Walk 3 The Bonchurch Walk - 2.5 miles

Update: New in December 2015! Stokey's Solar System Walk runs along the Bonchurch Revetment. Read all about it here.
When any of my friends and family refer to The Bonchurch Walk, we know exactly which one it is, one we used to do almost as a ritual whenever we came to Ventnor. It is still one of my staple, all year, local walks, only about an hour long, but full of charm. In just a couple of miles we see Victorian villas, a pretty village, ancient woodlands, a Norman church, beaches, a sea-wall and a fishing harbour.

It's a circular walk, so begin where you like, but I start at the top of Spring Hill, where you can see goats grazing on the slopes of Ventnor's oldest hotel, the Hillside.

Follow St Boniface Rd and cross into Bonchurch Village Rd, peeping over the walls into mysterious wooded gardens.

Steep staircases like this are a feature of the Ventnor area, linking the zig-zagging streets. This one is known as Jacob's Ladder and has 102 steps back up to Leeson Rd.

We now reach the heart of Bonchurch, its much photographed (by me!) village pond, stocked with ducks and large carp.

If you look at the logs or the banks of the island in the pond you may catch a sight of the leatherhead turtles sunbathing.

Sadly the village has now lost its shop and post office.

 

Bonchurch's numerous literary and historic connections are mapped on this sign.

This cottage now houses The Pond Café, an Italian style bistro, but as at 2021 it is not trading.

Around Christmas, this rock grotto houses a tradtional Nativity scene.

 

This is my favourite Bonchurch house; I always think of it as a Gingerbread House tucked away under the rock.
 

Bonchurch has an old (11th century) and a new (19th century) church. Legend has it that St Boniface visited the island and monks from Lyra in Normandy landed at Monks Bay and dedicated a building to him on this site.

But first we pass East Dene, the home of the poet Algernon Swinburne, who is buried in the churchyard nearby.

 

The next house, Winterbourne, is celebrated because Charles Dickens wrote part of David Copperfield while staying here.

The old church is a beautiful stone building, set in peaceful grounds, a very special place.

Following the path down, we descend through a patch of ancient woodland, past a little brook and suddenly the sea appears through the trees and we come to the shore.

I love the way the ferries appear to be sailing through the sky over the roofs of the cottages.

 

This tall spiky flower is Echium, a Mediterranean plant that loves this area. In summer, it will be covered in tiny blue flowers.

So in the space a few metres we go from shady woodland to the open expanse of the English channel, with no land in sight.

Horseshoe Bay is a rocky little cove at the end of the seawall walk to Ventnor and is often a quiet spot even in the height of the tourist season.

 A local potter can often be seen at work in the Bonchurch Pottery, working on vases, jugs and house nameplates.

 The rest of the walk back to Ventnor follows the seawall, heavily reinforced to protect the unstable coastline from the waves.

 Landslides are common here and you can see fallen rocks all along the cliffs, so keep clear!

 The next bay is Wheelers Bay, another fishing cove.

 A seafront café, The Seapot, is ideal for a coffee break. Opening in fine weather, in 2021 they are closed on Fridays.

I love the way you can see the curve of the horizon here!

The sea wall brings us into town by the haven with its wet fish shop and fish and chip hatch.

 Ventnor lizards and crabs feature on this wall mosaic.

 Hygeia, the goddess of health is Ventnor's emblem because of the town's reputation for a beneficial climate.

 A walk along the arm of the harbour gives a good viewpoint for photos of the town and beach.

 The Blakes' yellow fishing boat brings the morning's catch into the haven each day.

Take the path back uphill past the cascade to return to the town centre.

 

Walk details
Start and Finish at the top of Spring Hill
Distance: 2.4 miles
Time: 1 hour
Refreshments: All year round in Ventnor.
WC: Public in town and on Ventnor seafront
Bus: No 3 and 6 to town centre
View map full size