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Isle of Wight

Discover gardens, forts and a windmill on the Isle of Wight – not to mention 17 miles of beautiful coastline and more than 5,000 acres of countryside. Find out what to see and do on this treasure island.

Places to visit

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Top places to visit on the Isle of Wight

The white cliffs of Tennyson Down seen above the cold wintry blue water of Compton Bay
Place
Place

Compton Bay and Downs 

One of the Island's favourite beaches and biggest expanses of open downland

Isle of Wight

Fully open today
Sunset over the Needles headland coast, Isle of Wight. The Needles lighthouse and rocks can be seen in the shade, leading up to the coastline.
Place
Place

The Needles Headland and Tennyson Down 

Beautiful open downland,sheer chalk cliffs and dramatic sea views

Isle of Wight

Fully open today
Visitors at The Needles Old Battery and New Battery, Isle of Wight
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Place

The Needles Old Battery and New Battery 

Victorian coastal defence and secret rocket testing site perched high above the Needles Rocks

Alum Bay, Isle of Wight

Partially open today
Cormorant and oystercatchers at Newtown National Nature Reserve, Isle of Wight
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Place

Newtown National Nature Reserve and Old Town Hall 

A quiet backwater with a busy Medieval past, now bursting with wildlife and a town hall with no town...

Newtown, Isle of Wight

Partially open today
The landslip at Redcliff above sandy Yaverland beach on a calm autumn afternoon
Place
Place

Bembridge and Culver Downs 

Dramatic chalk cliffs and open downland with coastal views, military history and wildlife.

near Bembridge, Isle of Wight

Fully open today
Image of windmill in background with blue sky behind and white clouds.
Place
Place

Bembridge Windmill 

The only surviving windmill on the Isle of Wight

Bembridge, Isle of Wight

Fully open today
Colourful summer flowers line the path leading to a doorway at Mottistone Gardens, Isle of Wight
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Place

Mottistone Gardens and Estate 

Enchanting gardens set in a sheltered valley and surrounded by rolling downland

near Brighstone, Isle of Wight

Partially open today
Dappled summer sunlight on a magnificent spreading oak tree in Borthwood Copse
Place
Place

Borthwood Copse 

Paths wind through ancient oak woodland with sunny glades

near Winford, Isle of Wight

Fully open today
St Catherine's lighthouse seen far below from coast path at the top of Gore Cliff, near a concrete plinth for surveying equipment to check the cliff is not moving
Place
Place

St Catherine's Down and Knowles Farm 

A wild rocky coast with jutting cliffs, a windswept down and sheltered wooded valley

Blackgang, Isle of Wight

Fully open today
Teasels and other spring wildflowers bloom by St Helens lagoon at low water
Place
Place

St Helens Duver 

Sand dunes with a royal history and great coastal views

St Helens, Isle of Wight

Fully open today
Low winter sunshine highlights the undulations in the lower slope of Chillerton Down, where white chalk down merges into very green grassland
Place
Place

Chillerton Down 

An impressive flank of open downland

Isle of Wight

Fully open today
Paths criss-cross the slopes of Coombe Bottom near Ventnor with radar masts in the distance
Place
Place

Ventnor Downs 

Dramatic views from the highest point on the Island

Wroxall, Isle of Wight

Fully open today

What's coming this autumn?

Close view of fossils at the disused Loftus Alum Works, North Yorkshire

Compton Bay fossil walks 

Various dates throughout the autumn. Join award-winning Wight Coast Fossils for guided walks at Compton Bay and discover evidence for dinosaurs once roaming the Island. Compton beach is one of the best places to encounter the Island’s rich geological past. During one of the walks, you'll learn more about this amazing history; have an opportunity to find fossilised bone, teeth and wood; and even see huge dinosaur foot casts laying on the beach. Booking is essential. Please follow the link for more information.

Visitors in the garden at Mottistone, Isle of Wight
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Things to see and do for families in Mottistone Gardens 

Discover the family-friendly things you can get up to in Mottistone Gardens. From exploring the gardens and woods, to ever changing trails, there's always something to keep little visitors entertained.

