Principal Parks in the care of the Isle of Wight Council

Church Litten – Is a traditional town park providing a green oasis close to the main shopping area of the county town.

It was originally a cemetery dating back to 1582, and since the 1950’s has been designated as an open space. There are two focal points of interest in the park, the original cemetery entrance and the Valentine Grey memorial to an early nineteenth century boy chimney sweep.

RYDE
Appley Park - A Greenflag Award Park adjoining an award winning beach.

Appley Park was originally part of the grounds of St John’s house. The landscaping of the park was believed to have been carried out by Humphrey Repton in 1798 for Edward Simeon. One of the many interesting features in the park is Appley Tower, which was built in 1875 for Sir William Hutt. The park also contains an area of ancient coastal woodland consisting of Oak and Pine Trees dating back to 1875. Great views are given out over Spithead and the Solent to Portsmouth harbour, where on a clear day you get great view of the spinnaker tower.

Appley is a nationally awarded park having been given a Greenflag for the last three years. The park provides a wide range of activities and interests including a sand playground, pitch and putt course, and café and is a very popular location to watch the cruise ships going and coming from Southampton.

Ryde Seafront:- Ashley Gardens & Eastern Esplanade, Birdcage Walk,
LA Bowl & Eastern Gardens, Western Esplanade Rose

Puckpool Park - Historic park containing Palmerston fortifications.

SANDOWN
Battery Gardens - A garden created on a world war II observation
battery giving fantastic views out over the English Channel. A lovely landscaped garden where you can relax in peaceful and quiet surroundings.

Sandham Grounds - A traditional seafront park containing a wide range of activities; putting green, crazy golf, bowls, skate park and play equipment for toddlers and teenagers.

VENTNOR
Cascadia, Shore Hill - A landscape garden with a mediteranean theme. Excellent example of annual and permanent planting working together in harmony.

Ventnor Park - Award winning traditional park, formerly part of the Steephill Estate. It is a traditionally landscaped park with a stream, herbaceous and shrub bedding and annual bedding, and provides facilities for a wide range of users. The Park contains an Avery, putting green and a bandstand, which originally belonged to Ventnor Pier and was located to the park in 1903. The park offers fantastic views from the top Plato down into the park and out over the channel and can be accessed from the coastal footpath.

SHANKLIN
Rylstone Gardens/ - Traditional landscaped gardens with amazing views, down into Shanklin Chine and out over the channel.
Tower Cottage Gardens – Traditional park in which you can relax and unwind in the quiet and peaceful surrounds, look out for the red squirrels.