Isle of Wight Geocaching: Brading Down

Brading Down map
Brading Down trail
Size: 6 x caches available as part of an organised geocaching event
Terrain: hilly
Difficulty: moderate
Grid Ref: SZ 596 868

Brading Down lies at the eastern end of the central part of the chalk downs, to the west of the gap where the town of Brading is situated.

It is crossed by the main Newport to Brading road and footpaths B28, B29, B42, B41 and B65 provide access on foot.

There is plenty of free parking at Brading Down - pull in at the viewpoint signs.

Wildlife
Typical chalk downland flowers such as cowslips, scabious and orchids bloom here. These flowers attract great numbers of butterflies that can be seen on hot summer days. Skylarks, meadow pipets and kestrels prefer the open areas of the down whilst yellowhammers and linnets perch in the thickets and bush crickets sing in the clumps of long grass.

Brading Down

Why is Brading Down so special?
A view of the bay from Brading Down Brading Down provides an impressive viewpoint for visitors to the east of the Island. The Isle of Wight Council owns 35 hectares of south facing chalk grassland, which is criss-crossed by bridleways and footpaths. The main area of Brading Down is fenced and grazed but access is available from the car parks bordering the main Newport to Brading Road.

The thin chalk soils to the east of the site support a typical downland plant community with pyramidal orchids being a particular feature in the summer. In recent years a programme of scrub clearance has been undertaken. The area is good for butterflies including common blue, chalkhill blue, small, large and dingy skippers, marbled white, gatekeeper, and meadow brown.

History
In addition to the wildlife interest of chalk downland, the ancient field system on Brading Down is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This is the finest surviving ancient field system on the Island and is likely to be of late Iron Age or Roman date, highlighting the last time the fields were ploughed.

In Roman times there was probably a small harbour to the east of Brading Roman Villa where a branch of the sea came up from Brading Haven, navigable at high tide. This allowed trade by sea to mainland Britain, to France and other parts of the Empire. Produce farmed locally may have been shipped from the Island in exchange for Samian ware from southern France, quernstones from Germany and wine and olive oil from Italy and Greece.

View
Scabious On a fine day, from the southern side of Brading Down, there are excellent views to be had of Culver Down and Sandown Bay. The lowland in the distance was reclaimed from the sea. In 1880, the construction of a railway embankment at Bembridge successfully stemmed the tidal flow of the sea up the estuary. On this now tideless area, marshland plants flourish and it provides a valuable habitat for wildlife.

Although the railway no longer services Bembridge, you might be able to see one of the Island Line trains make its way between Brading and Lake stations. The railway passes Sandown Water Supply Works which can be seen next to Sandown's canoe lake.

Bembridge Down, Luccombe Down, St Boniface Down, Stenbury Down and Gat Cliff can be seen on the skyline with the resorts of Yaverland, Sandown and Shanklin in the bay.