The Hamstead Trail crosses the west of the Isle of Wight from north to south, starting on the low coastal plain just west of Newtown Creek. The first section is wooded and is home to the island’s red squirrels, and the first half of the walk crosses the low, open countryside of the northern plain.

After crossing the main Newport to Freshwater road, the trail climbs onto Shalcombe and then Brook Down, with views over the south-west corner of the island from the Needles in the west to St Catherine’s Point at the southern tip. Look for the ancient burial mounds known as the Five Barrows on top of Brook Down. The trail then drops to the south coast by Brook Chine. LDWA grades it Easy.

For more walks in the area, see our guides to walks on the Isle of Wight and our list of Ordnance Survey maps.