Pubs
Campsites with a pub you can walk to
How many Island campsites have a pub within a short walk, the classic campsite pubs, and the sites with their own bar.
In short: 66 of the 104 campsites we list have a pub within about three-quarters of a mile, or say you can walk to one. A handful are right next door: Stoats Farm faces the Highdown Inn below Tennyson Down, Forelands is a minute from the Crab and Lobster at Bembridge, and the Chequers Inn at Rookley has its own touring field. 18 campsites also have their own bar or restaurant.
How close is the nearest pub?
For every campsite we work out the nearest pub. The chart shows how those distances fall across all the campsites we list. Distances are measured in a straight line, so the walk is usually a little longer, especially where a footpath takes you round a field or down a valley.
Under half a mile is an easy stroll there and back, even with children. Half a mile to a mile is still a comfortable walk on a summer evening, but think about the way back: many Island lanes have no pavement and no lights, and the Military Road along the south-west coast is fast. Take a torch, or a head torch each, and wear something light-coloured.
Book a table in summer. The village pubs near the busiest campsites fill up for food on summer evenings, especially at weekends. Ring in the afternoon, or go early and eat before the rush.
Campsites with a pub on the doorstep
These are the pairs where the pub is close enough to walk to in your flip-flops.
- Stoats Farm, Totland, sits on Weston Lane opposite the Highdown Inn. Paths from the site lead up on to Tennyson Down, so you can walk to the Needles and finish at the pub.
- Chequers Inn, Rookley, is a pub campsite: twelve hook-up pitches for motorhomes and caravans a couple of minutes' walk from a family country pub that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day and has a play area. It's open all year.
- Forelands, Bembridge, is a summer pop-up field a minute's walk from the beach and the Crab and Lobster Inn.
- Chapelfurlong Farm at Hulverstone, between Brook and Brighstone, is a summer field with sea views and the Sun Inn about five minutes' walk away.
- Comforts Farm, Northwood, is a summer meadow a mile from Cowes with the Travellers Joy on the doorstep.
- Castlehaven and Puckaster Cove at Niton are both a short walk from the Buddle Inn, near St Catherine's lighthouse.
- Old Mill at St Helens has the Vine Inn on the village green close by; Fakenham Farm, a small sea-view site in the same village, is about a third of a mile away.
- Willow, a shepherd's hut for two in Newchurch, is in the village with the Pointer Inn. Southland, the touring park on the edge of Newchurch, is about half a mile from the same pub.
A short walk, by area
Plenty more campsites are a five- to fifteen-minute walk from a pub. Some real pairs from our data, all about half a mile or less in a straight line:
| Campsite | Nearest pub | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Wight, Ningwood | Horse and Groom | North and Central Wight |
| Glamping the Wight Way, Freshwater | The Red Lion | West Wight |
| Freshwater Camp Equipment Trust | The Vine | West Wight |
| Dairyman's Daughter Cottage, Arreton | The Fighting Cocks | Sandown Bay |
| Sunrise Hill, Brading | The Wheatsheaf | Ryde and the East |
| Sandhills, Bembridge | The Culver Haven Inn | Ryde and the East |
| Waverley Park, East Cowes | Ship & Castle | North and Central Wight |
| The Ark Park, Northwood | The Travellers Joy | North and Central Wight |
| Gurnard Pines | Portland Inn | North and Central Wight |
| The Woodland Retreat, Fishbourne | The Fishbourne Inn | North and Central Wight |
| Into the Woods, Wootton | The Cedars | North and Central Wight |
| Meadowview, Niton | White Lion | Ventnor and the Undercliff |
| New Bank End Farm, St Lawrence | The Cricketer's Rest | Ventnor and the Undercliff |
| Godshill Park Farm | The Griffin | Ventnor and the Undercliff |
| Troopers View, Shorwell | The Crown Inn | Back of the Wight |
Every campsite page shows its nearest pub and how far it is. The full list is on the walk to a pub page, and you can narrow it by area: West Wight, Ryde and the East or Ventnor and the Undercliff.
Villages where the pub is the reason to stay
Some villages make a good base precisely because the pub, the shop and the bus stop are all in the middle of them.
- Shorwell and Brighstone on the Back of the Wight both have a village pub and sit under the downs, a short drive or a long walk from the beaches. See Shorwell and Brighstone.
- Niton and St Lawrence on the Undercliff have several pubs between them within a few miles, and the Coastal Path runs past. See Niton.
- Godshill has pubs and tea rooms in the village centre, with campsites and huts in the fields around it. See Godshill.
- Freshwater and Totland have pubs in walking distance of several sites, and the Highdown Inn at the foot of Tennyson Down. See Freshwater.
- St Helens has the Vine on the green and the harbour and Duver below. See St Helens.
Walk there, bus back. Many pub walks work best one way. Southern Vectis buses link most villages with Newport, so a linear walk from your campsite to a pub a few miles along the coast, and a bus home, is easy to plan without a car. Our guide to camping without a car has more.
Campsites with their own bar
If you'd rather not walk anywhere, 18 of the campsites we list have a bar, restaurant or clubhouse on site. Most are holiday parks, where the bar is part of the evening entertainment: Lower Hyde and Landguard in Shanklin, Whitecliff Bay, Nodes Point, Thorness Bay and The Bay at Colwell.
A few smaller sites are different. Waverley Park in East Cowes is a family-run park with its own bar and Solent views. The yurts at the Garlic Farm are a stroll from the farm's restaurant, the glamping at Tapnell Farm is a short walk from its restaurant, and Springfield Oaks touring field borders the Island Riding Centre, whose bar and restaurant are a couple of minutes away.
Walking the Coastal Path? Pubs are one of the best ways to break the day up. See walking the Coastal Path and the campsites near the path.
Questions people ask
Which Isle of Wight campsites are within walking distance of a pub?
66 of the 104 campsites we list have a pub within about three-quarters of a mile. Stoats Farm at Totland, Forelands at Bembridge, Comforts Farm at Northwood and Chapelfurlong Farm at Hulverstone are among those with a pub almost next door.
Is there a campsite at a pub on the Isle of Wight?
Yes. The Chequers Inn near Rookley has a small touring field of twelve hook-up pitches for motorhomes and caravans, a couple of minutes' walk from the pub, and it's open all year.
Which Isle of Wight campsites have their own bar?
18 campsites we list have a bar, restaurant or clubhouse, mostly holiday parks such as Lower Hyde, Landguard, Whitecliff Bay, Nodes Point and Thorness Bay. Waverley Park in East Cowes is a smaller family-run park with a bar.
Is it safe to walk back from the pub to an Isle of Wight campsite at night?
Usually, but many Island lanes have no pavement or street lights. Take a torch, wear something light and avoid walking along fast roads such as the Military Road after dark.