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The Great Britain Guide

Mountains & hills · South East England

Gurnard Bay

In or near Carisbrooke.

Free admission

Gurnard Bay — bay on the north coast of the Isle of Wight, England, UK.

Gurnard Bay, mountains & hills in South East England

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
3 h–8 h
Best time of year
Late spring – early autumn (May–Oct)
Nearest railway station
Exbury Central · 6.5 km
  • Free entry
  • Dog-friendly

Getting there & planning your visit

Gurnard Bay is located in the Isle of Wight, with the nearest railway station being Exbury Central, which is 6.5 km away. The postcode for Gurnard Bay is PO31 8BZ. Entry is free.

Directions on Google Maps →

About

Gurnard Bay is a named summit in the United Kingdom. Wikidata describes it as: "bay on the north coast of the Isle of Wight, England, UK". Coordinates: 50.7650°, -1.3300°.

Photo gallery

Protected designations

  • Site of Special Scientific Interest: North Solent SSSI
  • National Nature Reserve: NORTH SOLENT
  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Isle Of Wight
  • Ramsar wetland: Solent & Southampton Water

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Gurnard Bay is a bay on the north-west coast of the Isle of Wight, England, in the western arm of the Solent. It lies to the north-west of the village of Gurnard from which it takes its name. Its shoreline is 1+1⁄4 miles (2.0 km) in length and is gently curving. It stretches from Gurnard Head in the west to Egypt Point to the east. A panoramic view of the bay and the village of Gurnard can be seen from ferries approaching Cowes or East Cowes from the Solent. There is a pebble and shingle beach on the bay which is bordered by a row of municipally owned beach huts. Watersports are popular pastimes in the bay, and the Gurnard Sailing Club is located at its eastern end. The bay is best viewed and accessed from the green at Gurnard.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

On the former land to the west of Gurnard Marsh was one of the island's main harbours for "common passage" to the mainland. Protecting the harbour stood Gurnard Fort, built around 1600, however by the 17th century it was abandoned as Cowes had then rapidly grown to be the main commercial port for the island. The remains of the fort were rediscovered in 1864, during an excavation of a Roman villa which stood on the same site, the area on which they stood has now since been destroyed by the sea and lies some distance into the bay. The wreckage of a downed World War II German bomber lies in the bay not too far from Egypt Point.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
50.7650, -1.3300
Parish
Gurnard
Postcode
PO31 8BZ
Parliamentary constituency
Isle of Wight West
Nearest railway station
Exbury Central6.5 km

Sources

Other places nearby

Nearby

Gurnard beach huts - geograph.org.uk - 3281742📷 5

Beaches · South East England

Gurnard Beach

Gurnard Beach — Beach (sand;pebbles).

Free🐕👶
Coastal path on Winding Way, Gurnard - geograph.org.uk - 4670446📷 5

Natural landmarks · South East England

Gurnard Bay

Gurnard Bay — a natural feature in england south east.

🐕
Egypt Point light📷 5

Lighthouses · South East England

Egypt Point light

Egypt Point light — lighthouse in Isle of Wight, England.

Free🐕👶thegreatbritainguide.com
All Saints' Church, Gurnard📷 5

Historic churches · South East England

All Saints' Church, Gurnard

All Saints' Church, Gurnard — church in United Kingdom.

Freegurnardpc.co.uk
Lodges at Gurnard Pines holiday village - geograph.org.uk - 6995499📷 5

Caravan parks · South East England

Gurnard Pines Holiday Camp

Gurnard Pines Holiday Camp — a caravan park in england south east.

St Mary, Cowes, churchyard (g) - geograph.org.uk - 4201554📷 5

Memorials & monuments · South East England

Cowes War Memorial

Cowes War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.

Free🐕

Where to eat & stay near Gurnard Bay

Places to stay

Lodges at Gurnard Pines holiday village - geograph.org.uk - 6995499📷 5

Caravan parks · South East England

Gurnard Pines Holiday Camp

Gurnard Pines Holiday Camp — a caravan park in england south east.

The Pier View on the High Street, Cowes - geograph.org.uk - 4674616📷 7

Hotels · South East England

Fountain Hotel

Fountain Hotel — a hotel in england south east.

Down Mill Hill Road - geograph.org.uk - 1942511📷 7

B&Bs · South East England

Endeavour House

Endeavour House — a bed-and-breakfast in england south east.

The Anchor Inn, Cowes - geograph.org.uk - 4674667📷 5

Hotels · South East England

The Anchor Inn

The Anchor Inn — a hotel in england south east.

Birthplace of Thomas Arnold, Headmaster of Rugby School 1828-1842 - geograph.org.uk - 1992318📷 5

B&Bs · South East England

The Duke of York

The Duke of York — a bed-and-breakfast in england south east.

Pallance Lane - geograph.org.uk - 6812467📷 4

Caravan parks · South East England

Comforts Farm (Caravan Park)

Comforts Farm (Caravan Park) — a caravan park in england south east.

Places to eat & drink

The Union Inn , Cowes - geograph.org.uk - 4201403📷 5

Restaurants · South East England

Call It What You Want

Call It What You Want — a restaurant in england south east. Cuisine: american;barbecue.

ciwyw.co.uk
Sun Hill - Cowes - geograph.org.uk - 8106558📷 6

Restaurants · South East England

Cowes Tandoori

Cowes Tandoori — a restaurant in england south east.

mattandcat.co.uk
Copthorne Lane, Fawley, Hampshire - geograph.org.uk - 6152813📷 5

Historic pubs · South East England

Falcon Hotel

Falcon Hotel in England South East, United Kingdom.

The Yachtsman Bar sign - geograph.org.uk - 5901315📷 5

Historic pubs · South East England

Master Builder's House Hotel

Master Builder's House Hotel in England South East, United Kingdom.

master-builders-house-hotel.hampshireweb.co.uk
The Castle Inn, Newport - geograph.org.uk - 4202354📷 5

Historic pubs · South East England

Castle Inn

Castle Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.

Newport Minster - geograph.org.uk - 6650857📷 5

Restaurants · South East England

Papa P's

Papa P's — a restaurant in england south east.

More mountains in this region

Botley Hill📷 5

Mountains & hills · South East England

Botley Hill

Botley Hill — Named summit at 269.6 m.

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Reigate Caves📷 5

Mountains & hills · South East England

Reigate Caves

Reigate Caves is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom.

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Mail Van in Lime Grove - geograph.org.uk - 8274486📷 5

Mountains & hills · South East England

North Downs

North Downs — a hill or mountain in england london.

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Blue Bell Hill Village sign and disused pub - geograph.org.uk - 3064395📷 5

Mountains & hills · South East England

Blue Bell Hill

Blue Bell Hill — a hill or mountain in england london.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Gurnard Bay?
Gurnard Bay is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode PO31 8BZ), in the parish of Gurnard.
What is Gurnard Bay?
Gurnard Bay — bay on the north coast of the Isle of Wight, England, UK.
How do I get to Gurnard Bay?
The nearest railway station is Exbury Central, about 6.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode PO31 8BZ.
Is Gurnard Bay a protected site?
Yes — Gurnard Bay is part of the North Solent SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the NORTH SOLENT National Nature Reserve.
Is Gurnard Bay free to visit?
Yes, Gurnard Bay is free to enter.
How do I get to Gurnard Bay?
The nearest railway station is Exbury Central, about 6.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode PO31 8BZ.