Enjoy a picnic in the woods that’s by the sea and a fort

There is no end of places to throw down your blanket here, with varied landscapes including woodland walks and a beach with spectacular views across the Solent. Fort Victoria was originally built on the north shore of the Isle of Wight to protect the Solent. Nowadays it forms the home of a model railway, aquarium, planetarium and a shipwreck centre.

Surrounding the Victorian Fort are miles of woodland and attractive coastline. It’s free to park here, which makes it an easy place to stop off and explore for an hour or a day. Guided walks are available from the park’s countryside ranger.

There are plenty of benches spread around the grounds of the Fort and you can also head up onto the walls to enjoy the sea views. Stay long enough and you’ll see a spectacular sunset from here.

Content provided by Visit Isle of Wight