ramble, from the French invasion of 1545 to D-Day, four centuries later centuries four D-Day, to 1545 of invasion French the from ramble, Britain’s maritime heritage is celebrated in this coast and country and coast this in celebrated is heritage maritime Britain’s ) right inset, ( Seaview at beach the On ); left inset, ( Fort Spitbank ); cover front front ( Tower Spinnaker Portsmouth’s to Solent The Across Pictured Council Seaview Parish Parish Seaview of Nettlestone and and Nettlestone of with the assistance assistance the with been produced produced been This leaflet has has leaflet This Trail . iowramblers.com/page44.htm Barnsley www. from downloaded be can series this in walks • Follow advice and local signs local and advice Follow • Internet All All Bay. Seagrove near and Street High • Plan ahead and be prepared be and ahead Plan • Toilets Seaview. Seaview. At the Seaview Hotel in the the in Hotel Seaview the At The Wishing Well pub at Pondwell; cafés in in cafés Pondwell; at pub Well Wishing The Enjoy the outdoors the Enjoy The Refreshments conditions and the weather. weather. the and conditions • Keep dogs under effective control effective under dogs Keep • rocks and shingle. Care should be taken with tidal tidal with taken be should Care shingle. and rocks litter home litter Street), but this is for the sure-footed as there are are there as sure-footed the for is this but Street), • Leave no trace of your visit and take your your take and visit your of trace no Leave • Seagrove Bay to the slipway at Seaview (High (High Seaview at slipway the to Bay Seagrove Protect the natural environment natural the Protect valley area. It is possible to follow the beach from from beach the follow to possible is It area. valley no stiles, but can become muddy in the Barnsley Barnsley the in muddy become can but stiles, no is available available is Access information Access Pondwell. Pondwell. A walk with with walk A them and follow paths unless wider access access wider unless paths follow and them Street, Seaview or at the Wishing Well pub, pub, Well Wishing the at or Seaview Street, • Leave gates and property as you find find you as property and gates Leave • bus route bus Start There are bus stops near the High High the near stops bus are There miles. people enjoying the outdoors the enjoying people to find your find to Distance 3.5 3.5 views. coastal and countryside • Consider the local community and other other and community local the Consider • QR code inside code QR Description A fairly level walk, with open open with walk, level fairly A Respect other people other Respect Just use the handy the use Just Trail Island most inspiring walks. inspiring most to see the see to Respect Protect Enjoy Protect Respect to the Isle of Wight’s Wight’s of Isle the to best way best Barnsley Countryside Code Countryside The Southern Vectis bus Vectis Southern Bus at home – take a take – home at The by Rambles Leave the car the Leave Main picture This circular walk was devised by Nettlestone Spitbank Fort The Inset left to right and Seaview Parish Council to encourage The Priory Bay Hotel Barnsley residents and tourists to discover some of the today; Sculpture of Churchill and many miles of footpaths in this area. Roosevelt; Plaque commemorating the Trail part played by this part of the world in the D-Day landings History The rural stretch through the Barnsley Valley (R95 and well as between Horse Sand Fort and Southsea. Seagrove Bay The first development of 14 houses was built in the R61 paths), is interesting historically. Once, the sea There were four sea forts built, at St Helens, The Spit 1880s. Until that time, the only property in the area was reached up to the park and Longlands copses and this Bank Fort near Portsmouth as well as the two centrally Seagrove Manor, whose estate ran down to the bay. Until type of inlet was favoured by the Romans. In medieval located forts. Palmerston, the Victorian prime minister, the 1960s the could be recognised by a line of summer times the inlet was developed into Barnsley harbour and pushed through the construction in the face of bitter beach tents which lined the sea wall every year. there were works stretching out to sea. Quite large ships opposition. The cost was huge and Gladstone, the reached the mill south of the present B3330 close to R61. chancellor, threatened to resign as the cost escalated. No The Priory Bay Hotel The mill pond embankment can still be seen. When the Mans Land Fort originally had 400 men