Bike Ride Around the Isle of Wight
Part II: The Western Half of the Island

For me, the western half was the more interesting bike ride of the two halves: there was far less traffic, the roads are in better shape, and the climbs are more challenging. But, since I did the western half in the afternoon, it is possible that the difference in traffic volume was due to the time of day.

Below: Evidence of the Roman invasion of Britain is very much visible all over England. In 1926 in Newport, they uncovered remains of a Roman villa. Shown below is the "bath" section of the building (of course, the most famous Roman bath in all of England is found in the town of Bath). Apparently, regular trade with the Romans was being carried on before Claudius decided to invade Britain around 43AD.

Below: Just outside of Newport, on a hill, is the Carisbrooke Castle, originally a Roman fort rebuilt as a medieval castle around the 1100s. Charles I was imprisoned here in 1647-1648.

Below: Looking back at Thorness Bay on the way to Shalfleet. The skies turned overcast mid-afternoon as I headed out west.

Below: On the A3054 just outside of Yarmouth, on the northwestern tip of the island.

Below: Yarmouth Pier is serviced by ferries going to Lymington in the mainland. The town is a bit too touristy for my taste, a cross between the San Francisco Marina and Sausalito Bay (even the cold late-afternoon breeze was San Francisco Bay vintage!)

Below: The bike trail connecting Yarmouth to Freshwater, to its south. The trail is beautifully set against a wooded area, but is also used by walkers and those pushing baby strollers, and is a bit too gravelly; the trail is therefore not really suited for "serious" bike use. Nonetheless, its serene setting provides a welcome change of pace.

Below: The best stretch of road in my opinion starts from Afton on the Isle of Wight's western tip heading east on the imaginatively named B3399 to Shalcombe, Brighstone, Shorwell, then dipping south to Little Atherfield and Pyle before heading north towards Chillerton and Blackwater. Shown below is the wide-open stretch just east of Afton, one of those roads that go uphill ever so imperceptively, making it hard to "let er rip."

Below: Brighstone is one of those postcard-perfect villages that forces one to slow down and look around for a little bit. Of course, this was approximately mile 65 of my ride, so any excuse to stop will do.

I've once again underestimated the length of the route, I got back to Newport at 4PM, with still almost 10 miles to go. I have not ridden this far in over a year, and my body started sending "bonk" alerts. But I'm cramming my training for an even-longer and hillier ride the following week, so I soldiered on.

Unbeknownst to me, the toughest stretch is about to come up. Burnt House Lane on the east side of A3056 just outside Newport is a 400-foot climb to Arreton Down. I remembered thinking this was the type of road that I truly enjoy when I'm in shape. Not having had a proper meal, my water bottles long emptied, like Jackson Browne I've been running on empty. The Hare and Hounds, an 18th-century freehouse appeared on the turn in Downend, so I dejectedly dismounted to get some solid food. I then continued on a ridge road with fine views of Arrenton to the south, before heading north back to catch the ferry in Ryde.

Last Updated: July 05, 1998