Shanklin Old Village
Shanklin shares the bay with Sandown but although it has all the seaside resort amenities it has a quieter ambiance about it.
Shanklin is made up of three parts - the seafront, the shops, and the 'Olde Village'. The seafront can be reached by a lift in the steep cliffs and offers a sandy beach bordered to the south by the Fisherman's Cottage, a lovely thatched pub on the beach and nearby Shanklin Chine.
The Chine is a fissure in the cliffs stretching into the land. Although there is an admission charge it is well worth a visit as a walk down the winding path through the trees ferns and waterfall is magical. It has inspired many poets and at the entrance is one written by Henry Longfellow. At the head of the Chine you are now in Shanklin's Olde Village, a collection of beautiful thatched cottages with lovely tea gardens.
There are many walks around Shanklin with paths climbing St Boniface Down to Ventnor and Wroxall. There is also an undercliff path to Sandown beside the beach.
