Why not combine a few things to do in one place - Shanklin Old Village?
- Gift shop browsing
- Visit one of the 4 village pubs and one Hotel for a drink or meal
- Walk to Rylstone Gardens nearby
- At the edge of Rylstone Gardens are great cliff views of Shanklin South Beach below, use the steps there for a good shortcut to the beach!
- A few small restaurants, chip shop, a few tea rooms some with excellent patios/gardens in which to relax.
- Shanklin Chine and top entrance is here. Local Park and cricket ground are also nearby.
Shanklin Old Village:
We find this is popular with visitors and it is likely please more people especially if in a group or family and it makes a change to do two or three things in one outing.
Shanklin Old Village has many thatched buildings and has many gift shops, cafe's, tea-rooms and as a result is very popular amongst visitors for browsing, there are also several nice pubs and restaurants not to mention Rylstone gardens which is a bit of a partly hidden gem. There are FOUR places in which to have a drink within yards of each other! Shanklin Park and cricket ground are also not far from the village.
Car Parking: Park at the one and only Car Park {do not waste time trying to park on a side street somewhere because there are strict no parking limits for non-residents} in the centre of The Old Village.
The South part of Shanklin Beach is not that far away it is just that it is out of view and on a lower level. There are at least three different ways to get to the beach from The Old Village by not using your car. Here they are;
- Firstly walk down Shanklin Chine which is down the lane that is alongside The Crab Inn, Shanklin Chine is a unique walk that is recommended but it is obviously not free. At the end of The Chine is The Fisherman's Cottage pub and Shanklin South Beach. This is the quieter part of Shanklin's long beach - turn left if you wish for more cafe's, beach shops, amusements and the like. Public toilets are very near to the end of the Chine.
- Or walk past the entrance to The Chine crossing the small stream that runs through the lane. Take the steps in front of you and you will arrive at Rylestone Gardens and Tea room. Walk through these gardens and at the cliff edge there are some series of steps that will take you down to Shanklins South Beach slightly further along than if you used The Chine. Turn left for The Fisherman's Cottage pub and The Chine's lower entrance and the remainder of the beach.
- Lastly walk out of the Car Park in Shanklin Old Village and turn left into a one way downhill road. The elevated pedestrian footpath is on the left and this is quick and pleasant going down the hill, however before you go down look right you should see some Public Toilets and an entrance into what looks like a park. This is the entrance to Tower Cottage Gardens go down this and bear left slightly. This is a nice walk which runs parallel with the road but it is nicer and seems to be shorter. You will soon see The Chine below on your right hand side some considerable distance below {a bit scary}. Once at the end which runs to a point you go down some steps and then take a sharp right past The Chine Inn and simply follow the path down and around. This is not far, possibly a 10 minute stroll from the car park at Shanklin Old Village to The Fisherman's Cottage at the bottom.
© 2010. All photographs on this site may not be reproduced, copied or used for other means without our prior permission.