Sandown Bay
Encyclopedia
Sandown Bay is a broad bay which stretches for much of the length of the Isle of Wight
's southeastern coast. It extends ten kilometres from Culver Cliff in the northeast to just south of Shanklin
in the southwest. The towns of Shanklin and Sandown
are located on the bay's coast.
The seabed is a mixture of sand
, shells
and gravel
. The beach is predominantly sand.
The bay is best viewed from Culver Down
to the north. The Isle of Wight Coastal Path
follows the whole bayline either along the cliff top to the south of Sandown or the concrete seawall
north of Sandown.
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
's southeastern coast. It extends ten kilometres from Culver Cliff in the northeast to just south of Shanklin
Shanklin
Shanklin is a popular seaside resort and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, located on the east coast's Sandown Bay. The sandy beach, its Old Village and a wooded ravine, Shanklin Chine, are its main attractions. The esplanade along the beach is occupied by hotels and restaurants for the...
in the southwest. The towns of Shanklin and Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
are located on the bay's coast.
The seabed is a mixture of sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
, shells
Seashell
A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers...
and gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
. The beach is predominantly sand.
The bay is best viewed from Culver Down
Culver Down
Culver Down is a chalk down to the north of Sandown, Isle of Wight.It is believed that its name derives from "Culfre" - old English for "dove"....
to the north. The Isle of Wight Coastal Path
Isle of Wight Coastal Path
.There are a couple of cafes on the cliff path which I believe are open in the summer months. The only public convenience on the cliff path now appears to be closed permanently ....
follows the whole bayline either along the cliff top to the south of Sandown or the concrete seawall
Seawall
A seawall is a form of coastal defence constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation and leisure activities from the action of tides and waves...
north of Sandown.