Isle of Wight Coast Path: Compton Bay to St Catherine's Point

17 October 2013

My third walk on the Isle of Wight Coast Path, and my final coastal walk during this week's holiday, started at Compton Bay on a windy morning with the objective of St Catherine's Point at the southern tip of the island.


A look back across Compton Bay as we start today's walk. It is the most isolated section of the walk, mostly on cliff tops, many suffering from erosion, some of which made it safe to have the dogs off lead, but much of the walk was done with them on an extending lead on their harnesses, just in case their enthusiasm got the better of their sense.


A car park gradually disappearing into the sea.


I'm not sure what this structure is


Typical views for today's walk


Presumably erosion is the cause of moving all the traffic to the inland side of the road, though there doesn't seem to be any immediate threat.


A pleasant little track down to the sea, but our way lies slightly higher along the cliff tops


A look inland at the quiet Isle of Wight


Some of the extensive undercliffs where the land is slumping into the sea


More gradual erosion


Part of a holiday camp falling into the sea, with the original coastal path already gone


Steep cliffs hereabouts - I wonder where that stile goes


Hmm, nowhere any longer


The rapid erosion means that this is a good spot for dinosaur fossil hunting (at lower states of the tide)


More disappearing coast


A zip-wire allows for equipment to be hoisted from boats on the beach below


Heading for St Catherine's Hill


"Access to the beach is closed due to coastal erosion"


At Chale, we walk briefly along the road past the church


Then take to this green path before more walking alongside the main road.


The road walk brings us out above Blackgang Chine


Heading along Gore Cliff, St Catherine's Lighthouse can be seen at the bottom, my objective for the day.


The route ahead for the remaining half of the official Coastal Path.


Our route lies down a footpath to St Catherine's Point at the bottom of the cliffs. If I'd been planning the official route of the Coastal Path, I'd have taken it to St Catherine's Point, but the official route sticks to the cliff tops. As a result, the little footpath was in need of some maintenance, but we eventually made it to the little lane at the bottom, where we met with Lucy and the other dogs.


The six of us continued down the hill to the lighthouse


...and then did a little circuit before climbing back up the hill to the car and to the cottage. Just over half way around the island, and the rest will have to wait for another year.

Total walk 21.9 km in 6 hours 6 minutes - to the point where I left the official Coastal Path route was 19.2 km in 5 hours 34 mins

Previous Isle of Wight Coast Path walk - Bouldnor to Compton BayIsle of Wight Coast Path
 

 

Back Up Next

Unless otherwise stated, all images copyright (c) Stephen and Lucy Dawson