Isle of Wight Beaches:
Sandown Bay

Isle of Wight beaches are beautiful, but not all are suitable for children. So, if you are planning a short break or holiday on the island, you may find the following comments helpful.

To begin, we will assume that you are looking for soft sand and safe bathing. If this is the case, we thoroughly recommend Sandown Bay.

Isle of Wight beaches - Sandown Bay from Culver Down

As you can see from the above picture, Sandown Bay looks like a huge bite has been taken out of the east coast of the island. It begins below Culver Down in the north and ends at Shanklin in the south.

The bay offers mile after mile of glorious, soft sand. Better still, the sands slope very, very gently - so there are no steep drops to frighten young bathers.

Sandown Bay is divided into four main areas: Yaverland, Sandown, Lake and Shanklin.

Yaverland Beach - well known for water sports events

Closest to Culver Down in the north lies YAVERLAND which is predominantly a resort for sailing and water sports. In summer it is a hive of activity and each year a watersports extravaganza takes place - 'Wight Air' - with young enthusiasts from all over the world flocking here to participate.


Beyond Yaverland lies SANDOWN BEACH - a favourite for many families which has been awarded Blue Flag status. The soft, yellow sand seems to go on for ever - perfect for games, sand-castles, sun-bathing, paddling and, of course, swimming. I like it because there are few break-waters and NO ROCKS, so it really does give you the freedom to do whatever you want.

Close by you will find the usual ice-cream stalls, gift shops and soft-drink vendors. You will also find popular attractions such as the Isle of Wight Zoo, Dinosaur Isle, and a crazy-golf course. And if you're lucky, you may even find room at the licensed Driftwood Beach Bar 'n' Grill. It's right on the sands with fabulous views across the bay.

Isle of Wight beaches: Sandown beach - looking towards Culver Down

Some wonderful photographs of Sandown beach exist - and I was particularly impressed by the following picture which is available from AllPosters.com. If you click on the image you can 'zoom in' to see the enlarged version.

Beach View to Culver Cliff, Sandown, Isle of Wight, England, United Kingdom

Photographic Print
Hunter, David
Buy at AllPosters.com

Sandown has its own pier which divides the bay in two. To the north lie the sands of Sandown Bay and Yaverland. To the south lie LAKE and SHANKLIN, both of which have essential break-waters to hold back the sand.

Sandown Pier - divides the bay in two

LAKE lies between Sandown and Shanklin at the foot of vertical cliffs. Access is by foot only. For this reason the seafront at Lake has never really been developed.

SHANKLIN lies at the southern end of Sandown Bay and it has full vehicular access. Like Sandown, it has the most glorious, soft, yellow sand which slopes gently to the sea. And like Sandown, it is a fabulous place for families with young children.

Look out for Small Hope Beach on the left hand side as you drop down Hope Road towards the Esplanade. It is separated from the main beach by Hope Road and public car park.

Isle of Wight beaches: Small Hope Beach, Shanklin

This small, triangular beach is very popular with families. There are beach huts to hire and good quality sun loungers. And at the end of the beach you'll find a cafe for light refreshments and ice-creams.

From here the coastal path continues around the bay towards Lake and Sandown itself.

Isle of Wight beaches - Shanklin beach looking due south

The beaches of Sandown and Shanklin are, in our opinion, the best choice for families with young children. There are, however, several others on the island, some equally popular. For further information on these simply click on the links below:-

FRESHWATER BAY and COMPTON BAY

RYDE and APPLEY

VENTNOR and STEEPHILL COVE

BEMBRIDGE and ST HELENS

COLWELL BAY and TOTLAND BAY

SEAVIEW and SEAGROVE BAY

Alternatively, if you are simply interested in beaches and beachcombing, the World is your oyster! We have partners in many other countries, all eager to tell you about their locality. For example, I have a colleague who lives on the west coast of America, near Vancouver, who has written all about Bellingham, her home town, and its gorgeous beaches. Simply click HERE to access her website.

Or have a holiday on Tenerife Island and sample all its romantic white and black beaches: Tenerife beaches may be tiny such as many on the north west coast, but there are also large beaches like those in Playa Las Americas or Playa de las Teresitas.

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