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Highcliffe Castle – Mudeford Quay loop from Barton on Sea

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Highcliffe Castle – Mudeford Quay loop from Barton on Sea

Moderate

4.0

(6)

hikers

Highcliffe Castle – Mudeford Quay loop from Barton on Sea

04:44

18.2km

120m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: July 27, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

3.55 km

Chewton Bunny

Forest

5.88 km

Highcliffe Castle

Highlight • Castle

Highcliffe Castle has been described as arguably the most important surviving house of the Romantic and Picturesque style of architecture, which flourished at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Its significance is recognised nationally by its Grade 1 status on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historical Interest.

There is an international importance, too. For a large amount of medieval French masonry, shipped across the Channel, was used in its construction. It is this Norman and Renaissance carved stone, along with the Castle’s Gothic revival features and ancient stained glass, that make it appear older than it is.

Built mainly between 1831 and 1836, the Castle is the realisation of one man’s fantasy. He was Lord Stuart de Rothesay, a distinguished diplomat who had known and loved the cliff-top site overlooking Christchurch Bay since he was a boy.

The magnificent building, once lavishly furnished in the 18th century French style remained a family home until the 1950s. In the late 1960s two fires rendered the building derelict and in 1977, to prevent further deterioration, Christchurch Borough Council purchased it.

Tip by

7.02 km

Steamer Point Beach Huts

Highlight • Rest Area

The sand and shingle beach below the cliffs is generally fairly quiet and remains largely undeveloped. At low tide a good expanse of sand is exposed.

The beach can be accessed either from Highcliffe Castle or by taking the mile-long path from Friar’s Cliff Beach. For much of the length of the beach a raised promenade runs along the base of the cliffs.
Dogs are allowed on beach, but best on a lead, also a car park is nearby with room for 200 vehicles.

Tip by

7.94 km

Avon Beach Pebbles

Highlight • Structure

Please don't remove any Pebbles. Please don't stand on the Pebbles.

Tip by

8.64 km

Mudeford Quay

Highlight • Rest Area

Picturesque place with a huge (expensive!) parking lot and various beach cafes. You can board 2 different ferries, the longer journey goes to Christchurch

Translated by Google •

Tip by

13.2 km

Cliffhanger Restaurant & Beach Parking

Highlight • Beach

The three menus (breakfast, daytime & evening), all offer a simple, uncluttered range of tasty and wholesome dishes, with ingredients sourced as locally as possible. The Cliffhanger’s classic staple dish is beer-battered chunky fish and chips, served with minted mushy peas and homemade tartar sauce. The menus do vary, often to reflect seasonal variations in available ingredients, they occasionally feature unexpected twists on a classic – for example, they once served chilli con carne on a baked sweet potato.
Opening Times
Sunday - Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday & Saturday 09:00 - 20:00

Tip by

17.3 km

Public Toilets and Showers at Beach Huts, Isle of Wight

Highlight • Beach

Brand new (June 2023) swanky public toilets plus shower and baby changing facilities. Also a water fountain so one can replenish water bottles at zero cost.

Tip by

18.2 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.75 km

4.16 km

2.76 km

2.49 km

2.11 km

918 m

Surfaces

8.18 km

4.74 km

2.80 km

1.20 km

1.03 km

239 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Saturday 29 August

21°C

16°C

80 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 38.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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Highcliffe Castle – Mudeford Quay loop from Barton on Sea

Highcliffe Castle

Steamer Point Beach Huts

Avon Beach Pebbles

Mudeford Quay

Cliffhanger Restaurant & Beach Parking

Public Toilets and Showers at Beach Huts, Isle of Wight

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