Island Transport
Southern Vectis, the Island's buses, provide reasonable access to most of the localities listed.
Information for Drivers
Public Transport Advice for Birding Sites
For those who do not wish to use cars or bikes to access the island, the local public transport services provide reasonable access to most of the localities listed. The best approach is to use the Southern Vectis bus network.
Single fares (for all standard journeys) is set to a maximum of £2, fixed until the end of 2024.
Timetables are available as follows:
24h, 48h and 7d ‘rover’ tickets are available as an alternative to purchasing individual fares.
Connections from the bus stops to sites may be by footpath or road, or a combination of the two. Specific details for each of the sites are as follows:
Bembridge Harbour
Service 8 from Ryde or Sandown, alight at Old St Helens Station for St. Helens Duver, or alight at Wades Boathouse or Bembridge Point for the Harbour. Wades Boathouse is closest to Bembridge ponds.
Bembridge Foreland
Service 8 from Ryde or Sandown, alight at Bembridge Crossway and walk to the shore.
Blackgang Viewpoint and Gore Down
Service 12 from Newport or Ventnor, alight at St Catherine’s Down.
Brading Marshes
For the west part of the marsh take service 2/3 and alight at Brading Church. Walk down Quay Lane to the marsh.
For the east part of the marsh take service 8 to St Helens Green and walk along the road to Laundry Lane.
Combley Great Wood
Only accessible by lengthy walks. Easiest route is Service 8 to Robin Hill then take footpaths to the wood.
Culver Down
Service 8 from Ryde or Sandown, alight at Meadow Way and walk to the Down.
Firestone Copse
Service 9 form Newport or Ryde to Kite Hill, then walk along road to the forest.
Fort Victoria
Service 7 from Newport, Yarmouth or Freshwater, alight Westhill Lane or Norton Grange and walk to the fort.
Headon Warren and Alum Bay Chine
Service 7 or 12 from Newport or Freshwater, alight Alum Bay and walk to the Chine and West end of the Warren. Alternatively take Service 7 and alight Totland War Memorial and walk to the east end of the Warren.
River Medina
West Bank – Walk along the cycle path, from either Cowes or Newport, or take Service 1 and alight at Isle of Wight College or Stag Inn and walk down to the river via Stag Lane or Dodnor Lane respectively.
East Bank – Walk along footpath from Newport, or take service 5 from Newport/East Cowes or Service 4 from Ryde/East Cowes and alight Whippingham Forge. Walk down Folly Lane to the river.
Newtown
Service 7 (Via Shalfleet option only) and alight Barton’s Corner. Walk to the reserve.
Parkhurst Forest
Service 1 from Newport or Cowes. Alight at Chapel Corner and take the road to the forest.
Ryde to Seaview, including Hersey Nature Reserve
Walk east from Ryde Esplanade bus terminus or Railway station. Alternatively take service 8 from Ryde, alight at St Peter’s Church, Seaview and walk westwards along the coast to Hersey Reserve and beyond.
St. Catherine’s Point
Service 6 from Newport to Ventnor and alight at Buddle Inn. This loop on the route sometimes does not operate. If not, alight Niton Church Street and walk from there.
Thorness Bay
Walk along the coastal path from Cowes or take Service 32 from Cowes to Gurnard and walk from there.
Town and Walter’s Copses, Newtown
As for Newtown, but continue to walk past the village East to the woods.
Ventnor Downs
Accessible via steep uphill walks from various points along the service 3 route. The York Road stop provides the least difficult access to St Boniface Down.
West High Down
Service 7 or 12 from Newport or Freshwater, alight Alum Bay and walk to West High Down. Alternatively take Service 12 and alight Freshwater Bay and walk via Tennyson Down to the site. To avoid steep uphill walking, in the summer the Needles Breezer service runs from Yarmouth to the Needles Battery at the west end of the down.
Western Yar
Service 7 from Newport, Freshwater, alight Yarmouth (estuary mouth), Sixpenny Corner (access to Rofford Marsh and the estuary via Victoria Road), or Hooke Hill (access to Afton Marsh and the South end of the Estuary.