Self-Guided Walk
Tennyson Trail The Tennyson Trail is 14 miles (22.5km), the longest of the eight Trails on the Island. This linear walk is nearly 10 miles (16.3km) and goes from Carisbrooke to Freshwater Bay House. It is mostly high up on the Downs where there are always wonderful views and also goes through Brighstone Forest locally recognised as a Site of Importance for Nature conservation. The views get better and better as you approach Freshwater Bay with the English Channel on one side and the Solent on the other. Penny Jamieson, route researcher
Key Information Distance: 9.7 miles (16.3km)
Time: allow 4 hours 30 mins plus stops Route Grading:
Start: Carisbrooke High Street Bus Stop. Finish: Freshwater Bay House Get the No 12 bus to Newport at the bottom of the drive (opposite side of the road) and get off at Carisbrooke High Street. Safety: Mud and chalk can be slippery particularly when wet. Take extra care over golf course, look out for low flying golf balls. Distance Directions Photographs Km Miles This walk follows signs for Tennyson Trail all the way.
0.6
Walk up High Street, with church on your right. The church is the official start of the Tennyson Trail. Go over crossroads and as road bears right, fork left into Nodgham Lane, then fork right on track called 0.36 Down Lane. (A)
Nodgham Lane
Down Lane
Tennyson Trail – Page 2 Distance
Directions
Km
Miles
2.9
Proceed up Down Lane and as path levels look back for view of Carisbrooke Castle. Continue for about a kilometre and come to crossing of bridleway at 5-way sign. Go through gate, straight on, on Tennyson Trail Byway No N128. Continue 0.7 km, this time to a 3-way sign, bear slightly left and follow 1.74 Tennyson Trail Old Highway N136a. (B)
4.2
Keep on same track for about a mile and come to 2.52 another 5-way sign Byway N136a. (C)
Photographs
5-way sign
3-way sign at point (B)
Approaching Point (C)
5.1
After couple hundred yards, you come to fork, take right hand side and continue till path enters Brighstone Forest, signed Byway N139. At this point, 3.06 the forest is mostly on your left hand side. (D) Take right hand fork
Start of Brighstone Forest
Tennyson Trail – Page 3 Distance
Directions
Km
Miles
7.3
Proceed along forest track for 2.2km (1.32 miles), path becomes Byway BS4, ignore any paths left or right. You will come to the Worsley Trail which joins from 4.38 the left. (E)
8.4
9.9
Photographs
Soon after you enter Brighstone Forest
Worsley Trail is to the left
Turn right then left to NT car park
From NT car park up Mottistone Down
Path up Mottistone Down
Gates at top of Mottistone Down
Turn right, signed Tennyson Trail Byway BS10 and continue about a kilometre to road. (Notice the mouthwateringly named Strawberry Lane opposite but don’t go down.) Turn right, then immediately left into 5.04 National Trust car park. (F)
Make your way up the gradual ascent of Mottistone Down for about 1.5 km (0.9 miles), until you come to 5.94 gate. Go through. (G)
Tennyson Trail – Page 4 Distance Km
11.0
Miles
Directions
6.6
Keep fence on right for a bit, soon see Tennyson Downs and House in the distance, as well as Solent and mainland in front of you. Keep going straight on downhill and over cross paths to gate. Go through gate and follow obvious grass path as it veers left down to road. (H)
Photographs
Tennyson Downs in far distance
Down to road
The Barrows on horizon to your right
Path coming down from the Barrows
At entrance to golf course take extra care
Tennyson Trail straight on
Cross and take Tennyson Trail opposite. Pass through small car park and notice pit on right (good picnic spot). Take chalk path up hill, as path levels, look right and notice the Five Barrows on top of the hill. Option to walk up, stunning views over Solent from the top. Leave by path and rejoin Tennyson Trail.
15.7
Continue along the Tennyson Trail for 4.7 km (2.82 miles). At gate to golf course, stay on Trail and take extra care crossing the golf course. Path comes out on 9.42 Military Road in Freshwater Bay (I).
Tennyson Trail – Page 5 Distance Km
Directions
Miles
Photographs
Options for returning to House:
16.3
9.78
1. Cross road, and take indistinct path through scrub to join Coastal Path. Turn right to steps on left, go down to promenade. Continue with Albion Hotel on right to come to steps leading up to garden of Freshwater Bay House.
Albion Hotel
Steps to lawn of Freshwater Bay House
2. Take pavement along road passing Freshwater Bay, to drive of House on left. 3. Take pavement along road, join promenade and continue with Albion Hotel on right to steps leading up to garden of Freshwater Bay House. To drive of Freshwater Bay House by the road
Local Information Refreshments: There are no refreshment stops on this walk but plenty of places for picnics. Facilities: There are toilets at Carisbrooke Car Park, opposite Carisbrooke High Street Bus Stop. Places of Interest: · Carisbrooke and its Castle: For many years this village was once the Island’s capital and supported a Cistercian Priory which Henry V suppressed. The Castle is well known for being where Charles 1 was imprisoned before his execution in
Tennyson Trail – Page 6
London in1649. The last resident was Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria, who was Governor of the Island. You do not pass the Castle on this walk but it is well worth a separate visit. Allow a couple of hours. · Carisbrooke Church: The Church of St Mary the Virgin dating from 12th century is one of the Island’s finest and has many interesting memorials, worth popping in prior to your walk. The Church is the official start of the Tennyson Trail. · The Tennyson Trail: The longest of the inland trails on the Island at 14 miles it follows the chalk ridge and runs from Carisbrooke, westwards via Freshwater Bay to Alum Bay. · The Worsley Trail: Another of the eight inland trails on the Island, it runs for 13 miles from the National Trust car park below Mottistone Down, eastwards to Shanklin. · Mottistone Down and Brook Down: Historically, this ridgeway along the Downs represented a safe route above the swamps and forests for both Neolithic and Bronze Age man. This was hallowed ground for the burial of chiefs of groups of farming families in the Bronze Age between 3,500 and 4,000 years ago. This is evidenced by the burial mounds known as the Five Barrows. Prehistoric fields are marked by terracing and was probably last cultivated at the time of these burials. · Brook Hill House: Look back once you’ve passed the Five Barrows and see this imposing residence on the skyline built in the manner of Dartmouth Naval College. Its most famous resident was probably J B Priestley who lived there from 1948 - 1959. Today it is luxury flats. · Freshwater Redoubt: Across Freshwater Bay can be seen this small redoubt, which was built in 1855-56 to prevent French troops from landing. It consisted of two gun platforms, one facing the Bay (which can be seen from the garden of Freshwater Bay House) and one facing the sea. It has not been manned since WW2, since then it has been a tea room and is now a private house with holiday cottage. · Albion Hotel: In days gone by it played host to smugglers, sailors, fishermen and poachers. In the 1950s J B Priestley came here with his wife and would have a special drink called a “Dogs Nose”, a mixture of gin and draught ale. Please Note: All self-guided walks and cycle rides are undertaken entirely at guests’ own risk. Route directions are supplied in good faith; however HF Holidays cannot be held responsible for any errors contained within. Freshwater Bay House, Freshwater Bay PO40 9RB. T: 01983 753854 © HF Holidays Ltd, January 2015
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This product includes mapping licensed from Ordnance Survey ® with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. Licence Number PU 100040361. This map was generated and printed by TrackLogs Digital Mapping software. For more information see www.tracklogs.co.uk.
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This product includes mapping licensed from Ordnance Survey ® with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. Licence Number PU 100040361. This map was generated and printed by TrackLogs Digital Mapping software. For more information see www.tracklogs.co.uk.
