Brading to Bembridge
4 miles · Easy
The Brading to Bembridge route follows the trackbed of the former Bembridge branch line, which closed in 1953 after serving the eastern tip of the island for just over seventy years. The four-mile path is flat, well-surfaced, and entirely traffic-free, making it one of the gentlest cycling experiences on the Isle of Wight and a favourite with families, casual riders, and birdwatchers.
Brading is a small town of considerable antiquity, with a history stretching back to Roman times. The Roman villa at Brading, excavated in the 1880s, contains some of the finest mosaic floors in Britain and sits just south of the town centre. The old station at Brading remains in use on the Island Line, and the cycle path begins nearby, heading east across the marshes towards Bembridge.
The defining feature of this route is Brading Marshes, a large area of reclaimed harbour land that forms one of the most important wildlife habitats in the region. The harbour was enclosed by a sea wall in the 1870s, and the former seabed gradually became freshwater marsh and wet meadow. Today the RSPB manages a large portion as Brading Marshes nature reserve, and the cycle path runs along the raised embankment with open views across the reedbeds and pools on either side.
Birdlife is abundant throughout the year. In spring and summer, reed warblers and sedge warblers fill the reedbeds with song, while marsh harriers quarter the open ground in their distinctive low flight. Winter brings large flocks of teal, wigeon, and other wildfowl, along with occasional sightings of bittern in the denser reed patches. The raised path provides an excellent vantage point, and several hides and viewing screens are accessible from short spur paths.
The path continues through St Helens, a small village overlooking the natural harbour of St Helens Duver, before reaching Bembridge. This easternmost village on the island has a strong sailing tradition and a working lifeboat station. The old Bembridge windmill, owned by the National Trust, is the only surviving windmill on the island and dates from around 1700.
The ride takes most people 20 to 30 minutes in each direction, though birdwatchers regularly spend half a day making the journey with frequent stops. The path is shared with pedestrians and is popular with dog walkers, so courteous riding is essential. The surface is compacted gravel and tarmac in alternating sections, suitable for any bicycle with tyres of 28mm or wider.
Highlights
- Brading Marshes RSPB reserve and its birdlife
- Flat old railway trackbed suitable for all abilities
- Bembridge windmill and the eastern harbour