A flat walk on the Isle of Wight for the whole family

Now the warmer days are upon us, what better way to spend an hour or so than taking a walk along the coast, complete with a bite to eat whilst soaking up the sunshine?

This next instalment of our walking blogs from our Shanklin branch promises just that…

An easy, flat walk that is suitable for most of the family, a walk from Shanklin to Yaverland is approximately three miles, but given it’s pretty much a straight line, you can always cut it a bit shorter if you prefer. 

Park up in Hope Road Long Stay Car Park and from here, walk along the Esplanade with the sea on your right, and the view of Culver Cliffs stretching out ahead of you. As you head into the section of the Esplanade in Lake, you’ll find Wight Waters, which is the perfect stop if you want to give windsurfing, kayaking or paddleboarding a try. Right next door is Tradewinds, a lovely little cafe, where the owners take inspiration for the menu from their former home in Hawaii!

Keep heading along the esplanade, or even along the beach if the tide is out and you’ll find yourself getting closer to Sandown pretty quickly. If you haven’t already stopped, a good place to rest for a while is Fins Beach Cafe, which sits not too far from Sandown Pier. Watch the waves and relax on the beachfront terrace.

Continue heading towards Yaverland and you’ll pass some of the Island’s top family attractions, including Sandham Gardens, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary and Dinosaur Isle. Here you can also book a guided fossil walk on Yaverland Beach and learn why the Isle of Wight is one of the top places in the UK for finding fossils and discover the many species that have walked this land.

You’ve now made it to Yaverland Beach. A beautiful sandy beach, welcoming dogs all year round, you can relax to the sound of the waves, watch the paddleboarders glide across the glistening sea, or indulge in that classic British summer pastime – a bit of sandcastle building!