Isle of Wight

A coastal walk at St Helens Duver

A grassy path entices the walker onto St Helens Duver — A path over St Helens Duver with Bembridge harbour beyond | © National Trust / Sue Oldham

This varied coastal walk exploring St Helens Duver will take you along a sandy spit of land rich in wildlife and history. From busy Bembridge harbour you'll pass along the rocky seashore before climbing up inland and returning via picturesque St Helens village.

Near to

St Helens Duver

Start point

St Helens Duver National Trust car park, grid ref: SZ637892

Trail information

View route

Print trail

Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 3.8 (km: 6.08)

Short trail

DistanceMiles: 3.2 (km: 5.12)

Duration1 hour 30 mins to 2 hours

Dog friendly

*Some steep gradients which can be slippery after wet weather. Beware of incoming tides on the coastal section. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**Parts of the route can be accessed with wheelchairs and pushchairs but steps on the beach is not suitable for either.

Check the tide times before you set off

Only attempt the longer walk in the two hours either side of low tide, otherwise it's a dangerous scramble over slippery rocks. For further details and guidance on tide times, please see the Terrain section.

Address
National Trust car park, St Helens Duver, Isle of Wight. Nearest postcode PO33 1XY.
Directions via Google Maps
On foot
This trail meets the Isle of Wight coastal path between St Helens Duver and Seagrove Bay.
By ferry
Fishbourne to Portsmouth (Wightlink, tel: 0871 376 1000) 7 miles (11km).
Visit Wightlink website
East Cowes to Southampton (Red Funnel, tel: 0844 844 9988) 11 miles (18km).
Visit Wightlink website
Bembridge Harbour has moorings for private boats.
By bus
Southern Vectis (tel: 01983 827 000) No. 8 service from Newport and Ryde, hourly. Alight at St Helens village green on B3330. The Duver is a half-mile walk down the Duver Road or the path beside St Helens Common.
Visit Southern Vectis website
Cycling
'Round the Island' Sustrans regional route 67 passes half a mile from the start of the trail.
Visit Round the Island cycle route website
By road
The start point is half a mile from the B3330 Seaview to Bembridge road, east of St Helens Green, 5 miles (8km) south west from Ryde on A3055 and B3330 and 4.5 miles (7km) north west of Sandown on the A3055 and B3330. The nearest postcode PO33 1XY.
Only attempt the longer walk within two hours either side of low tide, otherwise it would be a dangerous scramble over slippery rocks. The alternative footpath shown on the map through Priory Woods is often closed due to severe mud. So when the tide is high, we strongly suggest following the coastal path directly from route step 3 to step 5, which misses out Priory Bay but is safe in all conditions. This route alternative is 0.5 miles (0.8km) shorter and is described within step 3.

Total ascent is 80m (250ft) for the longer low-tide route, or 55m (180ft) for the shorter

Bembridge tide times (which apply to St Helens Duver)

