Beach activity guide
Beaches with west-facing or evening-view appeal.
Beaches with west-facing or evening-view appeal.
Colwell Bay Beach is a Freshwater beach with sandy beach with sandy seabed and smooth, gentle depth increase. Good for swimming and families in settled conditions, especially at low tide; shallow, sheltered.
Compton Beach / Compton Bay is a Freshwater beach with long sandy beach with rocky ledges and reef areas, especially around hanover point. Good for confident swimmers and wave play in settled conditions; less.
Freshwater Bay is a Freshwater beach with grey pebbles, shingle, rock shelves and pebbly seabed. Better for confident swimmers than young children; deepens quickly and is rocky underfoot.
Gurnard Bay Beach is a Gurnard beach with sand and pebbles, with sand/pebble seabed. Reasonable for swimming, but stony in places; best with water shoes.
Ventnor Beach is a Ventnor beach with sand and shingle/pebbles with mixed seabed. Good for swimmers in calm conditions; deeper/choppier than Colwell/Yaverland and best for confident bathers.
Alum Bay Beach is a Alum Bay beach with pebble beach below coloured sand cliffs. Scenic for paddling/dips in calm water, but not ideal as a primary swimming beach because of pebbles, access and no lifeguard.
Woodside Beach is a Fishbourne beach with sand and pebbles with sand/pebble seabed. Quiet dip possible for competent swimmers in calm conditions; no lifeguards and limited support nearby.
Norton Beach is a Yarmouth beach with beige sand with sandy seabed; quieter west wight shore. Can be suitable for calm-water swimming, but no lifeguards or beach facilities; use caution near harbour approaches.
Fort Victoria Beach is a Yarmouth beach with small pebbles with pebbly seabed. Good for careful dips in calm conditions according to beach listing, but better known for rockpooling/fossils than resort swimming.