtown
was once an important town. Only a few houses, the Church and the old town
hall remain. The harbour can be explored by footpaths from here. Newtown
harbour is now a group of silted up inlets that form part of an important wetland and salt marsh habitat. There are no
shops, pubs or cafes here. There is an exhibition about the harbour in a
building in the car park. The old TOWN
HALL is sometimes open to the public.
- Pass old town hall & descend to bridge / causeway over part of the
harbour. Continue to T junction. Turn right and follow road to
junction by garage/petrol station. A3054.
- Turn left (care) and then almost
immediately right. Elm Lane.
- Follow Elm Lane to crossroads. Turn
right towards Newbridge. Narrow lane.
- Follow gently and then steeply downhill.
Ignore right turn to mill. Arrive at T junction with B3401 by stream.
- Turn right up steep hill to village.
Newbridge has a shop and a caravan site. There is a
take-away within the caravan site that is open to non-residents (there was,
when I was last there).
- Continue through village and down long
descent. Where road bears sharply right, go straight on along smaller
lane.
- Riding stables on left, then a dip
& then a long gentle climb. Pass large modern barn on your left.
Continue through dip, sharp right and arrive a T junction in Wellow. Large
bus shelter opposite.
- Turn left. Continue through Thorley to
T junction.
- Turn right. The road wiggles across low
meadows. Start to climb away from meadows but notice entrance to old
railway line on left. This is a bridle path and cycle route. Take this
route.
The old railway line has a rough surface but is negotiable on
a touring bike (racing bikes might suffer). Yarmouth town can be accessed
through a small gate just beyond the old station building. Yarmouth has
shops, a post office, various pubs and cafes. The harbour is popular with
yachts and the Wightling
Ferry terminal is here. Yarmouth also boasts a Tudor coastal castle.
To the west of Yarmouth is Fort
Victoria which is a country park & various other attractions around
the remains of a Victorian coastal fort.
- Follow old railway line to causeway at Freshwater. Cross road and
continue on track. This brings you out on the B3399 next to the garden centre and cafe in Freshwater.
- Turn right. Pass Co-op and garage. Take
first at mini roundabout. Continue through village to sports centre.
Note: I have
produced this page to help visiting cyclists. Please check it using a map.
I will not take responsibility for any errors or anything unpleasant, nasty
or costly that arises.
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