Ventnor - Coast & Steephill Cove

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Treasure Hunt around Ventnor Coast & Steephill Cove, with Explorers helping TOP Treasure Seekers follow a weathered map and scrawled clues to try to uncover a hidden historical hoard linked to a Spanish galleon that sank off the Ventnor coast in 1588.

The quest covers approximately 3 miles and should take around 2 hours to complete. You'll set off from La Falaise Pay and Display car park, follow scenic coastal paths, explore parks and gardens, cross grass, pass through woods, investigate Steephill Cove, then loop back towards the car park and end back near the start.

This Trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Steep hills and steps make this route unsuitable for very young Explorers and the infirm, and the route includes a long flight of very steep steps as well as some uneven steps.

Take extra care throughout the expedition: very steep cliffs are close to the path in places, and the route also passes along a road edge and pavement at one point. If you meet a locked gate at one clue location, don't panic - continue nearby.

Getting There

By car: Start at La Falaise Pay and Display car park (PO38 1JY), using ///exit.invoices.blunt. Park here and your first clue can be found at the far end of the car park, furthest from the vehicle entrance.

By public transport: Make your way to La Falaise Pay and Display car park (PO38 1JY), using ///exit.invoices.blunt, to begin the quest. The circular route loops back towards the car park and ends back near the start.

Need the Loo?

Public toilets are available in Ventnor Park after Clue 13. Later on, the route exits the gardens using the path that heads uphill to the left of the public toilets, so this is the key comfort-stop area on the adventure.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Explorers are welcome to join the hunt. 🐾

Keep canine companions close around the very steep cliffs, steep hills, steps, uneven steps and the section along a road edge and pavement. There are also coastal paths, woods, grass and parks along the way, so expect a proper leg-stretch with plenty of varied terrain.

Food & Drink Stops

Treasure-hunting along the coast can work up an appetite, so pack supplies for your crew.

There is a cafe at Steephill Cove, though it is not always open. There are lots of picnic spots on the way, and at the end of the route you can head down into Ventnor for refreshment stops.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Steephill Cove

Steephill Cove is a beautiful, unspoilt fishing hamlet with a sandy beach, making it a brilliant place to pause once your map-reading eyes need a rest. Fresh crab and lobster are brought ashore daily here, weather permitting, and local fishermen have been working this coastline since the 1400s.

Ventnor Botanical Gardens

Ventnor Botanical Gardens has an unrivalled subtropical and exotic plant collection. Plants that would normally be found in glasshouses thrive and naturalise here in geographical plantings based on the Mediterranean zones of the world - ideal for Explorers who like their treasure trails with a side of plant-hunting.

Ventnor Gardens

Weather-wise Adventurers can keep an eye out for Ventnor Gardens, which has a Met Office weather station. Ventnor holds a number of weather records, including warmest nights for May, June and July, with figures recorded in 1989 and 1976.

Ventnor Park

Ventnor Park is a handy and pleasant pause on the route, with public toilets after Clue 13 and a bandstand in the gardens. It's a good place to regroup before the hunt heads onward through more coastal twists and treasure-seeking turns.

Steephill Castle's Story

Steephill Castle was constructed in this area in 1835 by John Hambrough and had famous visitors including Queen Victoria. After several owners it was declared no longer viable and was demolished in 1963, leaving a grand local history thread for curious Explorers to follow as they search the coast for older secrets.