https://www.hampshire-tides.com/bembridge-approaches-tide-times

Coastal walk at St Helens Duver elevation map | © National Trust / Sue Oldham
Total stages: 6
Total stages: 6
Start point
St Helens Duver National Trust car park, grid ref: SZ637892
Stage 1
Leave the National Trust car park by following the hedge to the left of the interpretation panel and parking meter and go on up the sandy path by the green dog bin. Cross the grass and go on over the road, aiming for the boats in Bembridge Harbour.
The Duver
St Helens Duver is a sand and shingle spit which has built up over hundreds of years. The dunes which have formed here have stabilised. This is because the concrete sea wall built in the late 19th century has prevented any more sand being added, allowing acid grasslands and scrub to develop. The prestigious Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club was founded here in 1882 and the future King Edward VII was a member. The clubhouse is now a National Trust holiday cottage.
Stage 2
Turn left along the embankment path which soon leads away from the water, then cross the road and take the grassy path which heads over to houses on the right. Follow a track between the houses onto the promenade. Turn left and walk along the promenade to the remains of St Helens Old Church. Go past the church and continue to an interpretation panel along with a National Trust sign for Node's Point; go onto the sands here.
Limestone ledges
Stretching from St Helens Old Church to Node's Point, these rocky outcrops of Bembridge limestone are one of the best places to go rock-pooling. The limestone crevices provide shelter for whelks, limpets and periwinkles. Barnacles often encrust the rock, sea anemones live in the pools, many different types of worm live in the sands and sea squirts cling to the rocks. Small fish such as blennies and gobies hide amongst the seaweed and even seahorses have been seen here.
The limestone ledges off St Helens Duver are one of the best places to go rockpooling | © National Trust / Rob Warburton
Stage 3
*Low-tide route only* Walk along the sands for about a mile passing through three rocky headlands. After crossing the third headland (Horestone Point) take the raised boardwalk along the back of Seagrove Bay. *High-tide route* Back-track to the road by St Helens Old Church, turn right and follow it for 110 yds (100m). Take the signed coastal path through a memorial gate on the right and go up the right edge of the field. Cross a bridge over a stream, through another memorial gate then continue diagonally up the next field to a metal kissing gate in the top right corner. Turn right along the road, bearing left at the caravan park entrance. The footpath goes just to the left of the Priory Bay Hotel stone gateposts and follows the left-hand edge of woodland. You'll reach step 5 at the path junction where the wood ends: turn left to the stile and gate.
St Helens Fort
St Helens Fort was part of a defence system put in place by Prime Minister Lord Palmerston to defend Portsmouth from French attack. The fort has been used as a navigational lighthouse and the lighthouse keeper’s daughter, 15-year-old Ethel Langton, was once stranded there with her dog Badger. Stormy seas prevented her parents’ return for three days. Every four hours she had to climb a steep ladder to check the lamps were still lit. She was awarded a medal for her courage.
Stage 4
*Low-tide route only* Walk along the promenade and, at the end of it, take the road left up a slipway and hill, climbing Ferniclose Road, footpath R74. Continue to the top of the hill, reaching a gate next to a stile 55yds (50m) beyond the Priory Hotel driveway.
Priory Bay
Priory Bay is a secluded tree-lined beach with sweeping golden sands which are revealed at low tide. It has great views to the Spinnaker tower in Portsmouth, and offshore to No Man’s Fort and Horse Sand Fort, two of a chain of rugged granite islands built in the Solent by the Victorians. They were originally used as defence for Portsmouth Dockyard in the Second World War, but they are now luxury hotels.
Stage 5
Go through the gate or over the stile and continue straight on, keeping a hedge on your left. Go through a field gate next to another stile at the field boundary and follow in the same direction until you reach a road via a memorial gate. Turn right for 25yds (25m) then left along footpath R82 to St Helens. Bending left at a junction by the school, cross a cul-de-sac and follow a path between houses, before emerging alongside the Vine Inn. Turn left and continue along the pavement back towards the Duver, notice the plaque to Sophie Dawes on a house on your left almost opposite Mill Road. Turn right into Duver Road when the main road bends sharply left.
Queen of Chantilly
The blue plaque in St Helens village marks the birthplace of Sophie Dawes, daughter of a renowned local smuggler. After an enforced stay in the workhouse after her father’s death, Sophie used her guile and cunning to climb the social ladder to a position of eminence – but later notoriety – at the French court. She became the mistress of a duke and married his military aide. Her downfall came after the duke was found hanged in mysterious circumstances after rewriting his will in her favour.
Stage 6
Just before some traffic lights, turn right onto a path which leads through St Helens Common. Go down this path and cross a wooden footbridge to an interpretation panel. Continue along the path for 60yds (55m) then head diagonally left across the grassy area and back to the car park.
St Helens Common
St Helens Common is an area of deciduous woodland and meadow. It is now grazed by very woolly black Hebridean sheep. At the edge of the common is the Gaggen path. This gets its name from the press gangs who would come ashore to try and boost crew numbers in the days when St Helens was an important port. Naval and merchant fleets would often anchor in the sheltered waters to take supplies on board – St Helens water was known to have excellent keeping qualities.
The Gaggen Path and Hebridean sheep on St Helens Common | © National Trust and National Trust / Sue Oldham
End point
St Helens Duver National Trust car park, grid ref: SZ637892
Trail map
Coastal walk at St Helens Duver map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2015 Ordnance Survey
You made it
Share your experience