Explore nearly 30 hectares of tranquil woodland, wetlands and wildflower meadows perfect for spotting red squirrels, kingfishers and rare wildlife year-round.

Alverstone Mead is a peaceful nature reserve comprising four interconnected reserves—Alverstone Mead, Bensteads Marsh, Youngwoods Copse and Bretts Meadow—situated within the Isle of Wight National Landscape. Covering almost 30 hectares of diverse habitats including woodland, wet meadow and wildflower meadows, the reserve is adjacent to the Eastern Yar River and just a mile from Sandown. Visitors can experience excellent wildlife watching opportunities throughout the year. The reserve is particularly renowned for red squirrels, which can be spotted leaping through the trees, especially near the dedicated squirrel hide. The central bird hide, accessed via a raised boardwalk beneath a canopy of trees, offers viewing platforms for observing wetland and woodland birds including kingfisher, treecreeper, blue tit, great tit and robin. Ducks, moorhen, coot and waders are frequently seen along the riverbank. The site also supports hazel dormice, water voles, dragonflies and butterflies. The reserve features a mix of boardwalks and unsurfaced paths with very gradual slopes, making it accessible for families. Several kissing gates and v-stiles are located throughout. Dogs are welcome on leads. Best visiting times are spring and autumn, though the reserve is open year-round with seasonal flooding possible in low-lying winter areas. Limited on-street parking is available on nearby roads, and the site is accessible via Sandown train station (2 miles away) or bus.

Venue Details

What this place offers

Toilets

Public transport nearby

Accessible toilets

Free WiFi

Baby changing facilities

Food available

On-site parking

🐕Dog-friendly

Parking nearby

Pushchair friendly

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Vivien Walden

a month ago

Difficult to find as address entrance on Burnt House Lane has no parking despite me being told by a dog walker that people do park there. Residents annoyed so went to park in the village where you can walk to the other entrance. Poor signage when driving. That said, when I finally made it in, it was lovely. Saw three red squirrels. The place needs better signage and directions for where to park. Well worth a visit

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Harry Dennis

2 months ago

Great free nature reserve, no parking available, but easily accessible by the red squirell trail between godshill/sandown. We parked in alverstone garden village and accessed at the end of youngwoods way/alverstone road. Hide was useful to see birds and one section was code locked, accessible by filling in a questionaire. Luckily we did see a red squirrel in the trees just after leaving the hide heading towards the trail.

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Alice Betteridge

8 months ago

Really difficult to find! So I’ve posted pictures of the entrance and where it is on the map. Great spot, we went at dusk and saw 2 red squirrels in the half an hour we were there.

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Simon Robinson

2 years ago

Lovely area for a walk, I cycled there because there's no parking but thees is good access from the Red Squirrel trail by foot or bike. Some of the hide is closed at the moment but there's some seating areas that you can see Squirrels from. Be patient and don't bring nuts for them - it attracts vermin that can take over the habitat

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Iffer Allen

2 years ago

Took a long time to get to the right spot, but I can finally say that I've seen red squirrels in the wild. If you are fit enough to walk for around 5km, you will love visiting this place. There are not many places to stop and sit down, but the views and sounds of nature are amazing. I'll be back as soon as possible.

Reviews last updated: 7 October 2026