A 3-Day Family Cycling Tour Route on the Isle of Wight

Family Cycling Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a paradise for cycling with a family. Quiet country lanes, beautiful sea views, great food stops, and plentiful family-friendly accommodation; there are all the components for the perfect family cycling tour.

In this blog post, I have put together a route for a three day family cycling tour on the Isle of Wight, with two overnight stops. The route is a point-to-point ride across the Island from west to east, to make the most of the views and opportunities to explore.

I have designed the route to be ridden car-free, catching the train to Lymington Pier and the Wightlink Lymington-Yarmouth ferry over to the Island; then returning on the Wightlink Fast Cat from Ryde Pier Head to Portsmouth Harbour Station, where you could catch a train home.




Day 1: Yarmouth, The Needles and Tapnell Farm

Starting out from Yarmouth, you make your way onto the Yarmouth-Freshwater cycle track; a traffic-free path that runs alongside the tidal River Yar estuary. Ease yourself into the day, and stop for birdwatching along the route.

On reaching Freshwater, you head out through the lanes in the direction of The Needles. There are a few climbs here, but nothing too severe; the main lump comes when you ride through the pleasure park and out along the car-free road to The Needles Old Battery. The National Trust café at the end of the road (pay to enter) is a great stopping place and vantage point looking out over the English Channel.

After The Needles, the rolling road of Rolls Hill takes you back to Freshwater Bay. Enroute, you pass The Piano Café – a great stop for refreshments, and then no family can resist a refreshing dip in the English Channel at Freshwater Bay.

From Freshwater Bay, there is a quiet jaunt through the lanes of West Wight, before heading up the hill from Thorley to your overnight stop at Tapnell Farm. Tapnell has a range of accommodation to suit all needs and group sizes; from self-catering farmhouses to yurts and eco-pods. Children will love the farm park, and the onsite restaurant is a great venue for an evening meal.

Isle of Wight Family Cycling Route


Day 2: Tapnell Farm to The Garlic Farm

Day two of the tour is a chance to explore more of the West Wight, as you pedal your way through the lanes and villages. Starting out from Tapnell Farm, there is a short section along the busy Carisbrooke Road, so take care; but soon enough you will divert past Chessell Pottery and down Brook Lane.

The route now takes you through the villages of Mottistone and Brighstone – there is a well-stocked village stores in Brighstone, if you need to gather supplies. Then, you continue through the quiet lanes around Yafford and onwards to Chale Green. If you need a family friendly pub stop near here, then head to the White Mouse at Chale – a short diversion off the route.

From Chale to Godshill – more quiet lanes, to reach the sleepy thatched village with its model village and plentiful pubs, cafes and tea rooms. A great place to stop.

After Godshill you turn offroad across the fields on the Red Squirrel Trail towards Merstone, where you link up with the Sandown-Newport cycle track. This car-free cycleway will then take you through to Newchurch, and up the hill to your next overnight stay at The Garlic Farm – a wonderful venue with a mix of accommodation and an on-site restaurant and shop.

Isle of Wight Family Cycling


Day 3: The Garlic Farm to Ryde Pier

After an overnight stay at The Garlic Farm, roll back down the hill and rejoin the Red Squirrel Trail on the cycle track towards Sandown. Follow the track all the way through to the Adgestone junction and then head towards the coast and Sandown seafront.

There is a fair bit of road riding to take you through Sandown, along the seafront past Yaverland, and then around the base of Culver Down. It is hard to avoid this, so just take care of traffic on some of these busier roads.

Once past Bembridge Airport, you head back onto quieter lanes that take you into Bembridge village – a great place to stop and refuel. Then it is a flat pedal along the harbour edge to take you into St Helens.

It is a tough little climb up Latimer Road to get to St Helens village green, but then if you feel inclined it is a rewarding descent down to The Duver for a coffee on the beach at Baywatch On The Beach.

From St Helens, you weave through the lanes to Seaview, before dropping down onto Seaview Duver and following the seafront through to Ryde. If you have time before heading to the ferry, enjoy a swim from the beach or an ice cream from one of the many kiosks along the beachfront.

The tour finishes as you turn up Ryde Pier and pedal up the historic suspended passageway to the Wightlink Fast Cat and your ticket home. I hope you enjoyed the ride!

Isle of Wight Family Cycling
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