But no! DinoWight says that “The majority of dinosaur fossils are found along the south-west coast at Hanover Point, Chilton Chine and Brighstone Bay ” before adding that “Dinosaur remains are also found at Yaverland. Red Funnel’s guide says that Thorness Bay, Whitecliff Bay, Gurnard Bay and Hamstead are best. UK Fossils reckons that Hamstead, Yarmouth and Whitecliff Bay are the best spots. It's not a sandy paradise but it's got some green space to run around and - remarkably - free parking.īearded experts can’t quite decide on the best Isle of Wight beach for fossil hunting. You can book the barbecues for big groups, or you can just turn up and tap your watch in a passive aggressive way until other users move along.įort Victoria is a former military battery which is by a shingle beach looking towards Hurst Castle on the mainland. The beach there is known as Sconce Point. They are metal stands which stick out the ground with the idea being that you bring your own disposable barbecues. The clue is in the word 'disposable', buster.Įqually, there are some people who start up huge fires when there is a strong wind on a crowded beach, so that everyone else suffocates.įort Victoria in Yarmouth has some purpose-built barbecues you can use for free. I thought twice about recommending a barbecue spot on the Isle of Wight, as there are some uncivilised folk out there who leave used disposable BBQs on the beach and happily trot home. Ventnor is sort of sandy, but it was hit by a big storm which made it shingly and it has been recovering ever since. You'll also find good sand at low tide at Totland Bay, Whitecliff Bay, Compton Bay and Colwell Bay. Priory Bay has wonderful golden sand but it's harder to access. At a rough guess, I'd say there is 3-4 miles of sand along that part of the Isle of Wight's coast. Admittedly, some parts are a bit stony at high tide. The stretch of coastline from Yaverland to Shanklin, via Sandown and Lake is almost entirely sandy. There are some shingly bits if you want to be picky. The sand is soft and - dare I say it - golden on a sunny day. In the meantime, I will offer some suggestions.Īppley in Ryde is a good choice as there is a long sandy beach even at high tide. My high court libel case against the website is still at the crowdfunding stage. This is piffle, flim-flam and nonsensical nonsense. I read a blog recently which made a throwaway comment suggesting that you shouldn't expect golden sandy beaches if you visit the Isle of Wight. You can even copy my idea of spelling out a romantic message in the sand and wandering along the cliff top. The downside with Thorness Bay is that you have to navigate your way through a large caravan park with a one-way system to get to the shore, which might be a mood killer. Thorness Bay in itself isn't a stunning beach - it's fairly scrubby, but at night it has really lovely sunsets (read about our visit to Thorness Bay ). I fear this might prove a bit distracting. However, it isn't quite as remote as the other two because it is backed by massive houses owned by bare-chested men who like to sit on their balconies and expose their moobs. Gurnard is ideal for finding a bench, opening a punnet of strawberries and admiring the yachts passing on the Solent. I spent many nights lying in bed, wide awake, trying to decide between Compton Bay, Thorness Bay and Gurnard. This one is a tough one to call, and you've got to get it right if you are proposing. Well done to the Isle of Wight Council, Sandown Town Council and Sandown Beach Lifeguards who provide the two chairs. That means there's a risk that a German wheelchair user will turn up at 6am and put their towels on them. They are free to use but you have to pay a £20 deposit, and you can't book them. They've got super big 'balloon tyres' which can cope with Sandown's soft surface. Sandown deserves a notable mention as you can hire beach wheelchairs. There's a helpful list of public toilets and RADAR key advice on the Isle of Wight council website. There's also a glorious walk along the seawall from Bonchurch to Ventnor which is step free. In the past we've taken a wheelchair partway down the slope which leads to the beach at Ventnor with the rest of the party sat nearby. There is usually space in the car park at the end of the Esplanade (the Haven Fishery end rather than the Spyglass end), there's a disabled toilet, there are plenty of places to admire the view and at least one of the cafes is accessible (we have used Besty and Spinky's but I think others are accessible). Ventnor is one of the most accessible spots we've found. If you are a wheelchair user, or you are planning day trips with a wheelchair user then you'll know that even minor obstacles can scupper the day.
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