West Wight

About

The port of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight has a ferry link to Lymington and is packed with maritime history.

It was sacked by the French in 1377 and 1524 and King Henry VII built the castle as a coastal defence in 1547. The unique 700ft long timber pier is a grade II listed structure, which was restored in the 1990s’ helped by public support.

Situated on the Estuary of the Western River Yar, picturesque Yarmouth Harbour has berthing and onshore facilities for visiting yachtsmen. Yarmouth has some excellent small shops, cafes, restaurants and traditional pubs.

With its extensive shopping area, nearby Freshwater has the air of a town, but in fact holds the status of a village. Freshwater Bay is a splendid starting point for walks along the Tennyson Trail, with its breathtaking views across the sea, or for the inland nature trail through Afton Marsh.

Toland Bay has a delightful small beach with a short esplanade and privately owned pier. Nearby is Alum Bay, renowned for its coloured sand cliffs and Pleasure Park. There is a chairlift to the beach below, from where, weather permitting, you can take a boat trip to view the Needles rocks. To the east of Totland Bay is Colwell Bay, a popular family beach, good for swimming with a wide range of equipment available for water sports.