2020, Nov 28

Best Walks In Hampshire

Avon Valley Path, Hampshire/Wiltshire

There are so many types of paths in Hampshire, and the Avon Valley Path is just one of them. Most of us know what a path is, a short form of the word pedestrian, but that’s assuming we all know the word pedestrian. Paths are not just for pedestrians. Paths take you off tarmac road surfaces and onto grass and mud, on boardwalks or across bridges. As well as horses and vehicles, they can be used by bikes and motorbikes also wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

By law these days, they have to allow dogs but dogs on leads only, This Is Hampshire (thisishampshire.co.uk). And ski-iers and other sports enthusiasts use certain paths too. There are so many paths for walking the South Downs National Park that it can be difficult to know which one to go for. If you're planning a short break, or even just a day trip, why not take on the Avon Valley Path? This 34-mile long path will take walkers from Salisbury to Christchurch along the border of the New Forest National Park.

But this is just a small section of an even longer circular route which allows you to start and end anywhere you want in between. Avon Valley Path is a linear Parkland Path and National Trail in Hampshire, England that runs for 34 miles through the Avon Valley. It follows the course of the River Avon from the city of Salisbury to Christchurch on the south coast. The route connects several Sites of Special Scientific Interest along its length, including Hurdle Mills, an area of ancient woodland, and Grim’s Ditch which is an earthwork dating back over 3,000 years.

The Avon Valley Path runs 34 miles (55km) north to south from the Cathedral city of Salisbury along the border of the New Forest National Park to Christchurch on the south coast. Walk a small section of this historic waymarked path, or take on the whole lot over several days. Whether youre a dog lover or just happen to fancy a lovely walk through the countryside, The Hampshire countryside is alive with verdant open spaces, fresh air and nature walks for all the family to enjoy together.

Beaulieu Food Trail, Hampshire

The Beaulieu Food Trail is a walking route which takes you through the Hampshire village of Beaulieu from the historic Abbey Gardens to the picturesque Beaulieu River. The route then meanders along the river to Bucklers Hard, where you can see how tall ships were built 200 years ago using traditional shipwright skills. The trail starts off in the Abbey Gardens, where you will be able to walk around beautiful gardens and see the Abbey itself, before heading down towards the river.

Hampshire is stunning and the New Forest National Park is a beautiful area of outstanding natural beauty, with wild forest, streams, heaths and woods to explore. The Beaulieu estate lies within the park and its riverside village has one of the finest gothic monasteries in England. Beaulieucan also be used as a starting point for a walk along theBeaulieu River to Bucklers Hard. Beaulieu in the New Forest is best known as being home to the200-acre Beaulieu Abbey, founded in the 12th century by KingJohn and now home to the National Motor Museum.

But Beaulieu is also known as a beautiful New Forest Village, along with neighbouring Bucklers Hard (once the heart of England’s shipbuilding industry) and its picturesque Beaulieu River. —> Read More. Bucklers Hard is a lovely riverside village situated on the outskirts of Beaulieu. It was once a thriving shipbuilding port and the cantilevered stone bridge has been carefully designed to span across the river with as little clearance needed as possible.

It was during my first trip to Bucklers Hard that I stumbled upon theBeaulieu Food, River & Estate Trail. Just as it says on the tin, this is a great way to explore this beautiful Hampshire village and discover some of its hidden gems. Beaulieu is a charming Hampshire village with much to discover. An appealing riverside walk gives way to the Beaulieu River, which you follow south to Bucklers Hard shipbuilding museum and lookout.

Best Walks In The New Forest National Park

The New Forest National Park has a wide variety of natural landscapes from beaches to bogs, heathland and woodland. Even though the park covers an area of nearly 5000 sq. km, it still feels very compact because of the fact that the majority of it is made up of interconnecting footpaths and bridleways. There are many walks to be enjoyed whatever the weather with striking views at every turn and beautiful vistas in spring when the bluebells bloom.

In addition there are educational walking trails, way marked cycle routes and canoe trails too. When you think of the New Forest, do you imagine cawing ravens, shaggy ponies and magnificent oaks? I used to. But, my vision of this vast area of protected land, in southern England's Hampshire county – nearly three times the size of Lincolshire – has been dramatically altered over the last couple years. The New Forest National Park has to be one of the most beautiful places in England.

Best Walks In The South Downs National Park

The South Downs National Park was established in 2011 and is spread over 4,000 hectares. This is one of the most significant and famous landscape areas in Britain, boasting an array of beautiful woodlands, heathland, chalk grassland and coastline. The South Downs National Park is a splendid place for walking whether on a short journey or longer trek and the varied landscape offers experiences for everyone. The South Downs is a region of outstanding beauty, providing a country walkers dream.

