Best Gravel Bike Cycling Routes on the Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight Gravel Cycling
I ride a gravel bike on the Isle of Wight more than I ride any other; it is the perfect way to explore the vast network of quiet roads and exciting open trails. In this post, I have tailor-made a selection of the best gravel cycling routes on the Isle of Wight, with suggested pit-stops and highlights.

The Isle of Wight roads, trails, and tracks are my home. I have toured all over the world, but whenever I come back to this small island off the South Coast of the UK I am amazed at how diverse and beautiful the riding is here.

'The Island' is very easy to get to with a bike—use one of the three car ferry routes from Portsmouth, Lymington or Southampton; or come as a foot passenger and bring your bike for free on the Wightlink FastCat from Portsmouth Harbour train station. You can get to the Island from Central London in just a little over three hours.

Once you are here, there is a plethora of bike-friendly accommodation: from hotels and B&B's to campsites and Eco-lodges. Check out the Visit Isle of Wight website for more details.

Onto the bike riding...



Wight Gravel Route #1 – The Ryde Twist

  • Difficulty – Medium
  • Distance – 68.5 kilometres (43 miles)
  • Elevation Profile – Moderate (700 metres elevation gain)
This route is a great first gravel ride on the Isle of Wight, and you can start straight out from the ferry port at Ryde Pier. It offers traffic-free cycle paths, challenging climbs and amazing views.

The route begins on Ryde Esplanade and heads west along the cycle track to the beautiful Quarr Abbey. From here, you do a quick loop around Wootton Creek before heading inland towards the hills.

You climb up to Briddlesford along back-roads of gravel, then descend to Havenstreet where you might catch a peek of the steam railway. Then, the real climbing begins, as you head off-road up onto Arreton Downs along a wide chalk path.

Once on the top of Arreton Down it is a quick descent before another off-road climb up St George's Down. By this point you will know if your gravel tyres can hold their grip on the mixed and exciting surfaces...

A fast descent (take care) brings you out into Carisbrooke — an ideal point at which to pop into the town of Newport and visit one of the many fantastic cafes in the town centre – Caffe Isola is one of my personal favourites, as well as Grace's Bakery.

After refreshments, rejoin the route, and a mix of cycle paths and small country lanes takes you through to Chillerton and onwards to Chale.

Things begin to flatten out a little from Godshill, and a sandy track brings you back into the Arreton Valley where you re-join the cycle track heading east. Another opportune pit-stop comes at 45 kilometres in – at Pedaller's Café on the cycle path at Langbridge.

You then head back up over Brading Down, and out to St Helens. Once this climb is done you have really ticked off the majority of the elevation, and it is worth rewarding yourself with an ice-cream or cream tea at Baywatch On The Beach on the Duver at St Helens.

After your beach stopover, it is just a short climb up to Nettlestone and then a coast along the seafront back to Ryde. 



Tim Wiggins Gravel Cycling Isle of Wight Seaview Duver




Wight Gravel Route #2 – Newport Up 'n' Over

  • Difficulty – Medium
  • Distance – 55.6 kilometres (34 miles)
  • Elevation Profile – Moderate (730 metres elevation gain)
This route is another 'starter' route, but do not be fooled it contains some BIG Isle of Wight hills.

Starting from the superb Caffe Isola in the centre of Newport, the route heads out along quiet roads and bridleways towards the small village of Shorwell. Before you reach Shorwell though, you divert off up the concrete track that takes you up to Chillerton Radar Mast; this is the first big climb of the route, and the steep washboard concrete road will have you pushing hard to keep momentum.

Descend down from Chillerton, through Chale Green, and onwards to the next big climb—Blackgang. This is often the most feared climb on the Isle of Wight Randonnee route, and will have you clicking down gears, but looking out on spectacular panoramic views.

Next comes Niton, and a right turn down onto Niton Undercliff. This road was shut several years ago after a cliff-fall, but remains open to bikes, horses, and pedestrians. Enjoy the amazing ancient path laced along the coast.

