Isle of Wight Coast Path

Explore the full Isle of Wight Coast Path at your own pace on a self-guided walking holiday. Accommodation, luggage transfer and custom holiday pack included.

Code	Tour	Duration	Difficulty	Price per person
IOW1	A circular trail beginning at Ryde	5 nights, 4 days walking	Demanding / Strenuous	£475
IOW2	A circular trail beginning at Ryde	6 nights, 5 days walking	Demanding	£570
IOW3	A circular trail beginning at Ryde	7 nights, 6 days walking	Moderate / Demanding	£665
IOW4	A circular trail beginning at Ryde	8 nights, 7 days walking	Moderate	£760

Start

Travel to Ryde where your first night's accommodation has been booked

Day 1

Ryde to Shalfleet(L). 17 miles (27km)

Day 2

Shalfleet(L) to Freshwater Bay. 16.5 miles (26.5km)

Day 3

Freshwater Bay to Ventnor. 18.5 miles (29.5km)

Day 4

Ventnor to Ryde. 18 miles (29km)

Finish

Depart from Ryde after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers

£40.00 per person / per night

£30.00 per person / per night

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

£50.00 per person / per night

What's included?

5 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
Breakfast each day.
Door to door luggage transfer.
Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

An extra night gives you the perfect opportunity to spend some more time exploring the sights and sounds of the Isle of Wight.

Shalfleet is a charming little village and is a good base for exploring the delightful countryside of the interior of the island. It is also a good location for visiting Newport, the capital of the Isle of Wight.

On the outskirts of the town stands the magnificent medieval hilltop fortress of Carisbrooke Castle, where Charles I was imprisoned prior to his execution in London. As well as a fascinating museum, the castle boasts a 16th century well-house, where donkeys still trudge inside a huge treadmill to raise a barrel 160ft up the well shaft. A walk around the battlements provides stunning views over the island and lofty perspectives of the castle's interior.

If you would like to take advantage of some of the finest beaches in the south of England, spend time fossil-hunting or explore the Botanical Gardens where 22 landscaped acres of subtropical plants flourish, consider the attractive seaside town of Ventnor for a rest day.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

£50.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 70 miles (112 km)
Duration: 5 nights, 4 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 16.5 miles (26.5 km)
Maximum daily distance: 18.5 miles (29.5 km)
Code: IOW1 Grade: Demanding / Strenuous
Season: 2nd January - 24th December
Start of holiday: Ryde
End of holiday: Ryde

Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Southampton and Bournemouth.

By Rail - There is a choice of rail stations at Portsmouth - Portsmouth & Southsea or Portsmouth Harbour.

By Bus - Various bus services run to and from Portsmouth.

From London - Trains run from London Waterloo station to Portsmouth Harbour. From there a ferry will be required to Ryde.

By Ferry - Ferrys run between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight (locations of which depend on whether you travel as a passenger or via car). To avoid disappointment, we advise that you book in advance.

Return To The Start - The Isle of Wight Coast Path is a circular trail beginning and ending at Ryde.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.

Customer reviews from the Isle of Wight Coast Path

“All arrangements were perfect. Route was well signposted.”
Mrs Sheetz, USA

“Enjoyed our walk immensely. Very impressed with Contours Walking Holidays!”
Ms Scott-Worthington, UK

“Extremely well organised, everything we needed to hand in the pack.”
Mrs Riley, UK

“All in all we had a wonderful holiday and I recommend the Isle of Wight to anyone looking for a coastal walk with slight differences.”
Mrs Boon, UK

“All the B&Bs booked were to a good standard, albeit each one was very different. Already discussing next year’s venture!”
Mrs Riley, UK

“First time to the Isle of Wight for some of us. Varied walking, nothing too strenuous, lovely countryside and views for much of the way. Generally excellent accommodation.”
Mr Parkinson, UK

“Isle of Wight Coastal Path is a good way of visiting/viewing the island.”
Mr Handley, UK

“The logistics were organised well.”
Mr Cramer, Netherlands

“We were blessed with fantastic weather, so we really saw the Isle of Wight at its best. All our transitions went smoothly and without a hitch. Thank you! Our information pack is always very informative and has every piece of information we need. The B&Bs are expecting us, our bags are there on arrival, and we always feel welcome and recognised as part of Contours.”
Mrs Ellington, UK

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