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Brighstone Forest

4.5 miles (7.3 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This walk explores Brighstone Forest and Brighstone Down on the Isle of Wight.
You can start the walk from the Jubilee Car Park on Lynch Lane with a postcode of PO30 4AZ for your sat navs. From here you can pick up a section of the Worsley Trail and follow it east to climb to Limerstone Down. There's an excellent viewpoint here with a toposcope detailing the landmarks you can see from the hill top.
After enjoying the views you then then turn north west to enter the forest where you can follow trails up to Brighstone Down which stands at a height of 214 metres. There's more nice views to the coast from this elevated spot. The route then follows woodland trails west to Calbourne Bottom and the car park.

Postcode

PO30 4AZ - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Brighstone Forest OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Brighstone Forest Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Dog Walking

The woodland trails and the hill climbs are ideal for fit dogs.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Part of this route uses a section of the popular Tennyson Trail. You could extend your outing by headin west along the trail to Tennyson Down and The Needles.
To continue your woodland walking on the island head to Newport where you can visit the expansive Parkhurst Forest. The forest is the second largest area of woodland on the island (behind Brighstone). It's notable for its wildlife which includes the ever popular red squirrel.
Just south of the forest there's the National Trust's Mottistone Manor. There's beautiful gardens and bluebell woods to explore in the grounds surrounding this historic Elizabethan manor house.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Isle of Wight Walks page.

Photos

Footpath junction on Brighstone Down - geograph.org.uk - 539985

 Footpath junction on Brighstone Down. The Tennyson Trail (across foreground) is crossed by a footpath (ahead left). The sandy path (ahead right) is not a public right of way.

Triangulation Pillar on Brighstone Down - geograph.org.uk - 540089

Triangulation Pillar on Brighstone Down. Elevation 214 m. Although in the middle of Brighstone Forest, so far as the map is concerned, there is a clear view to the south as the vegetation is mainly gorse and heather.

Cyclists approach bridleway BS8 in Brighstone Forest - geograph.org.uk - 540111

Cyclists approach bridleway BS8 in Brighstone Forest. 

Bridleway and gate on the northern edge of Brighstone Forest - geograph.org.uk - 540055

Bridleway and gate on the northern edge of the forest. Here this bridleway, which has descended through Brighstone Forest emerges into open fields on its way to Lynch Lane.

Edge of Brighstone Forest - geograph.org.uk - 502216

Edge of Brighstone Forest. This is the point where a bridleway from Limerstone joins the west-east bridleway (part of the Worsley Trail) at the southern edge of the forest. The first part of the woodland is seen here.

Junction between Worsley and Tennyson Trails on Brighstone Down - geograph.org.uk - 540001

Junction between Worsley and Tennyson Trails on Brighstone Down. The Worsley Trail (behind camera) here joins the Tennyson Trail (ahead, and right, where it enters Brighstone Forest).

Entrance to Limerstone Down - geograph.org.uk - 502223

Entrance to Limerstone Down. The Worsley Trail bridleway heads east and enters the Limerstone Down open access land at this point. The viewpoint marked prominently on the map is just beyond the skyline.

Descent from Limerstone Down - geograph.org.uk - 502228

Descent from Limerstone Down.  A gentle bridleway descends the scarp slope of Limerstone Down and follows the hedge line across to the right horizon. All the fore ground and middle ground fields are in this square.

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Brighstone Forest.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Brighstone Forest.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)