A walk up to St. Catherine’s Oratory on the Isle of Wight will reward you with stunning views of both the sea and the countryside. Built in the 14th century St. Catherine’s Oratory is a medieval lighthouse 
high up on St. Catherine’s Down, overlooking Chale Bay, near to the southern tip of the island. The stone structure, known locally as the Pepperpot is octagonal on the outside and four-sided on the inside, and bizarrely looks a bit like a rocket. St. Catherine’s Down itself is one of the higher points on the island and as you stand at the Oratory the views across the farmland and down to the coast are lovely. You feel as though you are right on top of the island…
The oratory is approximately 1/4 mile up a steep hillside, which is directly accessed via a steep staircase, which itself is located directly across the road from the car park. (streetview) There may be livestock in the field (watch out for cowpats!) so dogs should be kept under close control. Fortunately Hoover doesn’t bat an eyelid at cattle so he was able to run free. We clambered up the hill with the ever-improving view behind us, until we reached a wooden gate. We passed through the gate and reached the ora
tory. After enjoying the view you can choose to simply return back down to the car or you can extend your walk as there is a selection of footpaths up here. One particular footpath runs along the crest of St. Catherine’s Down to Hoy’s Monument. Built of local stone, the monument stands at 72ft high and is only accessible by foot.
The site is owned by The National Trust and managed in partnership with English Heritage. There is free car parking in the viewpoint car park overlooking Blackgang Chine (map) and there is no charge to visit the oratory. In fact the National Trust have a great walk called The Monk and The Merchant Walk, the details of which can be found online.
