Walk 20 Coastal Path Alum Bay to Yarmouth - 6.25 miles

On a scorching hot day, I set out from the Needles pleasure park to explore the coastal path from Alum Bay to Yarmouth, taking in some views of the purple heather covered slopes of Headon Warren.

Alum Bay is best known for its coloured sands and has been a popular tourist spot since the 18th century, when the tradition of filling glass bottles began. A pier, one of three originally on this coastal stretch, was built to serve visiting paddle steamers but it was feared it would allow enemy invasion in wartime and fell into disuse before being swept away by storms. In 1973 a chairlift was installed to access the beach, giving access to boat trips that tour the Needles.

On the top of Headon Warren is Hatherwood Battery, built in 1859 as part of the fortifications around the Needles to cover and defend Alum Bay from enemy invasion, protect the Solent from enemy shipping and co-ordinate with the Guns at the Needles Batter. It was to house a range of heavy guns and accommodation for two married soldiers, with the remainder of the garrison quartered at Golden Hill Fort. Now all that remains are four gun emplacements and the site is gradually slipping into the sea.

The area is home to  heather, gorse, grassland, yellowort, gentians, orchids and centauries like these. In July, it is alive with butterflies, including the rare Glanville Fritallary.

Like all the south of the island, Alum Bay is subject to erosion and this landslip opened up in the wet winter of 2013/4.

On top of the far hill the Tennyson Monument can just be spotted.

From the top Headon Warren we look back to Afton Down, the scene of the iconic 1970 Isle of Wight pop festival, when up to 700,000 music lovers descended on the area, more than 10 times the number who attend the current festivals, now held in Newport.

Across the Solent is a vie of Hurst Castle, on long spit of sand just outside Southampton. It was one of Henry VIII's device forts, built to protect Southampton Water from French invasion.

Just around the bay, just outside Yarmouth is Fort Albert, one of Lord Palmerston's defences against Napoleonic invasion of the Needles Passage, now converted to private flats.

Among the heathers and willowherb were also patches of wild honeysuckle.

Heading down into Totland Bay, I passed these spectacular hydrangeas.

Following York Lane and Cliff Road, a path leads down to Totland Bay.

The Waterfront Inn and Totland are renowned for magnificent sunset view, but I've yet to be there with a camera to catch one.

At Pelican Pointe cafe, the coastal path heads up inland to avoid the area of broken sea wall.

Totland Pier has fallen into disrepair and plans for its restoration have stalled among legal and planning concerns.

Following a long spell of rain, the sea wall collapsed after a landslip, closing coastal access, amid much speculation as to possible repair options.

After a short stretch inland, the path descends to the little beach resort of Colwell Bay, with its row of colourful beach huts and beach cafes and shops.

The path heads up inland again passing through Brambles Chine and Cliff End holiday parks, lined with thistles and wild fennel.

This pink shrub is Eupatorium cannabinum, commonly known as Hemp-agrimony, and the butterflies sure liked it.

Coming out on the coast again offered closer views of Hurst Castle.

The path then heads into the woods of Fort Victoria Country Park, but I couldn't find the significance of this carving.

Nestling in the undergrowth were these Arum maculatum or snakehead , a common woodland plant species of the Araceae family, later to become arum lilies.

Leaving the woodland we reach the coastal path, passing Norton Grange to reach Yarmouth Harbour.

Along the sandy shoreline were clumps of sea holly.

Walk Details
Start: Needles Pleasure Park, Alum Bay
End: Yarmouth Harbour
Distance: 6.25miles
Refreshments and WC: Alum Bay, Colwell Bay, Yarmouth
Bus: Island Coaster or route 7 from Ventnor or Newport.