Yarmouth and the River Yar, Isle of Wight

Roy Davenport

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Yarmouth is located on the western side of the Isle of Wight. The town has grown up as a result of its natural harbour, which is guarded by Yarmouth Castle.

Yarmouth was the first island settlement to be granted a royal town charter, in 1135. The town was sacked by the French in 1377 and 1524 and suffered numerous raids until Henry VIII improved the security situation by building a stone castle in the town, which was completed in 1547. The castle is now managed by English Heritage.

Today, the picturesque port of Yarmouth mainly serves ferries bound for Lymington on the mainland. An impressive feature of the town is the unique, 700ft-long timber pier dating from 1876, which is a Grade II listed building. 552 deck planks record the names of those who helped fund the pier's restoration in the 1990s. The harbour attracts many yachts and motor cruisers which take advantage of the estuary afforded by the River Yar. Yarmouth Harbour has berthing and on-shore facilities for visiting yachtsmen.

The Yar Estuary attracts walkers and birdwatchers and there is a cycleway to Freshwater along the route of the former railway line. There are some interesting shops, cafes, restaurants and traditional pubs.

England - South England - Isle of Wight - Countryside

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Good for Kids, Great Views, Mostly Flat, Pub, Public Transport, Restaurant, River, Sea, Wildlife, Woodland

10/19/2011 - Walkingworld Admin

Roy Davenport reports that he has revisited this walk and all is OK. October 2011. Adrian (Admin)

8/18/2011 - Lyn Lovell

Lovely flat walk that the whole family enjoyed. Stopped at Kings Manor Farm Shop for a coffee. A great short walk while killing time before catching the ferry home! Dog friendly.

1/28/2011 - Edward Hasman

An excellent walk. Ideal for dogs, Barclay our own dog however remains at home! Enjoyed the walk on two occasions now. However, do prefer to return the same way alongside the estuary. Excellent tea shop at the Freshwater end which aids the return journey.

12/21/2007 - Sylvia Saunders

We enjoyed this walk on a stormy winters day so there was plenty of fresh air about! We were so lucky as the rain stopped as we parked and blue skies burst out for the duration of our walk. Lovely easy walk with good clear instructions. Thank you! Sylvia, Tony and Jagger the dog.

5/26/2007 - Roy Davenport

Ok April 07