Its varied scenery epitomises the best that lowland England has to offer and its ancient landscape offers dramatic views in all directions. From dramatic coastal cliff paths and rugged chalky escarpments to poor drained heaths and vast open skies. Good walks near Brighton The South Downs National Park has hills and wonderful coastal paths to explore, as well as the awe-inspring Seven Sisters. From gentle strolls along cycle tracks to serious mountain t.

Brockenhurst To Lyndhurst, Hampshire

It's always good to walk that little bit further every day, but that doesn't have to be a chore. There is plenty of excitement along the way too, such as giant trees on the Fordingbridge Heath nature reserve (pictured above) and deer and ponies in Lyndhurst Forest. Just make sure you know where you're going first: here's my guide to a great hike through Hampshire's forested sandy heaths and gorse-covered escarpments. The New Forest National Park is a wildlife haven inSouth England.

It’s a great place for gentle walks where both kids and dogs can explore the quiet trails and open spaces with their parents/guardian…buttakes you away from it all and makes you forget you’re in what may be the most over-developed region in the entire UK. But if you’re looking to getaway for a bit, this walk is fantastic. If you're looking for an easy walk but don't want to stay too close to home, this one's for you.

It's an easy 10. 7-mile walk through the New Forest, starting in Brockenhurst and ending in Lyndhurst. And with views like this it's perfect for a day out. A lovely walk through the New Forest, it starts on the outskirts of Brockenhurst and takes you along the Beaulieu river into the forest towards Lyndhurst. There are plenty of good pubs for lunch, as well as historic Beaulieu Abbey. This is a great walk for the New Forest, with some nice open views of Hartley Wintney to look forward to.

It's also a pleasant walk along the edge of the forest and then a lovely stroll through the lanes towards Lyndhurst. Brockenhurst is a small town in the New Forest. There is a train station which is on the South Western Main Line. The walk begins at Brockenhurst Station and heads north through the forest towards Lyndhurst. At 6,567 hectares it’s the largest area of ancient woodland in lowland Britain. It’s home to several endangered species including the New Forest pony and Natterjack Toad.

Denny Wood, Hampshire

Denny Wood, Hampshire. Explore the lesser-known paths, plains and woodland of one of the largest deciduous forests in Britain. With easy paths south and north of the B3055 Denny and Rufus Woods are also ideal for families with younger children. The footpaths are largely made up of forest roads which allow the smooth rolling progress of a walker or the gentle lolloping canter of a family dog. The forest is mostly planted with English oak, Scots pine, common ash and beech and even pheasants once inhabited this area.

Some pines have been felled to make way for new oaks now coming into maturity. To the south of Lyndhurst, the New Forest is divided by a drive with tarmac on both sides. This was a passage for the use of gamekeepers and park keepers to drive the deer from one side of the forest to the other but today it is very narrow and rarely used. The path towards Denny starts along the southern edge of this drive, right next to the road.

It's an old bridleway that isn't shown on OS maps but it forms a little indent in an otherwise straight boundary line. There's a good chance you'll know the New Forest for its open heath land and great opportunities for woodland walks. But there is so much more to the New Forest than open heath and woodland walks. If you have a car, or are lucky enough to live on the edge of the New Forest we can start exploring some of the lesser-known paths, plains and with a walk in the north of the New Forest, before relaxing in a pleasant pub in a woodland hamlet.

My guide to easy walking in the New Forest. Mostly traffic-free paths through villages and woodlands to enjoy nature and wildlife. Fritham is a pretty village next to a lake, close to the hills of the South Downs. Take a leisurely stroll at your own pace to explore some of the less-frequented paths, meadows and roads of the north of the New Forest. Visit old gamekeepers. Board a steam train with its many stops in the countryside, get off in Fritham and walk the Fritham Walk.

Fritham, Hampshire

It’s perhaps the most charming trail in the New Forest, at least as far as you can say that about any of them. Fritham is a hamlet tucked away in the north of the New Forest, and it boasts one of only two National Nature Reserves in the whole forest Fritham Plain is an oasis for fungi which is why I love it so. There’s also a church with a really lovely feel to it, some very busy butterflies and orchids, beehives for the kids to watch, and a pub for a post-walk pint (probably more enjoyable when out walking than from your deck-chair).

