Malcolm Smith's Walking Pages

Malcolm Smith's
Walks Pages

... ISLE OF WIGHT ...

The Worsley Trail
(Brighstone Forest to Shanklin)

Distance	-	About 13 miles
Start point	-	National Trust car park at Mottistone Down (OS Ref. SZ421847)
Date walked	-	Saturday 15 July 2006
Weather	-	Sunny and very warm.
Conditions	-	Dry and hard underfoot.
Note	-	The Worsley Trail is well described in the booklet The Coastal Path & Inland Trails
		on the Isle of Wight published by Isle of Wight Tourism. These notes were taken independantly
		without reference to that book.

From the National trust car park, cross the road, which is Brighstone Shute, and take Byway BS10, a gravel track that rises up following the edge of the forest. Pass through two pedestrian gates en route until reaching the crest of Limerstone Down at a viewpoint.

Continue ahead downward on the track heading towards the TV transmitter mast, passing a gravel works. Pass through a gate where there is a chalk pit on the left. Pass through another gate and continue ahead on Bridleway SW51 to reach the road which is Cheverton Shute.

Cross the road and proceed ahead on Bridleway SW49 then, after passing through a gate, keep to the fence on the left hand side. Through the next gate, bear left then immediately turn right and descend the hill on the track which is footpath SW50a towards New Barn Farm. Halfway down, turn left up the steep grassy slope to join Bridleway SW15. Pass through a gate and keep to the right as going downhill then bear left to follow under electric overhead cables. After the next gate keep to the right hand side to reach National trust land on the edge of Chillerton Down. Exit through the gate on the right and follow the grass track which is Bridleway G12, turn left along Bridleway G13 to reach the road.

Turn right along the road then bear left at the junction and follow the lane round the bottom of Berry Hill. Keep to the lane until the next junction at which turn right to Roslin Farm. On reaching the farm, turn left onto Bridleway G14, pass through a gate then follow the track. Pass through another gate before reaching Cridmore Lane.

Turn right along the lane to pass Cridmore farm then turn left onto Bridleway G24 and continue ahead past farm buildings then onto a grassy track. After the third gate, bear right along the fenceline. Pass through a gate by a tree then cross a footbridge next to a ford and follow Bridleway G9 right round the edge of a closely mown field until reaching a gate onto a sandy track. Turn right along the track for a short distance then cross a stile on the left to join Footpath GL10 which leads to Niton Road.

Turn right and follow the Stewardship footpath which runs parallel to the road along Bleak Down. Go through the gate then cross the stile at the end onto the road. Turn right then left onto Bridleway GL15 and on passing through a gate, bear diagonally left down the field to the corner and pass through two gates. Keep right and go through a gate onto Noddy Hill.

Turn left along Bagwick Lane then take Bridleway GL21 to the right to pass through woodland. Turn right a continue downwards, crossing a stream and passing a pond, to reach Whitwell Road. Cross the road and continue ahead on GL21 to Church Lane at Godshill.

Turn right along the road and continue ahead at the junction where the road becomes Sainham Lane / Sheepwash Lane. Pass the entrance to Sainham Farm, then just before the summit of the road, turn left onto public bridleway GL56 which runs up to the left of a copse. At the back of Sainham Farm, pass through a gate and take the right-hand path, crossing a stile and proceeding uphill towards a transmitter mast. Pass through a high gate and follow the fence line on the left of the field. Cross a stile into woodland, leaving again through a gate.

On reaching a crossing of paths, turn left on public bridleway GL49 which skirts Gat Cliff. On descending from the summit, pass through a pedestrian gate then trough a further gate to pick up on a track which descends through Freemantle Copse to reach Freemantle Gate on the boundary of the Appuldurcombe Estate.

Turn right to pass through the gate on public bridleway GL44, Shortly afterwards, bear left on public bridleway GL44 and descend the field towards Wroxall. Cross the stile out of the field and turn left down Appuldurcombe Road to St.Johns Road in Wroxall.

Turn right then immediately cross the road and ascend the steps on the embankment of the former railway line. At the top, turn right along the line parallel to the road. At the bridge, turn left over the bridge on Castle Road. Take Station Road uphill past the cemetery then leave to the right over a stile onto public footpath V30 which runs along the top of a steep drop on the left. Cross a stile and take the right-hand path which is public footpath V33, and keep to the left edge of the field. Pass a stone marker of the site of Cook's Castle.

Cross a stile into scrub woodland and descend gently to a split in the path. Take the right fork to cross a stile into a field, then turn left and follow the edge of the field, as indicated by the Worsley Trail sign on public footpath V44. Leave over the stile on the left then keep to the left of the ensuing field, roughly following the contour of the hill. At the next stile, continue as before on public footpath SS10. Cross another stile then soon start to descend, After the next stile the descent increases, utilising a set of steps, passing through a clearing and down more steps. Leave the scrubland over a stile, cross two fields with a stile in between. Leave over a stile to pass through a short piece of woodland then cross a stone stile into the grounds of St.Blasius church at Shanklin.

Turn left along Church Road to reach Shanklin old village.

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