Needles Chairlift to Alum Bay Beach on the Isle of Wight

While researching things to do on the Isle of Wight, I came across a photo of a chairlift gliding over a cliff and I knew immediately that it had my name written all over it.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had been on a chairlift. I find them way more fun than cable cars because you’re exposed to the elements, and even though you’re locked in safe, it still feels a little precarious.

How to reach Alum Bay Beach using the chairlift

The Needles Chairlift is the most popular way to reach Alum Bay Beach and see the Isle of Wight’s most famous landmark – the Needles – a row of three stacks of chalk that rise about 30m out of the sea.

We reached the area by driving to Needles Park located on the western tip of the island. The Isle of Wight isn’t very big so it doesn’t take too long getting anywhere providing you have a car.

At the top of the cliffs there’s a large parking area and a rather touristy square that has some shops, cafes and amusement rides. For me, it looked like a bit of an eyesore but I’m sure the extra entertainment is a hit with families. Here is also the access point to the chairlift and costs £6 per person for a return ticket.

Once you’ve queued up for your ticket, a member of staff directs you to a chair, pulls down the safety bar and in a matter of seconds you’re whisked off up into the air!

The ride itself doesn’t last very long but the scenery is gorgeous, with views of the sea creeping into vision, as well as the iconic stacks of chalk known as the Needles.

The chairlift might be a challenge for people who don’t like heights, so there is an option to walk down to the beach. Alternatively, if you want to save some money you could buy a single ticket for £3 so you can experience both the chairlift and various walking routes.

At Alum Bay Beach

Alum Bay Beach is famous for its cliffs of multi-coloured sand, composed of quartz, felspar and mica combined with other minerals to create a rainbow effect of red, grey, white, and yellow layers.

As soon as you step off the chairlift at the bottom of the cliffs you can see the layers of cliff sand.

We walked a little way to admire the colours in the cliffs and where there were less people then found a nice spot to sit down and relax. If you’re looking for a sandy beach then I’m afraid this isn’t the beach for you. Alum Bay is a pebble beach – it was quite rocky and hard to walk over so you’ll need to pack flip flops and a towel. But don’t let this put you off, the location is stunning and should not be missed.

There are also regular boat tours leaving from the docks nearby the chairlift which get up-close to the Needles. We didn’t bother going on one because we were already content with the views from the beach.

We loved the cliff backdrop and climbed up an area where it looked safe and easy to climb. The ground was sandy and it had been raining in the morning so I could feel my feet sinking into the ground in some areas so I erred on the side of caution and turned back to the beach after I almost lost my sandal to the mud. Turns out it wasn’t so easy!

Fortunately, the sun came out in full glory, but as you can see from my photos I came to the beach overdressed (you don’t need me to tell you to pack swimwear).

Summary

Alum Bay Beach and Needles Park is definitely worth visiting on any trip to the Isle of Wight. Its combination of amazing geology, a famous chairlift down the cliffs, epic views and walking routes makes it great day out for everyone.

And do stop for ice cream because the scoops are huge!

Looking for more things to do on the Isle of Wight? Why not visit Osborne House, the former home of Queen Victoria?