Malcolm Smith's Walking Pages

Malcolm Smith's
Walks Pages

... ISLE OF WIGHT ...

NEWPORT - Circular route round the Medina estuary via Cowes

Distance	-	About 10 miles
Start point	-	Newport Harbour (OS Ref. SZ2894501)
Date walked	-	Monday 25 April 2005
Weather	-	Initially cool and overcast but some sunshine later
Conditions	-	Some muddy patches.

From the junction of Sea Street and Quay Street, walk under the flyover into the car park and follow the harbour edge. At the bus museum, bear right onto footpath N120, passing behind the Classic Boat museum and the Medina public house. Continue along the path past playing fields then, where the path turns inland, cross the grass to pick up the dirt path that follows the water's edge. The path runs through several copses and crosses three small footbridges before opening out onto grass.

At Island Harbour Marina are the remains of the paddle steamer 'Ryde'. Pick up footpath N122 and cross the lock gates and continue along the river's edge through meadows before exiting over a footbridge into scrubland next to a caravan site. Briefly come to the water again before bearing away behind a dingy park to the car park of the Folly public house.

Bear inland along Folly Lane until reaching a sharp bend and turn left into woodland on footpath CS24. Cross a style and pass under overhead electric wires in the field, leaving over a footbridge into a small wood. Continue through the next field, again under some overhead wires. Over another style and cross a third field with overhead wires to reach the corner of Whippingham churchyard. Follow the footpath along the side of the churchyard leading to a road.

Turn left onto Beatrice Avenue and continue, passing the school, until reaching Meadow Road, then turn left down a path which leads to Cadet Walk. Continue ahead to the bottom then turn right near the power station into Kingston Road and continue to the end. Turn left into Medina Road and swing round to the right as it becomes Clarence Road. At the end turn left into Ferry Road which leads down to the floating bridge.

Cross the river on the floating bridge and leave by Medina Road. Turn left into Bridge Road and left again into Pelham Road. Turn right into South Road then left into Arctic Road. Turn right into Smithards Lane then left into Tennyson Road and continue ahead into Fraser Close. Leave to the left between house numbers 7 and 13 and follow the footpath, bearing right at the bottom on footpath CS32. Cross the road then take cycleway N207 which follows a former railway line.

Shortly after crossing Stag Lane, turn left onto footpath N30 which runs down through scrub, past the former cement works, to the water. Turn right and cross the causeway to pass some houses, then join a tarmac lane. Pass Riverview Caravan Park, then shortly bear off the road on footpath N9. Walk through the grounds of a Christian Sailing Centre, passing a slipway and a jetty, then go through a style barrier and along the shoreline. Cross a sleeper footbridge then go over the access to a concrete loading jetty. Pass behind Newport Rowing Clubhouse and continue over grass to a small concrete causeway to join footpath N29. Continue along this path which follows the river before reaching the road (Little London) through an industrial estate. Remain on the road to reach Newport Harbour, passing the Bargemans Rest public house, go under the flyover and remain on Little London to reach Sea Street.

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