Downlands to Brighstone

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Our view

"From the downland above Brighstone to the wild and beautiful shore."

Walk directions

From the car park, turn left along the A3055 to a stile on the right, waymarked ‘Hamstead Trail’, and walk across the field to a track. Keep ahead beside cottages and maintain this direction along a hedged path and then a field. On reaching a crossing of tracks continue heading uphill on a metalled track. Bear left then right around Dunsbury Farm to a T-junction.

Follow the road as it rises by the farmhouse to the brow and turn left up a track signed to ‘Brook Down (BS49)’. At the junction of tracks turn right beneath telephone wires and pass through a gate and onto Brook Down. Go through a gate and continue to climb, shortly bearing right onto a heavily rutted track to follow the track downhill beside a line of electricity poles. Keep right at a chalk track, go through a gate, to leave Brook Down, and cross the B3399 to a gate and bridleway, signed to ‘Carisbrooke’.

Climb steadily along the main Tennyson Trail across the downland to a gate on the top of Mottistone Down. Just before the gate, pause and take in the view from the early Bronze Age barrows in the enclosures on the left of the track. Descend to the car park and turn right along the lane. After a few paces turn left along a stony track.

Follow the Tennyson Trail uphill beside Brighstone Forest. After passing a fork on the left, at the second junction of paths (opposite a fingerpost), take the bridleway right through a gate and descend Limerstone Down on a gorseedged path with superb views. Ignore turnings left and right, and pass through a gate, ignoring the shady avenue of trees on the right. Then, just beyond a gate, turn right onto a grassy bridleway for Brighstone.

Head downhill through bracken and join a sandy path between trees to Brighstone. Cross the lane, walk down North Street, passing the village museum, to the B3399. Turn left, then right beside The Three Bishops pub into Warnes Lane.

Keep left of the car park, passing the school playing field, along a metalled path to a road. Turn right, then left with a waymarker and cross a footbridge. Keep to the left-hand edge of the playing field and to the rear of gardens to a lane. Cross straight over the lane and follow the fenced path to Chilton Lane.

Turn left, pass Chilton Farm and keep ahead at the sharp right-hand bend along a gravel track, passing holiday huts to the A3055. Pass through the car park opposite and follow the path to the coast. Turn right along the coast path, at the steps and soon cross a stile onto National Trust land (Sud Moor). Keep to the coast path, passing through three kissing gates to reach Brookgreen. Bear right beside the Chine and cottages, cross the bridge and turn left across the field to the car park.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Field and clifftop paths, woodland tracks, 2 stiles

Landscape - Farmland, chalk downland, woodland and coastal scenery

Dog friendliness - Off lead on Mottistone Down, otherwise keep under control

Parking - Pay-and-display National Trust car park at Brook Chine

Toilets en route - Brighstone

Walks in Isle of Wight Dog-friendly walks in Isle of Wight

About the walk

The heart of old Brighstone is one of the prettiest village scenes on the island, full of old-world charm with thatched goldenstone cottages, tea gardens and a fine Norman church. It is tucked under the downland ridge in the centre of the southwest coastal shelf, less than a mile (1.6km) from the...

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Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

Small and intimate – at just 23 miles by 13 miles, the Isle of Wight is a popular holiday destination; with its mild climate, long hours of sunshine and colourful architecture, it has something of a continental flavour. Visitors can walk along the island’s varied coastline using the well-established Coast Path or step back in time to explore the island’s history at some of the forts and castles.