Compton

Compton Bay is a long sweeping bay in the south western corner of the Island running around to Freshwater Bay and Tennyson Down at its western end. Its a popular spot in the summer and the car park is often full during summer days and evenings. Its a sandy beach but there are a number of long rocky ledges running out into the English Channel. At the Western End of the bay there are large rocky boulders beneath towering cliffs. The area is a great sunset spot as the best views are facing west, however it can work for sunrise in winter as well.

Getting there:

Compton is a popular spot and sits on the Military Road between Freshwater Bay and Chale. From Newport there are a choice of routes, the most direct is to head towards Carisbrooke on the B3323. At the Mini Roundabout by the Waverley pub carry on straight across onto the B3401 Middle Road.

The road passes through Calbourne and past Calbourne Mill. Shortly afterwards there is a turning on the left at Chessell. Its Signposted for Chessell Pottery and also Brook. Take this turning and follow the road. You will then come to Brook Church and shortly afterwards a turning on your right hand side.

Take this turning and drive through the small village of Brook until you reach a T Junction. This is the Military Road. Turn right towards Freshwater and drive past the first car park. This is the Brook National Trust Car Park. Continue along Military road until you reach a second car park. This is the Compton National Trust Car park.

This can get busy, especially in Summer, if its full, or if you want to access the far end of the Bay continue past the car park and the road climbs through some sweeping bends. Just after the first sharper right hand bend there is another car park on the right.

From the main car park it is a short walk to a set of steps down onto the beach, from the smaller second car park, cross the road and pass through a gate, turn left and after a short walk pass through a second gate. Follow the path to the left and you will see a set of steps down onto the beach.

What to Shoot:

The Bay sweeps round towards Freshwater Bay and Tennyson Down in the distance. This makes a nice subject for an image and there are numerous rock ledges and rocks that can be used as foreground depending on the state of the tide. At low tide there are many tide pools left behind and more of the rocky ledges are revealed that make for interesting subjects or foreground interest.

Seascapes work well here with the rock ledges leading out into the English Channel being good subjects. The Bay faces south west so in Winter can get some quite lively seas making for interesting long exposure sea scapes.

Towards the western end of the bay the sandy beach gives way to boulders and these can make for interesting foreground interest. At this end of the bay you are closer to Tennyson Down and the Freshwater Cliffs so these become more prominent in the frame. You can either walk along the beach to get there, or along the cliff top.

Along the cliff top there are many compositions looking towards Tennyson Down, this can work very well in Spring when the cliff tops here are filled with the pink Sea Thrift flowers.

At very low spring tides the wreck of the SS Carbon becomes visible. It sits on the rock ledges not too far from the main car park. Its possible with care to walk out along the ledges to get in position at the front of the wreck.

Other Options:

Around the headland at Hanover Point there are dinosaur footprints in the rocks on the beach which can make for interesting images. The Beach then continues along to Brook which is another good seascape location. Otherwise there are footpaths inland past Compton Farm up on to the Downs which provide nice views to both the east and west.