The Needles
The Needles are three, sharp, impressive and gleaming white chalk sea stacks that rise out of the sea and march toward a colourful, striped lighthouse off the west end of the Isle of Wight. They are gradually eroding into the sea. In fact, there used to be four and the one that disappeared was the needle-shaped stack that gave the group its name.
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How to See It
For such a fragile, off-shore formation, it's actually quite easy to get to see the Needles. Here's how:
From the Needles Old Battery and New Battery, a National Trust site that was a Victorian defense installation and secret rocket launch site, you can look down on the Needles from the western extremity of the Isle of Wight. There is no vehicle access but it is a three quarters of a mile walk — over a well paved path, from the parking at Alum Bay (free for National Trust members).
From March to October, the Needles Breezer bus runs regular services to Alum Bay from Yarmouth, then it's that 20 minute walk to the Batteries.
Take the Needles Chairlift from the Needles Landmark Attraction (Marconi sent the first wireless messages from here) down to Alum Bay Beach. There are views on the way down and also from the beach.
Needles Pleasure Cruises operate short boat trips from the jetty at Alum Bay Beach for a close-up look at the Needles and the Needles Lighthouse.