famous road
Military Road, Isle of Wight
Thrilling clifftop road along the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight with sweeping sea views and access to dramatic landslip scenery.
14 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Ventnor
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Ventnor
Ventnor works well as a base: 10 minutes from Shanklin, 14km from Military Road, Isle of Wight.
Ventnor is in England, United Kingdom, with about 6,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Shanklin, about 4 km away.
Ventnor () is a seaside resort town and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, 11 miles (18 km) from Newport. It is situated south of St Boniface Down, and built on steep slopes leading down to the sea. The higher part is referred to as Upper VentnorRead more
(officially Lowtherville); the lower part, where most amenities are located, is known as Ventnor. Ventnor is sometimes taken to include the adjacent older settlements of St Lawrence and Bonchurch, which are covered by its town council. The population is 5,567 according to the 2021 Census.
Ventnor became extremely fashionable as both a health and holiday resort in the late 19th century, described as the 'English Mediterranean' and 'Mayfair by the Sea'. Medical advances during the early twentieth century reduced its role as a health resort and, like other British seaside resorts, its summer holiday trade suffered from the changing nature of travel during the latter part of the century.
Its relatively sheltered location beneath the hilly chalk downland and south-facing orientation towards the English Channel produces a microclimate with more sunny days and fewer frosts than the rest of the island. This allows many species of subtropical plant to flourish; Ventnor Botanic Garden is particularly notable.
Where to Stay in Ventnor
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Explore the Area
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ventnor?
Within an hour or so of Ventnor: Military Road, Isle of Wight (14 km), Buckler’s Hard (27 km), The Needles, Isle of Wight (28 km), Beaulieu (30 km).
Are there any good drives near Ventnor?
The nearest famous roads are Military Road, Isle of Wight, Rhinefield Ornamental Drive and Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Where is Ventnor?
Ventnor is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Shanklin.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 5,976
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 50.5945, -1.2067
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Ventnor
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Buckler’s Hard
A single Georgian street running down to the Beaulieu River, built as a shipbuilding village that supplied Nelson's navy.
27 km · about 30 min drive
natural wonder
The Needles, Isle of Wight
Three distinctive chalk sea stacks rising from the sea off the western tip of the Isle of Wight, topped by a red-and-white striped lighthouse.
28 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Beaulieu
A New Forest village around a 13th-century abbey and the Montagu estate, at the head of the tidal Beaulieu River.
30 km · about 35 min drive
museum
National Motor Museum Beaulieu
Set in the grounds of a historic abbey, it houses over 250 vehicles telling the story of motoring from 1893 to the present.
31 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum
A remarkable collection of rare and unique motorcycles in the New Forest assembled by legendary trials rider Sammy Miller.
38 km · about 45 min drive
famous road
Rhinefield Ornamental Drive
A New Forest road lined with giant redwoods and Douglas firs planted in 1859, running between Brockenhurst and the A35.
40 km · about 45 min drive
national park
New Forest National Park
Ancient royal hunting ground where wild ponies and deer roam freely through 219 square miles of heathland, woodland and coastal marshes.
41 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Ventnor
- Right hereMilitary Road, Isle of WightThrilling clifftop road along the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight with sweeping sea views and access to dramatic landslip scenery.
- 40 kmRhinefield Ornamental DriveA New Forest road lined with giant redwoods and Douglas firs planted in 1859, running between Brockenhurst and the A35.
- 45 kmGoodwood Festival of SpeedThe hillclimb course on the Goodwood estate driveway where Formula One cars, prewar Grand Prix machinery and rally legends run flat out past a country house each summer. The 1.16-mile course is estate road year-round.
- 54 kmBallard DownThe chalk ridge above Swanage running out to Old Harry Rocks, with views over Poole Harbour and Studland Bay.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Ventnor.
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