St. Helens Duver
Isle of Wight
Children will enjoy rock-pooling and swimming in two sandy bays.
The walk passes sandy beaches and rockpools (low tide only)
The Basics
Time: 1 hr 50 mins (or reduce this to an hour if you miss out The Duver and park by the beach)
Distance: 6.6 km / 4 miles
Terrain: This route can only be attempted during peak low tide (view the tide times here). You will need to walk on sandy beaches, a well surfaced coastal path, country lanes with no pavements and sandy paths on The Duver. There is one ascent and descent, and you may need to climb over rocks, depending on tides.
Pushchairs: This route is not suitable for pushchairs.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk, including on the beaches, year round.
Refreshments: Baywatch on the Beach café is at the start/end of this walk.
Toilets: There are public toilets beside Baywatch on the Beach as well as at Seagrove Bay.
Public Transport: Southern Vectis service 8 runs from Ryde (by the hovercraft) to St. Helens, as does the Island Coaster service.
Parking: Duver car park, National Trust, Duver Road, pay & display (Postcode: PO34 5AJ - W3W: ///conveying.stunner.plodded)
The Causeway at St. Helens Duver
This is our first Isle of Wight walk to feature on the website and for those who dream of sandy beaches, cool rockpools and seaside cafes, this walk will be worth making the trip over for. It starts at St. Helens Duver, where you will find sand dunes and a beach that reveals rockpools at low tide. Following the coast, the walk takes you through two sandy bays before returning inland via the coastal path.
The Route
For those coming from the mainland on foot, you can catch the Hovercraft from Southsea to Ryde and then a bus from Ryde to St. Helens. The bus interchange is very close to where the Hovercraft drops you off and we suggest using the number 8 Vectis service or the Island Coaster. You can buy a bus travel pass with your hovercraft ticket. Alight at Guildford Road, St.Helens. The Hovercraft takes less than ten minutes to cross the Solent and the bus journey takes between 15 and 30 minutes, depending on the service and time of day.
For those already on the island or coming by ferry, you can park using the National Trust pay and display car park at The Duver.
If you are starting from the bus stop, walk down Duver Road. Just before the traffic lights, take the footpath on your right and walk down to St Helens Common and The Duver, a coastal area of dunes, sand and grasses. As the path flattens off, you will cross a footbridge. Veer right soon after this (at a green dog-poo bin) and walk with the water to your right. Continue past the causeway, but do not cross it. Instead pass the industrial buildings to your right-hand side and exit The Duver at the beach at the end of the line of beach huts. Turn left and walk with the beach huts to your left, pass Baywatch on the Beach and arrive at the remains of St. Helens Church.
If you are starting from the car park, exit in the opposite direction to the beach and walk towards the footbridge mentioned above and complete the same loop of The Duver.
If you want a shorter walk, miss out this loop around The Duver and start the walk at section two beside the remains of St. Helens Church.
From the remains of St. Helens Church, the coastal section of the walk can only be attempted at low tide. Continue with the sea to your right and at low tide, you will pass a large section of shale, which is perfect for rock-pooling. Continue forward and round the rocky Nodes Point. This involves an increasing amount of rock scrambling as the tide comes in.
On the other side of Nodes Point, you will come to Priory Bay, which has plenty of sand when the tide is out and is great for bathing. Continue forward and round the next rocky point (or take the steps) to emerge at Seagrove Bay.
Seagrove Bay also has lots of sand, but tends to almost disappear at high tide. Walk along the boardwalk at the top of the beach on your left and continue on the promenade until you meet the access road, just after the slipway. Turn left and walk up the road. The signs for the coast path are misleading here as they appear to be pointing along the first turn on the left. This is not accurate, and in fact, you should keep going up the hill, veering off left on Fernclose Road.
Continue on Fernclose Road until the tarmac turns to a track. Go straight at a cross-path by the Priory Bay Hotel. At the next fork, bear left with the coastal path. At a green, padlocked gateway, veer right, sticking with the coastal path as it turns to tarmac again. Exit through a pair of propped open, old wooden gates and head down hill, passing Nodes Point Holiday Park on your left.
As you walk down the lane, look out for the black metal kissing gate on your left and leave the road through it. Walk down the field and then head under trees on the other side of the field. Go through a wooden gate, over a stream, then through a kissing gate. Follow the path down, with a fence between you and a meadow.
Go through the kissing gate at the bottom and exit onto the road. Turn left to walk to St. Helens Beach, the café and the car park, or turn right to walk up the hill back to the bus stop.
As a member, you gain instant access to ALL our PDF files. There are currently 95 walks available as PDFs, with more added daily.
Did you know?
St. Helens Duver has a history associated with smuggling and contraband such as brandy, silk and tobacco would be brought ashore at the old church and rumours suggest there were secret passages linking it to the village and the priory. One famous local smuggler’s daughter, Sophie Dawes, was able to use her guile and wit to rise to prominence as the wife of a French Baron and mistress to a Duke. After being forced to re-write his will in her favour, the Duke was found mysteriously hanged…
We are passionate about keeping The Ambling Path as a free resource available to everyone, forever. If you have enjoyed using our walking guides, then please consider leaving us a donation. This will help to cover our costs as well as rewarding the considerable time and effort needed to maintain the site. Thank you.
Follow us on social media to see our new walks and get regular updates on our old ones:
