The Walk
This is a wander, rather than a walk. There are nine information boards sited around the Victorian town of Ventnor, and the idea is that you walk from one to another, or just find them as you walk around the town. If you want to walk this as a complete trail, you can walk from number one to number seven, which takes you from the Heritage Centre in the town, down to the Esplanade, back up steep steps to Belgrave Road, then along to the park and further west to the Botanic Garden in St Lawrence. After this the trail doubles back and climbs, first up to the Industrial Estate, which was the central train station before the lines were taken out, and then on up to the top of Ventnor Down. If you’re walking this last leg you do need to be fairly fit as the pathway is very steep!
The information boards are at:
- Spring Hill, opposite the Heritage Centre, where you learn about Ventnor’s royal prisoner and the local beer.
- Winter Gardens – David Bowie once played here you know.
- Ventnor Haven – the lost pier and Hygeia.
- Esplanade – smugglers and hot sea water baths.
- Belgrave Road – the now gone art deco cinema and the microclimate.
- Steephill – the forgotten castle.
- Ventnor Botanic Garden – site of the TB Hospital.
- Industrial Estate – the age of steam.
- Ventnor Down – a secret bunker, magic well and ancient cemetery
Getting There
- By Foot: Ventnor is on the Isle of Wight Coastal path.
- By Bike: Ventnor is on the Sustrans ‘Round the Island’ regional route 67, which skirts the top of the town.
- By Car: Direct your sat nav to PO38 1PE and park in the Central Car Park (charges apply), which is next to the first board on this trail.
- By Bus: Southern Vectis buses, numbers 3 or 6.
A leaflet on this walk can be downloaded here
