The Needles Breezer

The Needles Breezer is one of the most spectacular bus rides in all England.

A circular route connecting the West Wight, this open-top ride has views that will simply take your breath away. There’s that cliff-hugging, dizzy climb from Alum Bay right up to the Needles Battery, high up where the vistas out to sea are intoxicating.

The route also links Yarmouth to Freshwater Bay, Dimbola Museum and Galleries and Fort Victoria Country Park and the children will love The Needles Landmark Attraction at Alum Bay, with its fairground rides and chairlift down to the beach.

Needles Breezer buses run every 30 minutes at peak times.

Stop off at...

YARMOUTH
A lovely little town with loads of charm and a definite nautical air. It’s a delight to stroll around, with good coffee shops and pubs and, at 700 feet, the longest timber pier in England.

FRESHWATER BAY
The towering white cliffs of Tennyson Down shelter this attractive cove. The beach is covered in a mixture of grey flint and chalk pebbles that make a unique sound as the waves rise and fall onto the shore. Explore the rock ledge revealed at low tide, which is great for rock pooling with little ones. A fantastic place to set out on several invigorating walks.

ST. AGNES THATCHED CHURCH
Built on land donated by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s son, this rustic church built in 1908 is the only thatched church on the Island.

DIMBOLA MUSEUM & GALLERIES
This was the home of the Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, and is now a Photographic Museum celebrating her pioneering work. It also holds thought provoking contemporary exhibitions and offers a delicious lunch in the tearoom. Open daily from April to September (tea rooms open all year).

THE NEEDLES
Look down at the row of three distinctive chalk stacks rising out of the sea off the most westerly point of the Island. The Needles lighthouse built in 1859 stands at the end of the formation. The air can be like fine wine up here and on a clear day you can see Swanage and Old Harry Rocks on the Dorset coast.

OLD AND NEW BATTERY
The Needles Old Battery is a Victorian fort in the care of The National Trust. High up on top of a cliff, its parade ground has spectacular views of the Needles and, as one visitor said, “we came for the views but found so much more”. With exhibitions, a tunnel and tea-room, there is something for everyone. Admission charges apply. Just up the headland from the Old Battery, the underground rooms of the Needles New Battery (where the bus turns around) have an exhibition about the part this site played in the secret static rocket tests in the 1950s and 1960s. Admission to the New Battery is free. Please see website for opening times for both sites (The Needles Old Battery and New Battery | National Trust). The Needles headland, also owned by the National Trust, is an ideal place for a walk or just to sit and enjoy the view.

TENNYSON MONUMENT
This noble monument high on the Downs, with far views of the coast towards Ventnor, commemorates the life of Alfred Lord Tennyson who was Poet Laureate when he lived nearby. The Tennyson Trail, part of the Isle of Wight Coastal Path, passes here.

NEEDLES LANDMARK ATTRACTION AT ALUM BAY
The children will love this amusement park above Alum Bay – so much to see and do. Take an exciting chair lift down to the beach below, visit The Sweet Manufactory or the interactive 4D cinema experience! Don’t miss the glass blowing display or make a souvenir in the Sand Shop.

COLWELL BAY
Colwell Bay is a peaceful spot, a short walk from the bus stop and offers fine views of the local shoreline, across the Solent and over to Hurst Castle on the mainland. Bask in the sun while enjoying an ice cream or something more filling at one of the friendly eateries.

FORT VICTORIA COUNTRY PARK
This park follows the coastline and has spectacular views over to Hurst Castle on the mainland. There are seashore and woodland walks and it’s a great spot to sit and watch Solent boats and shipping go by. There are attractions in the old fort buildings – a planetarium, café, model railway and the Underwater Archaeology Centre.

Tickets:
We offer a wide range of tickets to suit your needs whether you are a visitor, Island resident or occasional traveller. Adult fares apply to anyone aged 19 years and over and we offer discounted fares for children and young adults.

Children under 5 travel free.
Available for unlimited travel across our network for either 24 or 48 hours, ideal if you are out and about for a day or a weekend.

Group tickets are also available for up to 5 people travelling together. Buy from the driver with cash or from our travel shop in Newport, Yarmouth or Ryde bus stations.