Beautiful open downland,sheer chalk cliffs and dramatic sea views
The Needles Headland has been voted as no. 29 in 'Britain’s Favourite Walks: Top 100'. Follow our trail across the downs and you'll walk past the iconic Needles Rocks and the Needles Battery where you can even stop for a bite to eat in our tea-room.
Be inspired as Tennyson was
Tennyson Down is probably one of the most popular places to walk on the Island. You can enjoy it just for the great leg-stretch from Freshwater Bay to the Needles Headland, and drink in the salt laden air that so inspired Tennyson. However every time you visit, the light and weather conditions are different so it is well worth returning.
A great place to be
You are perched above high chalk cliffs and transluscent seas that reflect the light in so many different ways. Amongst the gorse bushes are small birds and thousands of minute downland flowers and cliff nesting birds soar effortlessly along the cliff tops using the updrafts.
Downland management today
We are restoring more of Tennyson Down back to open chalk grassland. Since the 1920s the Downs had fewer grazing animals, which allowed the whole of the sheltered north side of the Down to grow up with young ash woodland and many of the chalk grassland flowers and butterfies have disappeared. Cattle have been reintroduced to the Down and areas of young ash trees are being removed where the soil is suitably thin to allow the chalk grassland to gradually return and provide more wonderful open downland to wander across.
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points. Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you the Gift Aid Admission prices. But it's entirely up to you which ticket you choose. If you want the Standard Admission instead, just let us know when you come to pay.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid* — an extra 25 per cent — potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below: Payment of the additional percentage donation is entirely voluntary, so if you prefer to pay the standard admission please advise our reception staff at the till point.
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid donations must be supported by a valid Gift Aid declaration and a Gift Aid declaration can only cover donations made by an individual for him/herself or for him/herself and members of his/her family.
