Isle of Wight Walks (Part One) - Niton

A new series of occasional articles by Isle of Wight Review on some walks to be enjoyed around the Island.

The Niton walk outlined below features some magnificent scenery including views across the Channel, however it is only for accomplished walkers. Much of it is beside the cliff-edge and it also includes a steep descent using a path which is damaged in places. On the plus side it passes some splendid pubs. In all it is 4.1 miles (6.6 kilometres) in length.

1. Park up at the car park serving Niton Youth Club, beside the White Lion public house. Turn right out of the car park, then left at the T-junction and continue to the Church. At the lychgate turn right into Pan Lane. Continue along the lane, which becomes Bridleway NT53. At some point along this path you will think you have taken a wrong turning or misread the instructions - everybody does. Have faith, you are going the right way. Eventually you will reach Bridleway NT58 at which you should turn left and proceed until you reach a gate with a cattlegrid.

2. Go through the gate and look for a stile roughly ahead of you on the skyline. Climb the hill and over the stile before continuing towards a second stile beside a triangulation point. If you are in the right place you will probably have passed a lot of cows. After crossing the stile bear left and head towards St. Catherine's Oratory before continuing down the slope towards the sea. Follow the path down the hill, over a stile and around the edge of a field (more cows) to another stile which is at the top of some steps. Walk down the steps until you reach the road and cross into Blackgang View Car Park.

3. Walk across the car park and climb the steps to the Coastal Path, which runs along the clifftop. Turn left when you reach the cliff edge (please!) and follow the path until you see a triangulation point on your left (please note that many walkers are tempted to switch to a lower path running parallel, which is accessed by walking through some vegetation. This is okay, except that when the path finishes walkers then need to rejoin the clifftop path by walking back through some more vegetation, which at this point is considerably more dense and contains some nettles). About 10 yards before a second triangulation point on your right take the path NT36 with steps on your right. These steps are very steep and broken in parts, and need to be negotiated with caution. At the foot of the steps turn left onto the tarmac road. At the first junction turn right and continue down the hill, then left into St. Catherine's Road towards The Buddle Inn.

4. Immediately beyond the beer garden at The Buddle Inn turn left onto Footpath NT30 and upon reaching the tarmac road turn right. When the road joins Barrack Shute continue up the hill for about 150 yards before turning right onto the Coastal Path and at the next footpath junction turn right again and continue along Coastal Path NT29. Almost immediately the footpath forks and walkers should take the left fork up a hill until reaching a junction with Footpath NT27. Turn left onto this footpath (which by now is on an open field and thus partially obscured, but if you miss it there is another running broadly parallel) and head back into Niton, which is straight ahead of you.

This walk will take experienced walkers perhaps some 2 hours, whilst others should plan for 3 hours just to be safe.

Please note the author personally "tests" these walks before sharing them on this site, so please be patient for the next one.