Natural landmarks · South East England
The Needles
Three chalk stacks at the western tip of the Isle of Wight.
David Martin — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
The Needles are the row of three chalk stacks rising 30 metres out of the sea at the western tip of the Isle of Wight, the iconic feature of the island's coastline. The lighthouse on the outermost stack (1859) replaced an earlier one on the cliff that was too high to be useful in low cloud. A National Trust property; chairlift descents to Alum Bay's coloured-sand cliffs run from spring to autumn.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
The Needles are a row of three stacks of chalk that rise about 30 metres (98 ft) out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel, United Kingdom, close to Alum Bay and Scratchell's Bay, and part of Totland, the westernmost civil parish of the Isle of Wight. The Needles Lighthouse stands at the outer, western end of the formation. Built in 1859, it has been automated since 1994. The waters and adjoining seabed form part of the Needles Marine Conservation Zone and the Needles along with the shore and heath above are part of the Headon Warren and West High Down Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The Needles were featured on the BBC Two TV programme Seven Natural Wonders (2005) as one of the wonders of Southern England. During Storm Eunice on 18 February 2022, the highest recorded wind gust in England was provisionally recorded at The Needles, at 122 mph. LB&SCR H2 class 4-4-2 no. 423 (later no. B423 and 2423) was named The Needles after this landmark.
Visiting
The Needles lie just to the southwest of Alum Bay, and are a tourist draw. Scenic boat trips operate from Alum Bay that offer close-up views of the Needles and the lighthouse. They have become icons of the Isle of Wight, often photographed by visitors, and are featured on many of the souvenirs sold throughout the island. The main tourist attractions of the headland itself are the two gun batteries, the experimental rocket testing station, and the four coastguard cottages owned by the National Trust. A branch of the National Coastwatch Institution is also based at the Needles, sited near the New Battery and Rocket Testing Site on High Down. The Needles – Landmark Attraction (previously known…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.6611, -1.5889
- District
- Isle of Wight
- Parish
- Totland
- Postcode
- PO39 0JH
- Parliamentary constituency
- Isle of Wight West
Sources
- manual: the-needles (manual)
- wikipedia: The Needles (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Nearby
📷 5Lighthouses · South East England
Needles Lighthouse
Needles Lighthouse — lighthouse at the Needles, Isle of Wight, England, UK.
📷 5Mountains & hills · South East England
Scratchell's Bay
Scratchell's Bay is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom.
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Needles Old Battery
Needles Old Battery — a other in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · South East England
Old Battery Museum
Old Battery Museum — a museum in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Viewpoints · South East England
Needles Viewpoint
Needles Viewpoint is a viewpoint in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic houses · South East England
High Down Rocket Test Site
High Down Rocket Test Site — a historic house in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
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Fonthill Lake — lake in Wiltshire, England, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is The Needles?
- The Needles is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode PO39 0JH), in the parish of Totland.
- Is The Needles free to visit?
- Yes, The Needles is free to enter.
- How do I get to The Needles?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode PO39 0JH. It sits within the Isle of Wight West parliamentary constituency.