Blue sea and a ribbon of sand around Sandown Bay as seen from the cliffs of Culver with red valerian in the foreground — The fine sweep of Sandown Bay as seen from Culver Down | © National Trust/Sue Oldham

Isle of Wight

Circumnavigate Culver Down trail

Take a short but exhilarating clifftop walk over Culver Down, taking in the historic Bembridge Fort and Yarborough Monument, along with sweeping views over Sandown Bay and Brading Haven. Keep an eye out for peregrines, ravens, cowslips and butterflies at different times of the year.

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Total steps: 5

Start point

National Trust car park at Bembridge Fort. Grid ref: SZ625859

Step 1

From the car park, turn so that the sea is on your right, and follow the grassy path that runs along the top of the down, parallel to the road. The path meets the road at a cattle grid. Turn right through the gate alongside the cattle grid, and walk along the road (take care as it can be busy at times). Turn left through the metal kissing gate just before the Culver Haven Inn, and visit the Yarborough Monument.

Yarborough Monument

At 75ft (23m) high, the Yarborough Monument is the tallest on the Isle of Wight, an impressive memorial in granite to Charles Pelham, Earl of Yarborough. One of two MPs returned by the 'rotten borough' of Newtown, he was elevated to an Earl in 1837. His great passion was sailing, though, and he was one of the founding members – and later the first commodore – of what was to become the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes.

Step 2

Follow the coast path sign in the direction of the Whitecliff Bay holiday camp below, heading downhill and towards the sea. On reaching a gap in the fence, and where the path kinks left before descending further, pass through the kissing gate to the right with a 'National Trust Culver Down' sign just beyond it. Follow the grass or chalk path clockwise round the clifftop edge, always keeping within the fence on your left, until you can go no further.

Culver Cliff wildlife

Culver Cliff is the eastern tip of the chalk ridge that runs across the Isle of Wight from the Needles. It's one of the main seabird nesting sites on this side of the island – look out for the fastest bird in the world, the peregrine falcon. Spring brings pretty cowslip displays and in summer you can spot bush crickets and grasshoppers, along with chalkhill blue and marbled white butterflies.

Step 3

Carry on following the boundary fence, past the coastguard cottages and through 'Sue's gate' to rejoin the coastal path. Then start the descent towards Sandown. After about ½ mile (0.8km), go through another kissing gate and continue ahead for about 130yd (120m) to the natural amphitheatre of Red Cliff.

Red Cliff

A natural amphitheatre exposing red and brown Wealden sands has been created by a major landslip at Red Cliff. It's sheltered from the south-westerly winds that cut across the bay and hit the exposed headland. There are many burrowing bees and wasps in the warm, south-facing cliffside, and the occasional cliff fall along this eroding coastline provides fresh habitat for them. Ravens nest here and you'll often hear them before you see them, thanks to their distinctive 'cronk cronk' call.

Step 4

Soak up the view before retracing your steps back to the kissing gate. Take the left fork in the path and follow the grassy track, signposted as SS95, away from the coast. Head towards Bembridge, which you'll see on the horizon. Go through a well-trodden grassy gap in the hedge to your left marked by three metal posts, then immediately head diagonally uphill towards the fort. This soon becomes a well-defined track. About 110yd (100m) from the fort, where the main path bends left, carry straight on upwards and pick up a lesser track that curves gently right to reach the road opposite the fort entrance.

Bembridge Fort sits on top of Bembridge Down on the Isle of Wight, with a guided tour in progress — Bembridge Fort | © National Trust/Sue Oldham

Step 5

Turn right at the road and follow the boundary fence around the fort's moat. Cross the chalky car park to the viewpoint and topograph, and enjoy the view over Brading Haven. Then return to the car park across the road.

End point

National Trust car park at Bembridge Fort. Grid ref: SZ625859

Trail map

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Bembridge Down, near Bembridge, Isle of Wight, PO36 8QY

01983873945

bembridgefort@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Bembridge and Culver Downs Circumnavigate Culver trail GPX file

Right-click and 'Save Link As' or ‘Save Target As’ or ‘Download Linked File As’ (depending on your browser) to download this Circumnavigate Culver trail GPX file to your device, then open with your GPS program.

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Circumnavigate Culver Down trail

Total steps: 5