Shanklin to Ryde Coastal Walk

13.7 miles (22 km)

This walk follows the Isle of Wight Coast Path from Shanklin to Ryde on the eastern side of the island. The route follows the waymarked path north for just under 14 miles, passing Culver Down, Bembridge Fort, Bembridge, St Helens and Seaview before arriving in Ryde.
The long-distance route features a varied terrain that transitions from sandy seaside promenades to rugged clifftops and low-lying coastal marshes.... Starting at Shanklin, the trail heads north along the sea wall of Sandown Bay before tackling a steep ascent up the chalk ridge of Culver Down, which reaches an elevation of 341 feet (104 metres). After passing the Victorian fortifications of Bembridge Fort, the path descends into Bembridge village and skirts the tidal harbour. The final leg follows the relatively flat, paved northern coastline through the sailing villages of St Helens and Seaview, concluding along the extensive esplanade at Ryde.
The diverse corridor of chalk grassland, maritime mudflats, and sandy shores supports a broad range of native coastal wildlife. The high downs around Culver serve as hunting grounds for peregrine falcons and kestrels, while the sheer cliff faces provide nesting sites for fulmars. Further north, the protected saltmarshes and intertidal mudflats at St Helens Duver and Bembridge Harbour act as critical feeding areas for wading birds, where walkers can observe redshanks, oystercatchers, and curlews foraging at low tide.