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.
Start point
Newtown National Nature Reserve car park, grid ref: SZ423906Trail information
*A mostly gentle walk. Some paths can get muddy. For further details, see section marked Terrain.
**Some steps and gentle ascents. Offers wheelchair accessible paths. For further details, see section marked Access.
***Dogs should be kept on a lead at all times. For further details, see section marked Facilities.
Total stages: 8
Total stages: 8
Start point
Newtown National Nature Reserve car park, grid ref: SZ423906
Stage 1
Turn right from car park entrance and follow road down the hill, past the Old Town Hall.
Newtown Old Town Hall, Isle of Wight | © ©National Trust Images/Scott King Stage 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.
Stage 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.
Marbled white and common blue butterflies | © National Trust / Matthew Oates (marbled white) and Sue Davies (common blue) Stage 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.
Stage 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.
Stage 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.
Stage 7
Take the broad track heading away from Town Quay through Town Copse, eventually reaching the road.
Stage 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 | © Crown copyright and database rights 2015 Ordnance Survey
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