Red Squirrel Loop

This route is the loop section of the Red Squirrel Trail (National Cycle Network Route 23), starting at Merstone Old Station (lots of parking) and uses two sections of rail trail, some hard packed sandy bridleways and a gravelly section up hill to Freemantle Gate then down a bumpy meadow to Wroxall. Along the rail trail to Shanklin, then up the coast, partly on the shared trail on the revetement to Sandown Pier, along the Esplanade and through town past the railway station, and up to Alverstone, where some water works mean we are diverted (from the railtrail) along the lanes back to the cycleway to Merstone.

This is a mostly traffic-free route along one of the island's national cycle network trails, the Red Squirrel trail. There's a diversion around the eel works at Alverstone along some lanes

A third of the route is on rail trails, there are some well-ridden bridleways, including a gravelly hill at Freemantle. Road through Shanklin to the front, then along the revetement to Sandown, through town and round Alverstone/Adgestone to the cycleway back to Merstone

We shall stop at Pedallers in Newchurch for hot drinks/refreshments

Please wear helmets. Check weather and bring layers for keeping warm, gloves and warm socks.

First-timers welcome!