There are more than 500 miles of marked footpaths on the Isle of Wight –many passing through Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a national classification given to more than half the Island’s landscape. More than enough walking to satisfy the most intrepid rambler.

But this is not a guide for the intrepid. It is aimed at the ‘leisure walker’, that huge army of people who enjoy a walk that gives them a bird’s eye view of the local landscape and its landmarks. And, of course, this ‘leisure walk’ is all the better if there’s a welcoming pub at the end of it.

That’s where Wightlink comes in. Our band of explorers has left no stone unturned, no walk untrodden in our quest to bring to you the ‘crème de la crème’ of short strolls –some as little as half a mile and none much more than four miles long.

Along the way we have sampled the wares at lots of Island pubs, some in rural countryside, others along the coast. The resulting guide therefore provides the low down on leisure walks that combine beautiful countryside, lots of fresh air and the best of the pubs.

From the national nature reserve of Newtown Estuary on the north coast to the Victorian resort of Ventnor in the sub- tropical south, Wightlink’s Isle of Wight Pub Walks profiles nine contrasting walks that cover every corner of the Island.

Most make great family walks, others are particularly suitable for the elderly or infirm who enjoy walking but cannot cope with more demanding hikes and some are probably better suited to more energetic types.

For each pub walk, the guide flags up key features and rates it as easy, moderate or more challenging walking. In addition to telling you its length and how long it should take at an easy pace, you’ll find information on the type of terrain encountered so that you can plan whether to wear wellies or walking shoes!

Every walk can either start or end at a pub and we give you a run down on 10 of the Isle of Wight’s best as well as telling you the kind of welcome you can expect if you come accompanied by kids, dogs and/or muddy boots.

Although we chart the route you will take, this guide does not walk you every inch of the way. Used in conjunction with a good Ordnance Survey Map, you can easily follow the well-marked Island footpaths to find the highlights detailed in the following pages. Walk and enjoy.