A Chillerton Down Circular walk
This walk circumnavigates Chillerton Down, a less well known chalky down in the centre of the Isle of Wight.
Map
Elevation
Start:
Lay-by on side road off Berry Shute, Chillerton, grid ref: SZ481829. The nearest postcode is PO30 3HA.
1
Take the G13 bridleway to the base of Chillerton Down, ignoring a path to the left. Immediately after passing through a gate, follow the curving upward path along the right hand side of the chalk pit in front of you. When level with the top of the pit, carry straight on up the hill to the fence visible on the skyline, just to the right of the mast. This is the perimeter fence of Chillerton transmitting station.
Chillerton Down
Chillerton Down lies at the rural heart of the Island. Providing the backdrop to the small farming communities of Chillerton and Gatcombe, it is a peaceful, unspoilt and largely undiscovered place. Visit in spring to see it ablaze with typical chalk grassland wildflowers such as harebells, scabious, orchids, yellow rattle and knapweed. You may even see a hare, or a kestrel soaring overhead.
2
Turn right and follow the fence line. Cross a stile close to the boundary corner and, aiming just left of straight ahead, head towards a group of trees by a fence corner where there is a wooden bench and viewpoint.
Traversing Chillerton Down
Chalk downland once covered large parts of Europe. Shallow soils on chalk and exposure to wind and rain combine to make it difficult for large plants to establish. Strip lynchets (banks of disturbed soil caused by ploughing) on Chillerton Down provide evidence of medieval arable agriculture but today the downland is grazed by sheep. They keep the grass short, enabling clumps of a wide variety of small, low-growing plants to establish.
3
Follow the top of the ridge to a stile 110yds (100m) down from the top field corner. Cross the stile to leave Open Access land, and continue onwards along a defined path, descending gently then steeply close to the fence to the far lower corner of the field. Cross the stile and turn immediately left for 25yds (25m) then over another stile and follow the path through a copse. Go straight along G8 at the signpost and around a field gate to reach a crossing track.
Open Access land
Chillerton Down is designated as Open Access land. This means that walkers have the right to roam freely without keeping to a footpath. Access to large swathes of open countryside was granted under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000. Campaigning for a “right to roam” goes back many years - one of the milestones was the mass trespass of Kinder Scout in 1932. The Act took effect in 2005 after a mapping exercise to show where walkers’ new rights could be exercised.
4
Turn left and follow the track as far as a minor road, then turn left. Leave the road just to the left of Newbarn farm and follow an uphill bridleway, part of which is a sunken lane. Bear right just after a signpost indicating G22 Dunkem Down, and after a short rise bear left just before the gate at the top. Now the path rises more gently, passing a dew pond on the right. Shortly after this, go through a gate to reach a crossing track in the conifer belt.
Land management
Our walk passes two man-made dewponds, which are built to provide water for livestock in this chalky area. Much of the other land in the scenic valley with gently undulating hills leading up onto the down is managed for pheasants and partridges. This is part of the 2000 acres (800 hectares) Bowcombe Estate, which is the biggest privately owned shooting estate on the Island. A very careful balance of cover and open ground is maintained here.
5
Turn left and follow the ridge-top bridleway signed N146 to Shorwell. Pass the Chillerton Down Transmitting Station to reach its concrete and tarmac access road.
Chillerton Down Transmitter
The Chillerton Down Transmitter was built in 1958 to provide the main site in central and southern England for ITV. It is a slim-line design to make it less obtrusive in the landscape, held in place by fifteen stay lines secured by nine anchoring blocks. This design has meant that it could not handle modern UHF and digital TV traffic. Rowridge, three miles away, is the Island’s TV transmitter. Now Chillerton broadcasts FM and DAB radio.
6
Cross the access road and go through a gate. Take the downwards sunken path straight ahead. Curl left-wards round the hill, pass through two gates and rejoin the outward path back to the start.
Chillerton chalk pits
There are a number of mainly post-medieval chalk pits and quarries in this area, often found at the base of the downs. In medieval times, much of the chalk downland was shared out between local manors and often used for grazing. Chalk was also used as a local building material and for fertiliser. There is still a large modern chalk quarry on nearby Cheverton Down. You may even be lucky to spot some bee orchids on the steep quarry banks in June, for this is one of the areas where they thrive.
End:
Lay-by on side road off Berry Shute, Chillerton, grid ref: SZ481829. The nearest postcode is PO30 3HA.
