Cycle route from Southland Club site

A lovely route from Southland Club site which explores both the coast and countryside of the Isle of Wight.

The blissfully quiet byways, bridleways and inland roads of the Isle of Wight make the island a wonderful place to cycle. This ride sets out from Southland Club site, one of the sunniest spots in the UK, and heads out to the coast along the traffic-free Red Squirrel Trail, which follows the route of a former railway line. 

It’s peaceful progress all the way to the small resort town of Sandown, from where a fabulous stretch of sandy beach, backed by all the opportunities any cyclist could want to buy ice cream, candy floss or tea, stretches two miles south to Shanklin. The busy esplanade is accessible to cyclists, creating a proper seaside route with beach huts and sandy cliffs on one side and the Channel on the other. 

From Shanklin, a steep initial climb soon leads to another section of the Red Squirrel Trail (look out for the tame deer), before quiet roads take you past the magnificent shell of English Heritage’s Appuldurcombe House (with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown) and back to the Club site. 

You can download this route from our dedicated Strava page here.

Directions 

1 Turn left from the gates of Southland Club site and ride through Newchurch village, passing the pub and church before going downhill. At the foot of the hill, just beyond a small bridge, turn right along a track, signposted Public Right of Way NC9 to Sandown and Alverstone. Continue on this track for 3.7km, crossing two roads, before arriving at a T-junction, with Fairway Holiday Park on the right.

2 5km – Turn right at the junction and continue for 600m to reach Sandown train station on the left. Turn left here, signposted Red Squirrel Trail, Town Centre, Esplanade, immediately riding through an underpass and staying left to reach a T-junction in 100m. Turn left at the junction, and ride for 100m to a crossroads. 

3 5.8km – Turn right at the crossroads along Station Avenue. Continue for 200m to another crossroads with Broadway Stores on the opposite corner. Go straight across, signposted to Town Centre and Beach, staying on Station Avenue for 700m to a T-junction. 

4 6.5km – Turn left at the T-junction, following the one-way system, and in just over 100m turn right along Victoria Road to reach a small roundabout. Turn right at the roundabout along the High Street (the road opposite is No Entry and a one-way system operates along the Esplanade). Stay on the High Street for 500m. 

5 7.2km – Turn left down Pier Street, immediately after Lulu’s Tea Rooms, and in 60m turn right along Pier Street, with the pier and sea on the left. Continue onto the Esplanade and ride for 2.5km, beach huts and cliffs on the right, sea on the left (this is a shared
path, so ride cautiously). Continue to Shanklin, eventually reaching a car park and the South East Beach Café. 

6 9.7km – Turn right up the steep hill, signposted Red Squirrel Trail Town Centre. Continue up Hope Hill and Hope Road to reach a set of raffic lights. 

7 10.1km – Take the second left at the lights, along North Road, and in 250m, immediately after a set of traffic lights, turn
right along Clarendon Road. Continue to a crossroads with a large Co-op store diagonally opposite. 

8 10.6km – Turn right at the crossroads along Landguard Road, and in almost 300m, before the Lidl store, turn left into Lower Hyde Holiday Park. Just before the entrance to the holiday park take the Red Squirrel Trail on the left, and follow the old railway line. Look out for the tame deer on the right. Stay on the trail for 4.3km, until it ends just before some houses. 

9 14.9km – Turn left at the end of the trail, signposted Red Squirrel Trail Wroxall. In 100m at the T-junction turn right, and in 150m at the crossroads turn right, still following the Red Squirrel Trail signs. In 150m at the T-junction turn right, and in 50m at the next T-junction turn right again, with a church on the right. Continue for 400m, then turn left along Appuldurcombe Road, signposted to Appuldurcombe House. Stay on the road as it bends to the right, becoming Redhill Lane. Continue to a T-junction. 

10 17.7km – Turn right at the T-junction, then almost immediately left along Lessland Lane. Continue to reach a crossroads.

11 20.4km – Go straight across the crossroads, along Watery Lane, passing the garden centre and zoo on the left , and stay on this road for almost 1km to reach a T-junction. Turn left and the Club site is immediately on the left. 

About the route 

• Start/finish: Southland Club site, Winford Road, Newchurch, Sandown, Isle of Wight PO36 0LZ. 
• Distance:13.3m/21.4km. 
• Time:2hours(withoutstops). 
• Level: Suitable for all. More than half the route is traffic free, and apart from one steep climb in Shanklin, it’s level all the way. 
• Terrain: A mix of bridleway, seaside esplanade and roads. 
• Landscape: Rural countryside and a fabulous two-mile beach. 
• Refreshments: Lots to choose from in Sandown.