Isle of Wight AONB, Protected area on the Isle of Wight, England
The Isle of Wight AONB is a protected area on the Isle of Wight in England, designated as a National Landscape under IUCN category V. It covers chalk downs, coastal cliffs, meadows, and woodlands across a large part of the island.
The area was officially designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to protect the island's countryside for the long term. On the chalk hill of Arreton Down, within this protected land, a Bronze Age hoard was discovered, showing that people have used this landscape for thousands of years.
The area is open all year and free to visit, though facilities such as toilets or cafes are not available on site. Sturdy footwear is advisable since some paths are steep or uneven, and dogs must be kept on a leash because of grazing animals.
Arreton Down, within this protected land, is one of the few places in England where the early gentian flowers, and it blooms here before it does anywhere else on the island. Some gates on the site are fitted with special locks designed to allow wheelchair and buggy access while keeping cyclists out.
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