From the car park, carefully cross the road to the Bay frontage. Here,turn right and head towards the Albion Hotel. At the hotel, follow theroad as it goes eastwards. This is Gate Lane and just beyond the carpark for the Albion there is the bus stop and behind, some toilets.

A path follows the grass beside Gate Lane and ahead of you is Dimbola Lodge. This was once the home of  Julia Margaret Cameron who was a pioneering Victorian lady photographer. She came to the area as a friend of Alfred Lord Tennyson and based a lot of her photographs on texts from his poems as well as photographing his friends. The museum displays some of her works, holds regular exhibits from other photographers and artists as well as commemorating the Islands' Pop Festivals. Dimbola also contains a tea rooms.

 Carry on along Gate Lane and you pass a row of very attractive Victorian villa properties. Beyond a second bus stop and public telephone lies the thatched church of St Agnes. Not quite as old as it looks but said to be one of only four left in the country and much photographed. Carrying on again up Gate Lane you pass on the right the Freshwater Bay Post Office. Once a piano maker's shop and local library, this is a real gem and sells most stationery requirements, plus buckets, spades and ice creams! You will also see Orchards shop on the corner, well worth a visit as a traditional English corner shop, lots of good things to eat!

Between the Post Office and Orchards, on the same side of the road as the church you will find a rough lane going behind the Farringford golf course. F47. As you approach the wooden footbridge the lane goes to the left. Follow this between the fields up to the downs. There are lovely views all along this route. Passing through the gate onto the Downs there is a choice. For those that are fit enough, going straight on up the slope and onto the top of the Downs, for others turn left and follow the track to a gate. This will take you out onto the top of Easton Field. Again, here there is a choice. Straight ahead is another small gate that will take you down a path beside Bakers Farm and the Thatched Church, or take a diagonal route across the field and down towards the toilets. Here there is a gate and stile that allows you to depart the field and make your way back down to Gate Lane and the car park.

Walk 2.

This walk starts in a similar manner to walk 1 but cuts out the climb onto the Downs and instead replaces it with more farm land and takes you past the entrance to the Farringford.

From the car park, carefully cross the road to the Bay frontage. Here,turn right and head towards the Albion Hotel. At the hotel, follow theroad as it goes eastwards. This is Gate Lane and just beyond the carpark for the Albion there is the bus stop and behind, some toilets.

A path follows the grass beside Gate Lane and ahead of you is Dimbola Lodge. This was once the home of  Julia Margaret Cameron who was a pioneering Victorian lady photographer. She came to the area as a friend of Alfred Lord Tennyson and based a lot of her photographs on texts from his poems as well as photographing his friends. The museum displays some of her works, holds regular exhibits from other photographers and artists as well as commemorating the Islands' Pop Festivals. Dimbola also contains a tea rooms.

 Carry on along Gate Lane and you pass a row of very attractive Victorian villa properties. Beyond a second bus stop and public telephone lies the thatched church of St Agnes. Not quite as old as it looks but said to be one of only four left in the country and much photographed. Carrying on again up Gate Lane you pass on the right the Freshwater Bay Post Office. Once a piano maker's shop and local library, this is a real gem and sells most stationery requirements, plus buckets, spades and ice creams! You will also see Orchards shop on the corner, well worth a visit as a traditional English corner shop, lots of good things to eat!

Between the Post Office and Orchards, on the same side of the road as the church you will find a rough lane going behind the Farringford golf course. F47. As you approach the wooden footbridge the lane goes to the left. Follow this between the fields up to the downs. There are lovely views all along this route. Passing through the gate onto the Downs turn right and follow the track along the base of the Downs. You will come to an area that has been cleared as a small quarry. There are some small trees here on the right, at the end of the field. Go into the trees and there is a stile on the right that leads into a fenced off passage along the field edge. Follow this down the slope of the field with views ahead to Freshwater, Golden Hill fort and the Solent. The path going down the fields passes over another stile before turning right towards the Farringford Farm. By the farm is another stile which takes you into the lane that runs through the farm and also along the back of the Farringford.

Again, here you have a choice, either carry on and join the upward route at the wooden bridge or turn left with the farm on your left and the Farringford cottages on your right. This lane takes you down to Bedbury Lane. Here, turn right and follow this road past the entrance and frontage of the Farringford. Eventually Bedbury Lane becomes Gate Lane at the junction with Orchards shop. Carry on straight ahead and the thatched church will be on your right. Follow Gate lane down to the Bay and the car park.

Walk 3.

This walk takes you slightly up the Military Road, then down towards the barrier and into old Freshwater. Then back across the barrier and up to Afton Marsh. Along Afton Marsh and back to the Bay via Coastguard Lane. There are several watering holes along the route.

From the car park turn left and cross Afton Road. Proceed upwards along the Military Road until you come to the grass area on the left which is called Tots Plot. There is an unmade up roadway coming out here with signs to Freshwater Golf Club. Turn left into Southdown Road and follow this down to the T junction with Afton Road,whichis also an unmade road. Turn right and follow this to the junction with Newport Road.

Almost directly across this road is The Causeway. A quiet lane, this takes you alongside fields of corn to the barrier. Designed to protect the water levels in Afton Marsh, this is a very scenic spot at the top of the Western Yar river. If you carry on across the barrier the lane goes up to Old Freshwater based around the large church.

All Saints is one of the oldest churches on the Island it has a lovely position and the grave yard contains the remains ofAlfred, Lord Tennyson's wife as well as other famouslocal people. Old Freshwater is also the site of the Red Lion Pub,famous for serving good food. In the summer months it does get very crowded with yachts people, who have walked up from Yarmouth.

Going back to the barrier, cross it until you are opposite to the path that goes down the river to Yarmouth. Then turn right and head back towards the Downs. Follow the path until it meets Afton Road. On the right is a very popular cafe, The End of the Line. Cross Afton Road and go slightly left to the entrance to Afton Marsh nature reserve. Follow the path through the marsh, crossing over a small bridge where the steam divides. You will come out on Blackbridge Road. Turn right for about 25 metres and then follow the path on your left, down the rest of the marsh towards the Bay. The path eventually leads into Coastguard Lane at the back of the Sandpipers Hotel. Follow this down and it joins Gate Lane opposite to the Albion Hotel. Turn left to go back to the car park.

Other quick walks are readily available by following the Coastal Path as it leaves the Bay, either alongside the Military Road or by going the other way, along Gate Lane to the toilets and heading left.

See the Picture Gallery for sample views. The pictures in the gallery have been reduced in quality in order to speed up the site but we hope that they give some sort of idea of the views that you will see on these walks.