The Needles and the Old Battery

About The Needles and the Old Battery

The Needles Old Battery is a Victorian fort, built in 1862 for a war that never came and later used in both World Wars; the New Battery, higher up, tells the story of the British rockets secretly tested here from the 1950s to the 1970s. There is no parking on site: park at Alum Bay and walk about 15 minutes uphill on a tarmac road, or take the Needles Breezer bus, which runs from Alum Bay every 30 minutes from March to October. From the searchlight emplacement you can see as far as Dorset on a clear day.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Needles and the Old Battery before you go.