The hills of Ventnor are next, but first... coffee and cake. Stop off in The Plantation Room Café at Ventnor Botanic Gardens for some much needed refreshment.

Now the real climb begins. From the Botanic Gardens it is straight up—up the ironically named Down Lane to the St. Boniface Down summit. I climbed this route from the seafront 38 times in 2017 on a charity 'Everesting'; I suggest that once will be enough for most.

It is a fast and bumpy descent down to Shanklin from the top of the Downs, and then thankfully a flat section along the old railway line to Wroxall. If you need further refreshment then call into the Old Smithy in Godshill at kilometre 45 and enjoy their coffee and cake (or ice cream).

From Godshill it is sandy trails and traffic-free National Cycle Network bike paths all the way back to Newport.



Tim Wiggins 3T Exploro Bike Isle of Wight Niton




Wight Gravel Route #3 – Cowes Gravel Cocktail

  • Difficulty – Hard
  • Distance – 81.4 kilometres (50 miles)
  • Elevation Profile – Moderate (940 metres elevation gain)
This route starts mostly on tarmac as you head out from Cowes along the seafront to Gurnard, and then south, crossing the Middle Road.

As you get more inland, the trails begin, and you ride up onto Brighstone Down. The forest can be a little muddy at times, but then the track evolves into a rocky and fast descent.

You speed down into Brighstone and then turn eastwards along quiet lanes to Shorwell—where the next big off-road climb begins, on the chalky trail up to Chillerton Radar Station. This path is sure to have you grappling for a low gear.

Down into Chillerton village, and then out on the 'Strade Wight' gravel paths to Bowcombe, before turning north into Carisbrooke.

Stop off at Caffe Isola (43 kilometres) in the centre of Newport for incredible coffee and locally made cakes.

The route out of Newport takes you up the steep road climb to Newport Golf Club, from where you traverse St George's Down and then descend down into the Arreton Valley. It is a fun and sandy trail along the back of the village then, and if you are looking for a great lunch call into The Garlic Farm at Newchurch.

It is a sharp road ascent up onto Arreton Down from The Garlic Farm, but then an equally fast off-road descent down to Havenstreet the other side.

The final section of the route is a flatter tour of Wootton Creek, then along the new cycle path past Island Harbour, into Newport Quay, and back to Cowes along the traffic-free bike path alongside the River Medina.

Celebrate with an ice cream on the seafront at the finish!



Tim Wiggins Gravel Cycling Arreton Fields Isle of Wight




Wight Gravel Route #4 – West Wight Whopper

  • Difficulty – Hard
  • Distance – 93.3 kilometres (57 miles)
  • Elevation Profile – Moderate (1350 metres elevation gain)
This route is undeniably tough. It takes in the biggest climbs of the West Wight; traversing the chalk back-bone of the island, and taking in the biggest hills of Ventnor and Arreton.

The route begins at the harbour in Yarmouth, and heads out along the dismantled railway track through to Freshwater Bay. Here the climbing begins...

Up the ramp out from the bay, and onto the Tennyson Trail. This is an undulating off-road trail that bridges across the western side of the island and includes technical ascents and descents on the loose and sometimes slippery chalk.

The route turns south from Chillerton Radar Station, and you head down to Blackgang Road. This road climb is a challenge in itself, but to add a sting in the tail you head off the road at the top of the pass and do an out-and-back to St Catherine's Oratory—one of the most spectacular viewpoints on the Isle of Wight.

After descending into Niton, head into Ventnor for a café stop before tackling the mega hills out of the town.

It is an off-road climb up onto Week Down, and then a hair-raising road (although a very broken road) descent down into Wroxall.

You can then recover, with a long flat section along the dismantled railway line to Shanklin, and onwards to Sandown Airport. I highly recommend a lunch at The Garlic Farm at Newchurch (56 kilometres).

The route is then a fast up and over of Arreton Down; descending down to Havenstreet and taking the off-road cycle path from Wootton to Newport. If you need another break here, call into Caffe Isola in the centre of Newport.

The final section of the route takes you back onto the Tennyson Trail, but this time heading west (you will be relieved to hear). Through Brighstone Forest and down to Chessell Pottery Café (85 kilometres), from here it is all downhill back to the seafront at Yarmouth.

This is a real Whopper of a route.



Tim Wiggins Gravel Bike Isle of Wight




Wight Gravel Route #5 – East to Wight

  • Difficulty – Hard
  • Distance – 97 kilometres (60 miles)
  • Elevation Profile – Moderate (1120 metres elevation gain)
How quickly can you get from Ryde to the West Wight on a gravel bike? This route was designed to get you 'out west' to experience the famous Tennyson Trail and Military Road, from a starting point on Ryde Esplanade.

From Ryde, you head out through Havenstreet, up and over St George's Down, and then skirt round the south of Newport; before picking up the Tennyson Trail close to Carisbrooke Castle.

The Tennyson Trail takes you out through open fields and into Brighstone Forest—where open fire road tracks make for fun and fast descents. At kilometre 34 you could call into the fantastic Chessell Pottery Café for refreshments, or push on to Yarmouth at kilometre 40 for a stop at Grace's Bakery.

From Yarmouth, you use one of the old dismantled railway lines turned cycle paths to take you through to Freshwater Bay, where you start the lung-busting climb up through the golf course and back onto the western tip of the Tennyson Trail.

Take caution on the descent down to Brook Shute—it is fast and rutted, and the chalk can be slippery when wet. After this off-road adventure you might be relieved to experience the smooth tarmac of the Military Road for a little while as you descend through Hulverstone onto the world-famous stretch of asphalt. Next, you start climbing back up towards the Downs on Strawberry Lane (sorry, I have never found any strawberries there).

Back through Brighstone Forest, down through the Isle of Wight Mountain Bike Centre, and south towards Chale. The route then begins to meander its way back north through Godshill, and onwards to Newchurch (consider a stop at the famous Garlic Farm if you are hungry).

One final up-and-over, then some wiggly bits through the lanes, takes you through to Seaview Seafront; from where you can spin along next to the sea, grab and ice-cream, and then collapse on the beach back at your starting point in Ryde.



Tim Wiggins Gravel Bike Routes Isle of Wight



Wight Gravel Route #6 – Wight Dirty130

  • Difficulty – EPIC
  • Distance – 130 kilometres (81 miles)
  • Elevation Profile – Tough (1840 metres elevation gain)
Things start to get epic now. And with that, I feel I need less words to describe this route—it is designed for the adventurous rider who will embrace the unknown, and (hopefully) enjoy the curve balls that are thrown in along the way...

Suggested pitstops:
Enjoy the exploration!



Best Gravel Cycling Routes on the Isle of Wight




Wight Gravel Route #7 – Wight Giara 100

  • Difficulty – EPIC
  • Distance – 163 kilometres (100 miles)
  • Elevation Profile – Tough (2200 metres elevation gain)
I am not going to say a huge amount about this final route either, because the numbers should speak for themselves... if you are considering a 100 mile gravel route with 2200 metres of elevation gain, then you should know expect the unexpected.

I highly recommend a pit-stop at Grace's Bakery in Yarmouth (62 kilometres) — they have amazing take-away Island Roasted Coffee and freshly baked cakes. You could also stop at Lady Scarlett's Tea Parlour in Ventnor (a short diversion at 105 kilometres) for some refreshment.

Approach this one with extreme caution, if you dare.



Tim Wiggins Isle of Wight

Enjoy the trails...

For more ideas for an Isle of Wight cycling trip, check out:

Drop me a message on Twitter (@timwiggins1) or Instagram (@tim_wiggins1) with any questions.



Comments

  1. Excellent timing on this post! I've been thinking about a riding trip to the Isle of Wight!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you enjoyed the ride Andy! which routes did you choose?

      Delete
  2. Just starting to plan a two day MTB tour with a group of Friends for next year. I may borrow from your routes, good job :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just rode IOW this past weekend and wish I had seen this site before going. Managed to find a great trail on way back to Ryde, but spent too much time on road. Great place for gravel biking.

    ReplyDelete

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