Family learning how flour is made at Bembridge Windmill, Isle of Wight
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Family friendly things to do at Bembridge Windmill 

Discover the family-friendly things to do at Bembridge Windmill, from searching for the mice to dressing up as a miller and making mud pies in the mud bakery.

Family walking together by the harbour at Newtown National Nature Reserve, Isle of Wight
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Things to do at Newtown National Nature Reserve and Old Town Hall 

Spend a day at the Isle of Wight’s only nature reserve and discover wildflower meadows, a network of secluded creeks and waterways, and a town hall without a town.

Visitors at the searchlight emplacement at the Needles Old Battery and New Battery, Isle of Wight
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Visiting the Needles Old Battery and New Battery 

Explore the defensive site that helped protect a nation from invasion. See guns, underground tunnels and the secret rocket testing site plus views across the Solent.

Buildings on the Isle of Wight

A visiting family touch the machinery inside Bembridge Windmill, Isle of Wight. Built around 1700, it last operated in 1913 but still has most of its original machinery intact
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Things to see and do at Bembridge Windmill 

Discover the highlights of Bembridge Windmill, the last surviving windmill on the Isle of Wight. Climb to the top, play in the Mud Bakery or make friends with a tree in the grounds.

An image of a small single storey wooden building called The Shack in the grounds of Mottistone Garden and Estate, which is stood on stone pillars and clad in wooden singles
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The Shack at Mottistone Gardens and Estate 

The Shack was a neat, compact retreat for 1930s architects Seely & Paget where they designed projects like Eltham Palace. It is still furnished as it would have been in their time.

Forts on the Isle of Wight

Winter sunshine over still waters in Sandown Bay seen from just above the beach at Yaverland
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Bembridge Fort 

Bembridge Fort is an unrestored Victorian fort set on dramatic chalk cliffs. You can see the outside of this fascinating example of military architecture on a walk around Bembridge and Culver Downs.

Visitors at the Needles Old Battery and New Battery, Isle of Wight
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Needles Old Battery and New Battery 

Explore the defensive site that helped protect a nation from invasion. See guns, underground tunnels and the secret rocket testing site plus views across the Solent.

Places to stay on the Isle of Wight

Pet dogs and their owners outside a holiday cottage on the Holnicote Estate, Somerset
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Dog-friendly holiday cottages 

Our holiday cottages are set in scenic locations, by rugged coastline and wild countryside. Bring your dog along for the adventure in one of nearly 300 dog-friendly cottages.

Join a local supporter group

Visitors on a guided tour with the head gardener at Mottistone Gardens, Isle of Wight
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Supporter groups on the Isle of Wight 

Join the Isle of Wight Association to get involved in local events, meet like-minded people and support the upkeep of National Trust places.

Upcoming events

Event

'Newtown: From a Medieval town to a saltmarsh' Guided Walk 

Newtown National Nature Reserve and Old Town Hall, Newtown, Isle of Wight

An educational and enjoyable walk around Newtown National Nature Reserve

Event summary

on
22 Sep 2024
at
10:30 to 12:30
Event

Compton Bay Fossil Walks 

Compton Bay and Downs, Isle of Wight

Various dates through the summer holidays. Join Wight Coast Fossils at Compton Bay and travel back in time 130 million years to the Cretaceous period as you discover the fossils of the Compton coast.

Event summary

on
28 Sep 2024
at
14:00 to 15:00
Event

Bat Trail at the Old Battery 

The Needles Old Battery and New Battery, Alum Bay, Isle of Wight

Join Gunner Bruce this autumn half-term for a spooky family adventure at The Needles Old Battery, where you'll help solve the mystery of the bats lurking in the fort.

Event summary

on
19 Oct to 3 Nov 2024
at
10:30 to 17:00
+ 15 other dates or times
A group of four women along a path, in the background, down a hill is a reservoir

Where will you visit next?

Discover lots of gardens, historic houses, days out at the coast and more.