Malcolm Smith's Walking Pages

Malcolm Smith's
Walks Pages

... ISLE OF WIGHT ...

RYDE - SANDOWN (via the Nunwell Trail)

Distance	-	About 9 miles
Start point	-	Ryde Bus Station (OS Ref. SZ930593)
Date walked	-	Sunday 23 April 2006
Weather	-	Overcast with sunny spells.
Conditions	-	Dry and hard underfoot.
Note	-	The Nunwell Trail is well described in the booklet The Coastal Path & Inland Trails
		on the Isle of Wight published by Isle of Wight Tourism.

Turn left out of the bus station along The Esplanade. Bear right at the roundabout along East Street then right again into Monkton Street. Continue to the end then turn left into St.John's Road, crossing the railway bridge before turning right into High Street. At the end, turn right again then enter the car park and take Footpath R.54 to the left.

The path passes a playground before entering woodland then runs alongside the railway. On reaching Smallbrook Lane,turn right and follow the road over the railway passing Rosemary Vinyard on the way. Leave to the left on Footpath R.50 which runs between sports fields then the Speedway Staduim. Continue the speedway car park then take the footpath out through a swing gate to meet Ashey Road.

Turn left along the road then leave to the left between some houses onto Footpath R.35 which starts on a gravel track. Cross a stream then pass through a gate. Take the foot crossing over the railway and continue ahead along the left hand side of the field. At the gate, turn right along a grass track to Whitefield Farm. Leave the farmyard through the small gate on the left then bear right towards woodland. Pass through a gate then keep to the right hand side of the field. After the next gate, keep to the left hand side of the following field. Pass through another gate then keep to the right towards the corner of a copse at which turn left along the track which is Footpath B.19 until reaching the road which is Hardingshute.

Turn right, passing a pond then Hardingshute Farm. At the road junction, bear right then turn immediately left along Nunwell Farm Lane. Pass Nunwell Farm, then at the end of the lane by the lodge, turn right onto the track which is Footpath B.59. Bear uphill along the edge of woodland then turn right onto Footpath B.23 to Brading Down. Pass through a gate then bear left uphill. Through another gate leads along Footpath B.30 out onto the road on top of Brading Down. Turn right and follow the road to the crest of the hill.

Turn right and follow the road to the crest of the hill then leave to the left on Footpath B.43 which runs steeply downhill on a grassy path known as Blind Lane. At the bottom continue ahead on a lane then, at the road junction, ahead again through Alverstone village. Cross the river then turn left on Footpath NC.17 into Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve.

After a series of boardwalks and stiles, the path runs through woodland then exits via a squeeze stile. Turn left and follow the path in a semi-circle. leaving to the left through a gate. Cross a stream and pass under electricity wires and follow the track which is Footpath SS.47 ahead past the golf course. Pass through two gates by the golf clubhouse then continue ahead on the road passing sports fields. At the bend continue ahead along the edge of a green to another road.

Cross straight over onto the footpath (Station Approach) and through the subway under the railway. Continue ahead, past Sandown railway station then bear right along Nunwell Street. At the end, turn left into Melville Street. Cross Broadway and continue on Melville Street. Cross Beachfield Road to Esplanade to reach Sandown Pier.

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