How long is the walk around the Isle of Wight?

About 70 miles. Published figures range from 67 to 71 miles, depending on the exact route and inland detours. The Saturday Walkers Club gives 70.5 miles with about 1,400 metres of climbing.

How many days does it take to walk around the Isle of Wight?

At 10 to 15 miles a day, five to seven days. Very fit walkers have done it in two long days, but that isn't advisable. Splitting it lets you stop in the towns along the way and use buses to get back to your base.

Is the Isle of Wight Coastal Path waymarked?

Yes, in both directions. Most signs show a seagull symbol and the words Coastal Footpath, and some give distances to the next places. New King Charles III England Coast Path signs are appearing on the sections that have opened.

Where do you start the Isle of Wight Coastal Path?

Anywhere: it's a circle. Ryde is the usual start because the FastCat and hovercraft land there and trains and buses leave from the pier and esplanade. Yarmouth and Cowes work well too if you arrive on the Lymington or Southampton ferries.

When is the Isle of Wight Walking Festival?

It now runs twice a year, in spring and autumn. In 2026 the spring festival ran from 9 to 17 May and the autumn festival from 3 to 11 October. 2027 dates are announced on the festival's own website.

Can You Walk Around the Isle of Wight? The Coastal Path

Yes. You can walk all the way around the Isle of Wight on the Isle of Wight Coastal Path, a waymarked circular route of about 70 miles (published figures range from 67 to 71). Most people take five to seven days, walking 10 to 15 miles a day. Parts of it are now also the official King Charles III England Coast Path, with more sections opening each year.

The route at a glanceSection titled The route at a glance


Distance	About 70 miles (67 to 71, by source)
Climbing	About 1,400 m (4,600 ft) in total
Typical time	5 to 7 days at 10 to 15 miles a day
Waymarking	Both directions; seagull symbol, "Coastal Footpath"
Usual start	Ryde, but any point works
Terrain	Sea walls, cliff-top downland, chines, woodland and some road sections

The coastline itself is about 57 miles long. The path is longer because it heads inland in places: around the Newtown estuary and a rifle range between Yarmouth and Cowes, along the River Medina at Cowes, and around landslip zones.

The coast, section by sectionSection titled The coast, section by section

Going clockwise from Ryde:

Ryde to Bembridge (about 7.5 miles). Sandy beaches, Seaview and the Duver at St Helens. Easy going, with the rock pools at Bembridge at low tide.
Bembridge to Sandown (about 5.5 miles). Up over Culver Down to the Yarborough Monument, with views across Sandown Bay, then down to Yaverland.
Sandown to Shanklin (about 2 miles). Choose the cliff path or the flat sea wall promenade. Shanklin has the island's biggest cluster of crazy golf courses if you need a break.
Shanklin to Ventnor and the Undercliff. Through the Luccombe and Bonchurch landslips, woodland and some of the island's wildest coast.
The Back of the Wight. St Catherine's Point, then the long, exposed stretch above the Military Road past Chilton Chine, Brook and Compton Bay, with few buses.
Freshwater Bay to the Needles. Over Tennyson Down, the most famous stretch, to the Needles Old Battery and Alum Bay.
Totland, Colwell and Yarmouth. Calm Solent beaches such as Colwell Bay, then the harbour town of Yarmouth.
Yarmouth to East Cowes (officially about 17 miles). The longest inland detour, via Shalfleet and Newtown, then Gurnard and Cowes. Cross the Medina on the Floating Bridge chain ferry.
East Cowes back to Ryde. Past Osborne, Wootton Creek and Fishbourne.

The King Charles III England Coast PathSection titled The King Charles III England Coast Path

Natural England is creating a national coast path round the whole English coast, and on the Isle of Wight it covers 92 miles (148 km), including the estuaries. It doesn't replace the existing Coastal Path. It gives walkers legal access rights along the route, and sometimes a better line closer to the sea.

Section	Length	Open since
IOW 5: Chilton Chine to Colwell Chine	12 miles	17 September 2025
IOW 9: Gurnard Luck to West Cowes chain ferry	2.8 miles	17 September 2025
IOW 3: Culver Down to Binnel Bay	12 miles	14 January 2026
IOW 4: Binnel Bay to Chilton Chine	14 miles	9 September 2026
IOW 8: Thorness Bay to Gurnard Luck	1.8 miles	9 September 2026

The remaining sections (East Cowes to Wootton Bridge, Wootton Bridge to Culver Down, Colwell Chine to Hamstead Point, Hamstead Point to Thorness Bay and the Medina) were approved or still being decided as of October 2026.

Practical tipsSection titled Practical tips

Use the buses to get back. Southern Vectis serves most of the coast, and a 24-hour Rover ticket costs £11.40 in the app (from August 2026). The Back of the Wight has the fewest buses, so plan that stretch carefully. More in do you need a car on the Isle of Wight?
Watch for diversions. The Undercliff and the south-west coast are prone to landslips, and sections close after cliff falls. Check the Isle of Wight Council's rights of way pages before you set off.
Carry water on the Back of the Wight and Tennyson Down. Cafés and pubs are far apart there.
Pick your season. Spring and autumn are the best times: cooler, quieter and greener. The Walking Festival runs then, with guided walks of every length.
Stay in two bases. Ryde or Shanklin in the east and Freshwater or Yarmouth in the west cover most of the route with short bus rides.

For more on the island's scale, see how big is the Isle of Wight?, and for planning a longer trip, how many days you need.

SourcesSection titled Sources

Wikipedia: Isle of Wight Coastal Path
Saturday Walkers Club: Isle of Wight Coastal Path (distance and ascent)
GOV.UK: England Coast Path on the Isle of Wight (sections, lengths and opening dates)
Isle of Wight Council: 12-mile stretch of coast path opens (January 2026)
Isle of Wight Walking Festival and Visit Isle of Wight: Walking Festival
Southern Vectis fare changes from 30 August