Walking Britain's Islands by Rail

Most of Britain's larger islands are reachable by train and ferry.  This article describes some of them.  Jersey and Guernsey, which are also reachable by train and ferry, used to have their own railways, but both of them closed in the 1930s.  Alderney still has a steam railway, run by volunteers.  Only two islands still have full-time railway services: the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Man.  Both of them offer fantastic opportunities for coastal walking, as we have discovered.

The Isle of Wight

The link between the Isle of Wight and the mainland is one of the few remaining examples of fully joined-up public transport in Britain.  Mainland trains run to Portsmouth Harbour station, which also incorporates the Wightlink ferry terminal.  At the other end, Ryde Pier still performs its original function, berthing the ferries at the Pier Head, which also has a station on the Island Line.

The Island Line runs for 8.5 miles from Ryde to Shanklin.  It uses refurbished trains, which you might recognise from the London Underground.  You could walk the whole way from Shanklin to Ryde in one day, but these two walks have been designed to show off the best of the northeastern coast of the island.

Brading to Ryde: 13 miles

A varied walk with long views out to sea, and across the Solent towards Portsmouth, and a rich display of birdlife.  Read more...

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Shanklin to Brading: 8 miles


This was a mainly coastal walk, with a mixture of suburban, seafront promenade and open grazing land, with wide views over land and sea. Read more...

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The Isle of Man


The Isle of Man has: a steam railway, a heritage tram network (called 'the Manx Electric Railway') and even a horse-drawn tram, all of which are fully integrated into the normal public transport network.  The networks are all centred on Douglas, where the ferries from Liverpool arrive (nearest station: James Street).  If you are visiting the island, it may be worth buying a public transport pass or, if you are interested in historic sites, a Go Explore card, which gives you entry to castles, museums and stately homes as well.  A branch line off the Electric Railway climbs the highest peak on the island: Snaefell; you can climb the mountain and descend on the tram, or vice-versa.  These two walks showcase some of the best coastal scenery, using the steam train and the tramline respectively.

Port St Mary to Port Erin: 8 miles


A magnificent undulating walk around the southern tip of the Isle of Man, with a cafe stop overlooking the Calf of Man, shown above.  Read more...

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Dreamskerry to Ramsey: 7 miles


A coastal walk exceptional for the scenery, both on the walk and for the ride on the heritage tramway which leads there.  Read more...

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