Local Walks from Freshwater Bay car park

Lasting up to 1 hour

 Walk 1 takes you from the Bay, along Gate Lane, past Dimbola Lodge, St Agnes thatched church and along the original back entrance to the Farringford which starts almost opposite to the Freshwater Bay Post Office. The lane leads up to the wooden bridge that crosses the path from the back of  Farringford house and this bridge was used by Alfred Lord Tennyson to access the Downs. Turning left here takes you up onto the Downs and then back to the Bay.

 From the car park, carefully cross the road to the Bay frontage. Here,  turn right and head towards the Albion Hotel. At the hotel, follow the  road as it goes eastwards. This is Gate Lane and just beyond the car  park for the Albion there is the bus stop and behind, some toilets. A  path follows the grass beside Gate Lane and ahead of you is Dimbola  Lodge. This was once the home of  Julia Margaret Cameron who was  a pioneering Victorian lady photographer. She came to the area as a  friend of Alfred Lord Tennyson and based a lot of her photographs on  texts from his poems as well as photographing his friends. The  museum  displays some of her works, holds regular exhibits from other  photographers as well as commemorating the Islands' Pop Festivals.  Dimbola also contains a tea rooms.

 Carry on along Gate Lane and you pass a row of very attractive  Victorian villa properties. Beyond a second bus stop and public  telephone lies the thatched church of St Agnes. Not quite as old as it  looks but said to be one of only four left in the country and much  photographed. Carrying on again up Gate Lane you pass on the right  the Freshwater Bay Post Office. Once a piano maker's shop and local library, this is a real gem and sells most stationery requirements, plus buckets, spades and ice creams! You will also see Orchards shop on the corner, well worth a visit as a traditional English corner shop, lots of good things to eat! Between the Post Office and Orchards, on the same side of the road as the church you will find a rough lane going behind the Farringford golf course. F47. As you approach the wooden footbridge the lane goes to the left. Follow this between the fields up to the downs. There are lovely views all along this route. Passing through the gate onto the Downs there is a choice. For those that are fit enough, going straight on up the slope and onto the top of the Downs, for others turn left and follow the track to a gate. This will take you out onto the top of Easton Field. Again, here there is a choice. Straight ahead is another small gate that will take you down a path beside Bakers Farm and the Thatched Church, or take a diagonal route across the field and down towards the toilets. Here there is a gate and stile that allows you to depart the field and make your way back down to Gate Lane and the car park.

Walk 2. This walk starts in a similar manner to walk 1 but cuts out the climb onto the Downs and instead replaces it with more farm land and takes you past the entrance to the Farringford.

  From the car park, carefully cross the road to the Bay frontage.   Here,  turn right an head towards the Albion Hotel. At the hotel,   follow the  road as it goes eastwards. This is Gate Lane and just   beyond the car  park for the Albion there is the bus stop and behind,   some toilets. A  path follows the grass beside Gate Lane and ahead   of you is Dimbola  Lodge. This was once the home of  Julia Margaret   Cameron who was  a pioneering Victorian lady photographer. She   came to the area as a  friend of Alfred, Lord Tennyson and based a lot   of her photographs on  texts from his poems as well as photographing   his friends. The  museum displays some of her works, holds regular   exhibits from other  photographers as well as commemorating the   Island's Pop Festivals.  Dimbola also contains a tea room.

  Carry on along Gate Lane and you pass a row of very attractive   Victorian villa properties. Beyond a second bus stop and public   telephone lies the thatched church of St Agnes. Not quite as old as it   looks but said to be one of only four left in the country and much   photographed. Carrying on again up Gate Lane you pass on the right  the Freshwater Bay Post Office. Once a piano maker's shop and local library, this is a real gem and sells most stationery requirements, plus buckets, spades and ice creams! You will also see Orchards shop on the corner, well worth a visit as a traditional English corner shop, lots of good things to eat! Between the Post Office and Orchards, on the same side of the road as the church you will find a rough lane going behind the Farringford golf course. F47. As you approach the wooden footbridge the lane goes to the left. Follow this between the fields up to the downs. There are lovely views all along this route. Passing through the gate onto the Downs turn right and follow the track along the base of the Downs. You will come to an area that has been cleared as a small quarry. There are some small trees here on the right, at the end of the field. Go into the trees and there is a stile on the right that leads into a fenced off passage along the field edge. Follow this down the slope of the field with views ahead to Freshwater, Golden Hill fort and the Solent. The path going down the fields passes over another stile before turning right towards the Farringford Farm. By the farm is another stile which takes you into the lane that runs through the farm and also along the back of the Farringford. Again, here you have a choice, either carry on and join the upward route at the wooden bridge or turn left with the farm on your left and the Farringford cottages on your right. This lane takes you down to Bedbury Lane. Here, turn right and follow this road past the entrance and frontage of the Farringford. Eventually Bedbury Lane becomes Gate Lane at the junction with Orchards shop. Carry on straight ahead and the thatched church will be on your right. Follow Gate lane down to the Bay and the car park.

Walk 3. This walk takes you slightly up the Military Road, then down towards the barrier and into old Freshwater. Then back across the barrier and up to Afton Marsh. Along Afton Marsh and back to the Bay via Coastguard Lane. There are several "watering holes" along the route.

  From the car park turn left and cross Afton Road. Proceed upwards   along the Military Road until you come to the grass area on the left   which called Tots Plot. There is an unmade up roadway coming out   here with signs to Freshwater Golf Club. Turn left into Southdown   Road and follow this down to the "T" junction with Afton Road,   which is also an unmade up road. Turn right and follow this to the   junction with Newport Road. Almost directly across this road is The   Causeway. A quiet lane, this takes you alongside fields of corn to the   barrier. Designed to protect the water levels in Afton Marsh, this is a   very scenic spot at the top of the Western Yar river. If you carry on   across the barrier the lane goes up to Old Freshwater based  around   the large church of All Saints. One of the oldest churches on  the Island   it has a lovely position and the grave yard contains the remains of   Alfred, Lord Tennyson's wife as well as other famous local people.   Old Freshwater is also the site of the Red Lion Pub, famous for serving   good food. In the summer months it does get  very crowded with   yachts people, who have walked up from Yarmouth. Going back to   the barrier, cross it until you are opposite to the path that goes down   the river to Yarmouth. Then turn right and head back towards the Downs. Follow the path until it meets Afton Road. On the right is a very popular cafe, The End of the Line. Cross Afton Road and go slightly left to the entrance to Afton Marsh nature reserve. Follow the path through the marsh, crossing over a small bridge where the steam divides. You will come out on Blackbridge Road. Turn right for about 25 metres and then follow the path on your left, down the rest of the marsh towards the Bay. The path eventually leads into Coastguard Lane at the back of the Sandpipers Hotel. Follow this down and it joins Gate Lane opposite to the Albion Hotel. Turn left to go back to the car park.

Other quick walks are readily available by following the Coastal Path as it leaves the Bay, either alongside the Military Road or by going the other way, along Gate Lane to the toilets and heading left.

See the Picture Gallery for sample views. The pictures in the gallery have been reduced in quality in order to speed up the site but we hope that they give some sort of idea of the views that you will see on these walks.