Moorlands Cottage
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Things to do · Isle of Wight

Beaches

Sandy bays, surf and dinosaur footprints: the beaches of the Back of the Wight are some of the island’s wildest.

Brighstone Bay, Brook Bay and Compton Bay are all close to the cottage and popular with families, surfers and kitesurfers. Further west, Freshwater Bay, Alum Bay and Colwell Bay each have a character of their own.

This stretch of coast is also the island’s dinosaur hotspot. At low tide you can see dinosaur footprints at Compton Bay, and the beaches are known for fossilised bone, wood and shells.

Places & routes

  1. 01

    Closest beaches

    Brighstone & Brook Bays

    Long, quiet beaches beneath the cliffs, popular with families and surfers alike.

    Visit visitisleofwight.co.uk
  2. 02

    Surf, fossils & footprints

    Compton Bay

    Two miles of golden and dark sands with a gently sloping shore. Look for dinosaur footprints at low tide, or book a guided fossil walk.

    Visit visitisleofwight.co.uk
  3. 03

    About 15 minutes by car

    Freshwater Bay

    A picturesque cove at the foot of Tennyson Down, and a good start for walks to the Needles.

    Visit visitisleofwight.co.uk
  4. 04

    Western tip

    Alum Bay

    A shingle bay framed by the Needles chalk stacks, famous for its multi-coloured sand cliffs.

    Visit visitisleofwight.co.uk
  5. 05

    Calmer waters

    Colwell Bay

    Sand and shingle with views across the Solent; a good choice for swimming in spring and summer.

    Visit visitisleofwight.co.uk