with 49 guns There was a 12th century Benedictine monastery on Napoleonic wars cut off supplies of salt from sources in weighing 70 tonnes each. The fort has now been sold and St Helen’s Duver, alongside the church whose tower the Mediterranean, an embankment was built across developed as a luxury hotel. One problem is that there is still remains. The current priory was established as the mouth of the harbour, the present day Duver, and a nowhere to moor a yacht and boats have to be winched a farmhouse in Tudor times. In 1800 it changed to a series of sluices and saltpans provided facilities for salt onto the fort. residence, with a succession of private owners until production where Salterns Cottages now stand. Seaview Pier 1938, and was then occupied by the army during the Second World War. During this time the barn became The Spithead Forts The original pier which was built in 1878 has now a barrack room and the security services also used the In 1805, the Battle of Waterloo brought peace to Europe disappeared. On Boxing Day 1951, a length of pier 100 priory as their HQ on the Island. The priory re-opened at and restored the monarchy to France, but England feet long was washed away during a storm, and the the end of June 1998 as a luxury hotel. continued to be suspicious of French intentions. In 1848, remainder was gradually removed over the following Europe was again in a state of revolt. A second republic years. The pier had fallen into decline during the 1920s French invasion was declared in France and Louis Napoleon became and 30s, with the availability of bus services between In July 1545, Seaview was one of the sites of the last its first president as Napoleon III. The introduction of Ryde and Seaview, and the final users were the armed French invasion, and it is thought that the local militia advanced artillery and steam-driven iron ships caused forces during the Second World War. caught the French and pushed them back to the sea. The near panic in England and in 1860 the order to build the It was 1,000 feet long and 15 feet wide, with a unique entire Island population at the time was approximately Spithead forts was given. They were intended to protect undulating deck. There were four towers from which the 9,000 people, but Richard Worsley, the Captain of the Portsmouth dockyard, and over the years were armed pier deck was suspended. There were six boat services Isle of Wight militia, had an army of 6,000 under his and rearmed as technology improved. Both No Mans a day in the summer, and in 1881 it was visited by the command. Everyone on the Island had compulsory Land Fort and Horse Sand Fort became naval signal Prince and Princess of Wales who arrived by steamer military training, with women often fighting as archers. stations. In 1909, a line of concrete blocks had been from Osborne House to attend the Seaview Regatta. placed between the Island and No Mans Land Fort, as The best way to see the one of Lord Palmerston’s defences Island guarding against invasion by the French Ramblesby Spitbank Fort Bus Route From the bus stop 1 near The Wishing Well pub Cross the main road 6 and then turn right into Continue along the esplanade, passing the yacht club The at Pondwell, go downhill and cross the road at a bend Priory Drive. Continue straight on the track R72. At and then on R91 along the sea wall. At 10 there are and follow bridleway R61 through a gate 2 and across an entrance to the Priory Hotel 7 , turn left downhill views of the Spinnaker Tower and sea forts. Turn left a green field track to a gate and an enclosed track. Turn to reach Seagrove Bay 8 . Here, there is a choice of into Salterns Road, passing cottages. Continue straight left onto a gravel track 3 and cross a bridge over a following the beach or turning left along Pier Road to on and then turn right into Pond Lane and follow Barnsley stream. Turn left on R62 4 and at a field, follow the the shops. Turn right into High Street and continue bridleway R95. left hand edge to reach a boardwalk which turns left. to the esplanade 9 . The coastline between Seaview and Seagrove Bay is the site of a lost pier (1881-1951) The path emerges at Nettlestone Hill 11 . Turn Go through a Ramblers gate 5 and across a field by a and also where ships sailed to take part in Operation right into Farm Shute, footpath R114 at a viewpoint copse. Go through a kissing gate onto a track on the Overlord on 6th June 1944. overlooking the Barnsley Valley and The Solent. The path Trail edge of woodland.