1
The mouth of the West Yar is huge enough to accommodate ferries and a sizeable marina, while swans nudge around the reeds and fringes of the river.
From the port (SZ353898), cross the roundabout and main road and walk through the car park to pick up the paved path by the side of the West Yar, signposted ‘Y20 Freshwater’. This is an old railway track, and the walking is flat and pleasant, passing an old tidal mill, thick hedgerows, brambles and a bank of woodland. Later, there’s a delightful coppice with alders ankle deep in bog-leftike dark waters. As you head south, you can’t help noticing how the West Yar quickly constricts and tapers apologetically into a miniscule stream. To the south of the island, rising like a breaking wave, is a backdrop of high whale-back chalk downlands.
2
At a crossroads of paths and paved lanes by the causeway, bear left along the small lane as it dips and rises to reach the Newport Road. Dog-leg left carefully across the road and take the farm track ahead. After 50m bear left, signposted for Afton Down along footpath F31. Follow this across farmland to the bottom of the down. Zig-zag your way up the climb, right then left, then follow the incline westwards to arrive at the top of Afton Down, in the middle – quite legally – of a golf course.
3
The views are stirring in all directions. Perched high to the west is the Tennyson Monument; beneath it are the island’s signature piebald, mottled chalk cliffs; to the south you can pick out Yarmouth and beyond that the New Forest; to the east the path and coast drops away along the Military Road to hug the shoreline.
Our path drops too, down to Freshwater, and continues through Freshwater Bay along the Alum Bay road to reach the church of St Agnes – its thatched roof makes it a rarity.
4
Cross the road and walk up Blackbridge Road. After 300m, turn left signposted for the Freshwater Way. After 200m, follow footpath F37 half-right through fields close to Afton Marshes. This is a wonderfully peaceful spot, where information boards suggest you may see a grass snake or an ink cap. The path emerges opposite school playing fields. Bear right to a roundabout, go straight across and turn right behind the supermarket, following footpath F58. This weaves magically through the reeds and mires of the infant West Yar to reach the Causeway.
5
Turn left to visit All Saints Church with its ancient and sprawling graveyard. Turn right alongside the cemetery to reach Kings Manor Farm shop. Continue along the lane and, in front of Kings Manor Farm, follow footpath F1 to pass the farm to your right. The final stretch of this walk dips down into the undulating woodland of Saltern Wood, straying away from the West Yar but giving wide vistas, particularly to the south. As you emerge from the wood, turn left along Gasworks Lane, which curves round to reach the A3045. Bear right to return to Yarmouth.
