Brook Bay
Mixed beach
Brook Bay lies on the Isle of Wight's exposed south-west coast, immediately south of Compton Bay and sharing the same wild, undeveloped character. The beach is a mix of sand and shingle, backed by crumbling clay cliffs that are among the most productive fossil sites in Europe. This is the Isle of Wight's Jurassic Coast in all but official designation, a stretch of shore where the remains of creatures that lived over a hundred million years ago are regularly exposed by the action of the sea.
The beach at Brook is reached by a rough path from the small National Trust car park at Brook Chine, or by walking south along the shore from Compton Bay at low tide. The descent through the chine is steep in places and can be muddy after rain. There are no steps or handrails for the final section. This lack of formal access keeps visitor numbers low and contributes to the sense of remoteness that makes Brook Bay special.
Fossil hunting here is genuinely productive. The Wealden clay beds that form the lower cliffs and foreshore contain the remains of dinosaurs, crocodiles, turtles and various invertebrates. Dinosaur footprints, some of considerable size, are periodically exposed on the rock platforms at the base of the cliffs. These are natural casts formed when sediment filled the original footprints, and they can be surprisingly detailed. The best time to look is after winter storms, when fresh material has been washed out of the cliffs. It is important not to hammer at the cliffs or dig into them, both because it is dangerous and because it is not permitted. Loose material on the beach is fair game.
The beach faces south-west and is fully exposed to the prevailing wind and swell. In calm weather the sand is pleasant and the swimming is fine, if bracing. In rough weather the waves can be powerful and the currents dangerous. There are no lifeguards and no facilities of any kind. The nearest toilets and refreshments are at Compton Bay or in the village of Brook, a short walk inland.
The coastal path runs along the clifftop above Brook Bay, forming part of both the Isle of Wight Coastal Path and the Tennyson Trail. The views from the path are superb, taking in the sweep of the back coast from St Catherine's Point in the east to The Needles in the west. The clifftop grassland is rich in wildflowers in spring and early summer, with pyramidal orchids, kidney vetch and horseshoe vetch among the species present.
Brook village, a short walk inland from the chine, is tiny, with a church, a few houses and no services to speak of. The nearest pub and shop are in Brighstone, about a mile further along the road.
Brook Bay is a beach for fossil hunters, walkers and those who value solitude over convenience. It is one of the most atmospheric spots on the island, a place where the deep past feels close to the surface and the coast retains a genuinely wild character that is increasingly rare in southern England.