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Visitor leaning on the rail of the boardwalk looking out over the marsh at sunset at Newtown National Nature Reserve, Isle of Wight
Visitor looking out over the marsh at Newtown National Nature Reserve, Isle of Wight | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey
Isle of Wight

Estuary Newtown walk

This gentle stroll will take you through the varied habitats of the island’s only National Nature Reserve. Along the way you can pass a Town Hall with a colourful past, discover butterflies flitting through the meadows in summer or spy flocks of visiting birds in the cooler months.

Total steps: 8

Total steps: 8

Start point

Newtown National Nature Reserve car park, grid ref: SZ423906

Step 1

Turn right from car park entrance and follow road down the hill, past the Old Town Hall.

The two-storey, red-brick Newtown Old Town Hall, Isle of Wight
Newtown Old Town Hall, Isle of Wight | © ©National Trust Images/Scott King

Step 2

Take the signed CB16a footpath on the right, just before Cassey Bridge. Follow the hedge line to the right, go through a gate and follow the path across two fields. Go through another gate and continue along the gravel track to a road. Walk straight ahead down the road and turn right down a gravel track by Marsh Farm House to the Mercia Seabroke Bird Hide.

Step 3

Turn left through a gate and cross to the opposite corner of the field, then turn right onto the footbridge to the boathouse. Bear left and follow the gravelled harbour wall round to reach a kissing gate. Follow the right-hand boundary of the field to a gate in the top corner and the gravel path to the road.

A marbled white and common blue butterfly
Marbled white and common blue butterflies | © National Trust / Matthew Oates (marbled white) and Sue Davies (common blue)

Step 4

Follow the tarmac road to a T-junction by the visitor point. The visitor point is a building where visitors can discover more about the wildlife of the area and also make themselves a hot drink for a small donation. It has seating and a play area for children too. Return to the car park if you're following the shorter route option, otherwise carry on.

Step 5

Cross straight over and take the grassy footpath (signed Coastal path and CB13a) through the gate to the left of Noah’s Ark to another gate. This path bends right, then left after 20yd (20m) across a field to a gate. Go straight on across a second field and through a gap in the hedge. Go through a belt of trees into another field to reach a gate by the road. Turn right.

Step 6

After 220yd (200m) enter Walters Copse on the left, just opposite the last bungalow. After two paths on the right, bend left at a junction following the main track, about 300yd (275m) from the road. After 70yd (60m), take a track on the right which goes straight to the edge of the copse. Turn left and follow the boundary path. The path bends, keeping to the edge of copse and marsh. At the junction, keep close to the edge of the copse, but do not venture out into the marsh. A sign warning that path CB9 leads only to the bird hide is reached at Town Quay. For a recommended 700yd (600m) detour, go through the kissing gate ahead and keep to the right of a field to another kissing gate. Follow the old harbour wall and board walk to visit East Bird Hide overlooking Clamerkin lake. Retrace your steps to Town Quay.

Step 7

Take the broad track heading away from Town Quay through Town Copse, eventually reaching the road.

Step 8

Turn right and follow the road back to the visitor point.

End point

Newtown National Nature Reserve car park, grid ref: SZ423906

Trail map

Newtown Estuary walk map
Newtown Estuary walk map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2015 Ordnance Survey

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Town Lane, Newtown, Isle of Wight, PO30 4PA

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Newtown National Nature Reserve and Old Town Hall Estuary walk GPX file 

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

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