Malcolm Smith's Walking Pages

... ISLE OF WIGHT ...

Circular walk from Blackgang
via Chale and Pyle

Distance	-	About 8 miles
Start point	-	Car park at St.Catherine's Hill viewpoint (OS Ref. SZ491766)
Date walked	-	Sunday 25 February 2007
Weather	-	Bright with very strong wind.
Conditions	-	Slippery underfoot in places.

From car park, cross the road and ascend the steps signposted to St.Catherine's Hill. Pass through the gate and proceed half-left up the hill. Cross two stiles to reach The Oratory.

Continue past the Oratory to walk along the top of St.Catherine's Hill, keeping to the right initially to avoid an old quarry. Go through the gate at the entrance to the National Trust St.Catherine's Down on bridleway C6.

On passing Hoy's Monument, exit the National Trust in the far corner and drop down through the woodland to the bottom. Take the gate onto bridleway GL60 towards Appleford Road. Descend on the enclosed path the pass through a gate and cross a ditch and continue to descend through woodland. Cross the ditch again then over a stile, keeping to the left-hand side of the field ahead on footpath C1.

At the bottom corner of the field, cross the next stile then a ditch a pass through a gate to follow the ditch on the left-hand side of the field. Cross another stile into the next field and continue on the same line then pass through a field gate shortly before joining the road at Chale Green.

Cross over and go down Town Lane. At the crossroads at the top, go straight over into a descending sunken lane and follow the track around the edge of the farmyard. Follow the track where it bears right into a field then turn left to follow the line of the ditch. At the end, turn left and follow the track that runs slightly uphill which is bridleay C26 at Gladices.
After 100 yds, turn right between a house and a barn onto footpath C28 towards Pyle (pronounced Pilly). Cross a stile onto a footpath enclosed on both sides; cross another stile to pass through a clearing, leaving over a stile into woodland, using the boardwalk over the boggy area. On joining a track, continue ahead skirting Pyle boundary then pass through the gate into the grounds of Pyle Manor. Leave through a pedestrian gate just before meeting a road.

Cross over into Southdown and follow the road for about 50 yds then leave up bridleway C23 to the left. Pass through a pedestrian gate on the ascent, then near the top of the hill where the path splits, take the right fork onto footpath C22 passing under overhead electric cables. Pass through scrubland along the top edge of a steep slope, finally descending to meet a driveway at the junction with the lane Southdown.

Turn immediately left along the driveway of Tuttons Hill which is footpath C21, bearing left just before the house and crossing two successive stiles by a barn. Continue ahead on the drove, leaving at the end over a stile and passing under the overhead electric cables. Cross a stream via a plank bridge then keep to the left of the field, following the line of the ditch. Cross bridleway C20 where it crosses by a wier and ford, then on reaching a pumping house, bear right across the field towards a point just to the right of the brick cottage at the road. Cross a stile to the road which is the B3399 Chale Street.

Cross the road and take footpath C4 towards St.Catherine's Down, passing a few houses on the way before crossing a stile into a field. Continue ahead towards the top right-hand corner then cross another stile and keep to the right-hand side of the next field. Over the next stile, keep to the left-hand side of the field then over a further stile continue the same. On ascending ground, come into a gulley and follow it through a gate to reach the old quarry on St.Catherine's Hill.

Keep to the right of the quarry on bridleway C9 then cross a stile and descend the side of the hill on footpath C7. Continue ahead and downwards to the left of Sheep Farm to meet footpath C10 by a gate. Turn left and follow the path adjacent to the fence line until reaching a set of steps to exit to New Road at Gore Down.

Turn right and cross the road to find footpath C35 on the left which is part of the Coastal Path.Cross the stile into a level field then on the other side cross another stile and enter a thicket with woodland on the right. Continue uphill once more to cross a stile and reach the viewpoint car park.

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