A secluded and beautiful bay in St Lawrence. The beach is stone, shingle with many rocks. You are likely to have this beach to yourself. This is part of the Undercliff landslide complex. During the winter of 2019/20 a large rotational landslide took place in the cliff face in the central section of the bay. Further landslides took place the following the winter, sending more debris onto the beach.
Immediately west of Woody Bay is the Sugarloaf, a geological formation that is formed from a block of tilted and slipped Upper Greensand Formation that originally came from the inland cliff. A footpath leads to the top of the Sugarloaf, with lovely views along the Undercliff coast.
Another elevated view of the bay can be found by walk eastwards along The Isle of Wight Coastal Path to Woody Point.
DOGS ALLOWED: Yes, all year round
TOILETS: No
OTHER AMENITIES: None
LIFEGUARDS: No
ACCESS ON FOOT: The beach is accessed via the Isle of Wight Coastal Path (section V98). Starting at Undercliff Drive (by Woolverton Lodge PO38 1XG), walk down Woolverton Road and then take the narrow track (V95) on your left, and pick up the V96 through the gate (watch for cows), then continue down the slope (V98) until you reach the path and steps down to the beach. Alternatively: if parked at the western end of Woolverton Road (PO38 1XW), head a short distance east along Woolverton Road before taking the V97 footpath on your right. This leads across the field (cows) where you pick up the V98 down to the beach.
ACCESS BY CAR: Woody Bay is not accessible by car. Park in Undercliff Drive, by Woolverton Lodge (PO38 1XG), at the eastern end of Woolverton Road. NOTE: Undercliff Drive is a narrow main road with no pavement, so park wisely and safely, with with consideration of others. Alternatively: park at the western end of Woolverton Road (PO38 1XW).
AS WITH ALL BAYS ON THE SOUTH OF THE WIGHT, CARE MUST BE TAKEN DUE TO UNSTABLE CLIFFS. LANDSLIPS ARE NOT UNCOMMON IN THIS AREA.
HISTORY
In 1855, the coastguard station moved from Orchard Bay and the old coastguard cottages still remain, perched on the cliff above Woody Bay. The deep track that leads down to Woody Bay (V98) was part of a carriageway to the shore built by the 2nd Earl Yarborough. In 1857 he sold part of the St. Lawrence estate in 46 development plots and advertised these as “of interest to capitalists and builders for the erection of Marine Residences – with the possibility of letting the houses at high rents.”
A little known fact, is a 1943 German raid and subsequent landing site of a covert commando raid by German forces during WWII. The aim was to retrieve equiment and prisoners from the nearby RAF St Lawrence. These landings were supposedly the subject of a cover up by the UK Government.
