#ComptonBay an Isle of Wight beach

The other Sunday ( a few weeks back now) we spent some time down on Compton beach. It is an especially lovely area and not on the normal tourist track as such. This is a short blog - but one I promised to Compton Bay I would write - as a thank you for offering up its outstanding solitary natural beauty and special atmospherics yet again.

Compton Bay is found towards the western end of the Military Road. It is therefore on the "back of the Wight. (By definition the Solent side is the front of the Wight I guess although this is not a term you hear used.). Compton Bay faces out into a huge sea vista - it is The English Channel of course and it is wide open to the south westerlies that blow in off the Atlantic. It can be a surf beach.

While I think of it - Compton is a great beach - not particularly shelving. However it is a surf beach and there are no lifeguards. It is very easy to be caught out by back wash and or rip tides - so take great care even on a hot sunny day.

Here are a couple of guide book extracts :

Compton Bay is a sandy beach located beside the coast road between Freshwater Bay and Brook. Offering a two-mile stretch of contrasting golden and dark sands snuggled between rolling surf and multi-coloured sandstone cliffs it is a favourite with regular beachgoers and a few local water sports enthusiasts. The beach is peaceful all through the summer there are great views of the white cliffs of Freshwater.

Steps lead down to the beach from Hanover Point/Sheppard’s Chine where there is a large National Trust (NT) car park, toilet facilities and fresh water tap or drive further west to Compton Chine/Farm and find a smaller NT car park on the opposite side of the coastal road and tiered steep steps down to the beach. Whilst there is no café, a refreshment van can be found there throughout the summer and during the winter months at the weekend. This area is popular with fossil hunters and at low tide, dinosaur footprints can be seen imprinted in the rocks. Notices explain beach safety are found by the car park. It is important to read about the local conditions and how to stay safe.

Compton Bay is a bay located on the southwest section of the Isle of Wight, England. Its north western edge is defined by the distinctive white chalk cliff of Freshwater Cliff, named after adjacent Freshwater Bay, which forms a small cove with the village of Freshwater situated just behind. Its north eastern edge is formed from the soft red and orange lower cretaceous rocks of Brook Bay, which are rapidly eroding.

Due to the lack of grazing on the cliffs above the bay, the native chalk ecosystem has thrived. Atop the cliffs, the Island's county flower, the pyramidal orchid, can be found, while the rare Glanville fritillary butterfly also lives in large numbers supported by the native flowers. There are also other hardy plants, such as common gorse bushes and wild cabbage.

The bay is popular with wave and kite surfers due to the waves that form when the prevailing south-westerly wind is blowing onshore. The beach is gently shelving and consists mostly of sand, with a few lengths of submerged rock, although at high tide the sea covers the beach almost completely. The car park and its public facilities are owned by the National Trust, as is the coastal strip of land. The Isle of Wight Coastal Path runs along the cliff around the bay.

There are dinosaur footprints visible in Compton Bay when the tide is low, and this is one of the best areas to see the dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight. Fossil hunters can often be seen searching for smaller fossils on the beach.

Both extracts above refer to dinosaurs and coastal erosion.

The Isle of Wight has adopted the name "Dinosaur Isle". Compton and along the back off the Wight is a hotbed for dinosaur finds. This is linked to the coastal erosion - because as the sea eats into the soft sandstone cliffs it exposes the fossils to be found by the avid hunters.

Coastal erosion is certainly a very evident feature and the National Trust have to regularly maintain and rebuild the flight of wooden steps that gives access to the western end of Compton. This is much my preferred end because the walk down and especially the walk up is a bit of a test - and consequently it is quieter.

On coastal erosion - years ago I met a structural engineer who lived on the Island. He conceived a plan to " save the IOW " On the Solent side - particularly off Ryde there are sand banks. He pointed out the Dutch would have reclaimed the land from the sea without a thought. His idea was the valuable reclaimed land would generate capital to provide sea defences to shore up the back of the Wight - places like Compton. His plan was never given much credibility. Certainly around Compton the sea seems irresistible.

Here are a few photos of Compton that I took on the day :