It's not just for its many cultivated gardens that the Isle of Wight is famous. More than half the Island landscape is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and there are nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries to visit in its forests and wetlands.
The National Nature Reserve is located on the northern coast of the Isle of Wight between the Medina and the Western Yar and forms an integral part of the Solent’s estuarine system with important habitats including mud-flats, salt marshes, ancient woodlands and meadows. This is a place for birdwatchers and walkers, keen to spot unusual birds, wildfowl and more than 300 species of wild plants.
The landscape of the Newtown River has changed little over the centuries and it is an area rich in features of historical interest. Newtown, also known as Francheville, was established as a ‘Free Town’ by the Bishop of Winchester in 1256. The site was chosen because of its deep and sheltered harbour, saltworks and shellfish beds.
The estuary came under the protection of the National Trust in 1965. Local yachtsmen and naturalists raised funds for its purchase following a proposal to develop a nuclear power station at Hamstead. It remains a beautiful, tranquil and unspoilt area of the Island.
