Walking the Island: Hidden Wootton

A scenic walk to Woodhouse and Littletown.

Start at the car park in Brannon Way, which is opposite the Community Centre.

1 Turn left from the car park into Brannon Way and then right up into Mary Rose Avenue, which meanders through the estate into Fernside Way as far as the junction with Station Road. Turn left into Station Road.

2 Proceed a few yards until you reach Packsfield Lane North, footpath N8. Continue down the lane for approx. seven hundred yards when you will reach Packsfield Farmhouse on your left and then the level crossing for the Steam Railway. Wootton Station can be seen up the line to your right. Don't walk up the line.

3 The line originally opened in 1875 as the Ryde and Newport Railway, with stations at Ryde St Johns Road, Ashey, Havenstreet, Wootton, Whippingham and Newport. Both Wootton and Whippingham closed in September 1953 and the line itself in February 1966. However, its unique charm has been perfectly preserved by a largely volunteer-run organisation, which began life in 1971. Trains run in season from Wootton to Smallbrook Junction for onward connection to Island Line stations and the mainland. You may be lucky and see a steam train passing! Taking great care, cross the line. Take footpath N7 to your left and walk up the hill until you reach the junction with footpath N4. You are now in Littletown.

4 Here opposite Woodford Cottage in 1846 was the old Littletown chapel built of brick and slate by the Bible Christian Movement. Littletown was then a selfsupporting and thriving hamlet. The coming of the railway in 1875 and development of Beech Lane into Station Road spelled the erosion of community activity in Littletown. The Great Gale of 1897 destroyed the chapel. Turn left taking N3.

5 After 100 yards turn right passing “Shiloh” which was once Mousehill Farm. Continue walking for about half a mile until you reach the junction with Briddlesford Road. Caution: Busy road.

6 Turn left. Take the track directly opposite Blacklands Lane at Knights Cross Cottages.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

7 Continue up this bridleway (N10) , passing the entrances to Knight’s Farm on the left and Doreshill Farm on the right.

8 Carry on past woodland known as Dunnage Copse and just past here the track divides. Take the left hand fork N12 to Wootton Bridge and proceed along the track to Woodhouse Farm.

9 Just before you reach the farm, turn left taking footpath N2. Cross over the stile and proceed through the fields. Please keep your dogs on leads at all times. You will eventually reach another stile, which meets up with footpath N3 at Littletown. Cross the stile and turn right. You will recognise this path from your outward journey. After about 150 yards you will arrive at “Shiloh” again, turn left and in 100 yards you are back at the Littletown footpath junction. Continue on N3 and N4 until you reach the junction of Station Road. Whilst walking, keep looking over the hedge to your left as on a clear day you can see the white cliffs of Tennyson Down at Freshwater in the far distance.

10 You will see the Woodman’s Arms public house on your left. Now turn right into Station Road and continue for about 200 yards.

11 You will come to the Methodist Chapel, which was built in 1897 as the replacement for the Bible Christian Chapel at Littletown. Take the cycleway/footpath next to the Chapel. This right of way is constructed on the original trackbed of the railway line, which formally continued to Whippingham, Newport and Cowes. After a quarter of a mile you will come to a recently constructed railway bridge, which was built in 1999 when the original fell into disrepair. Pass under the bridge and continue walking for about 100 yards until you reach the junction with Park Road. Cross the road carefully and continue on walking down the ‘other side of the track’.

12 After about half a mile you will reach Whippingham Station on the right, which is now a private dwelling. It is known that Queen Victoria did use the station on at least one occasion, on 11 February 1888, when she travelled from Whippingham to Ventnor and back for the opening of the National Consumption Hospital there. Take a right hand turn just before the Station House and proceed down past the crematorium until you reach the junction with the main road (Lushington Hill).

13 Turn right and proceed up the hill, passing Harwood’s Garage at the top, on your right. Continue on to the traffic lights at the corner of Church Road / High Street / Station Road.

14 Turn right at The Cedars, cross at the light-controlled crossing, and proceed along Station Road for about 200 yards until you reach Fernside Way. Turn left and follow the road through the estate until you reach Brannon Way, turn left and on your right is the car park.