This website is provided by Gift to Nature as a resource for those interested in cycling the Red Squirrel Trail. Gift to Nature is passionate about the Isle of Wight’s wildlife, from our famous Red Squirrels featured on this site to obscure tiny rare bees. Since 2002 we have created and cared for a variety of conservation sites across the Island. We also love to help people access the countryside and hope this site helps provide another way for us to share the Island’s beautiful natural environment with you.
Gift to Nature manage 5 sites along the Red Squirrel Trail and we hope you will stop on your way and enjoy them. Dodnor Creek and Dicksons Copse is a Local Nature Reserve, a Ramsar site and ancient woodland. Here you can park your bike and take a nature trail through the site, or view the historic cement kilns (more interesting than they sound!).
Just to the south and on the outskirts of Newport is Medina Riverside Park which has plenty of picnic tables. There is a payable car park so this is a great spot to join the trail.
Journey south the next stop is Pan Mill Meadows on the south-side of Newport. Here these is pond and riverside seating. A five minute detour from the trail form here will take you to Shide Chalk Pit Local Nature Reserve and Pan Country Park.
Birchmore Pond is another lovely pond-side picnic spot and full of dragonflies in the summer.
Merstone Station is an excellent place to join the Red Squirrel Trail, with free parking, cycle racks, picnic tables and a barbeque.
Our final track-side reserve is Sandown Community Orchard, not only a picnic stop with lovely ponds, but also a free re-fuelling point in late summer!
If you have any comments or questions about the website, please contact info@naturalenterprise.co.uk
Most of the trail itself is managed by Island Roads. If you encounter any problems, defects in the track etc. you can report them via the Island Roads website.
The creation of this website was made possible thanks to financial support for Isle of Wight Council and the Department for Transport as part of the Bicycle Island initiative.
Special thanks to the talented Peter Trimming for the stunning Red Squirrel images used on this website. Other photography by Carol Flux and Martin Gibson.