Walking in the New Forest is an extremely pleasant experience, whatever your pace, and there are many trails to suit all fitness levels. The north of the forest tends to be less populated than the central area, and this may be for a couple of reasons: it's very hilly, and it's just a little further out from those wishing to enjoy the bright lights of Bournemouth or Southampton's beaches. This means that there are some great walking routes amongst others which are little-known.

North-west of Lyndhurst and close to the Blackwater Valley lies Fritham. The village of Fritham is in a large woodland clearing, known as a frith, hence the name. There are three distinct areas within the hamlet; Church End, Hill End and Heckfield Lane. The latter two are reached from the diagonally opposite ends of the village by lanes which join into Heckfield Road – this is also where you will eventually walk out onto. The Bolderwood inn in Fritham is an outstanding example of a traditional country pub.

It stands in the middle of this attractive wooded hamlet, surrounded by woodland walks and green surroundings. The village is well off the beaten track, in a quiet location off a main road between Beaulieu and Lymington. While the New Forest might be full of visitors on summer weekends, for locals and regular visitors it can be easy to overlook some of the forest’s hidden gems. Take this easy walk in the north of the forest and discover some of its quiet paths with views over a lake and wooded valley.

Hamble-Le-Rice, Hampshire

There are a few acronyms you'll need to memorise for this walk: DVLA, MOT and LBW. The first is the all-important Driving Vehicle Licence Agency who will administer your test, if you intend to drive across the Solent in the passenger ferry which runs from the small Surrey village of Hamble-le-Rice to (mostly) dry land again on the Southampton Water mainland. The second is your Minimum Operational Technical Standards certificate for such things as your car's brakes and lights and its MoT test results from an authorised testing garage.

And finally there's Little Brown Windows, Southampton Water's alternative name based on its colour and a nod to its origins as a salty inland lake when sailors were paid by the. Around a mile after leaving Highcliffe, by the Shell garage, this path turns right at a wooden bench sitting beside the marina and leads to Hamble-le-Rice. The yachts bobbing up and down in the water are beautiful and this is a good spot for bird-watching look out for avocets, curlews and terns.

A narrow boardwalk runs along parts of the marsh known as Martello Mere, part of which is filled with wildfowl. As well as a maze of aconites, sea holly, thrift and coralroot orchids (a native plant which grows in chalk downs) there are yellow archangel among the longer grasses and bees buzzing. Whether you’re considering having a holiday home by the seaside or are just looking for a new walking route, there is something to be said for exploring a new coastline particularly one that needs renourishing after winter storms.

The South is flourishing again after the wettest winter on record and Brighton has been receiving around two hours of sunshine each day…. Over to the west of Southampton, Hamble-le-Rice is a small village with an unusual name that refers once to have been the 'hamm le'(home of) 'Rice'. It has a pretty marina and boat-building yard and an attractive stretch of sand and shingle beach, with the bird sanctuary at Studland Bay just beyond.

There's no need to take a conventional ferry across the Solent here just hop aboard the cross-bow chic of the Hogsmill, a crane converted for intimate service. Its creator, Nick Walkley, plans to introduce more ferries on the South Coast and will be offering other round trips at £10 a head. Around this part of Hampshire, the land rises gently from a sea that’s rarely still. The East Solent is a protected haven full of large saltwater sandbanks near attractive Elizabethan towns like Beaulieu and Hamble-le-Rice.

Here Is Our Pick Of The Best Walks In Hampshire, Including Routes Through The New Forest And South Downs National Parks.

Rhinefield is the perfect walking route in the New Forest National Park. The route takes you through stands of pine trees and alongside the mossy banks of a functioning reservoir, past heathland and wildflower meadows and by a trout farm. It follows an old railway line which allowed timber to be transported south from north to provide fuel for Londoners. This is a must walk for families (kids will love the Rhinefield Woods Play Area), dog walkers and anyone looking for an easy, yet fantastic, family walk in Hampshire.

This pine-scented route sweeps through Rhinefield Forest in the heart of the New Forest National Park, home to some of the tallest trees in England. The start/finish point is a car park at Rhinefield House, from where you can take a short stroll along Rhinefield Road before beginning your walk on the popular blue-and-white waymarker trail. Start from Rhinefield House car park, next to Forestry Commission Rhinefield Visitor Centre (parking available…. This route is a circular walk using the bridleways and minor roads through Rhinefield.

The route leads to the high point at Fifehead Manor. The route then follows the north side of Pangersley Plantation, down fords and across tracks before leading into the forest proper. On a spring day look out for bluebells and wood anemone. In late summer purple foxgloves and yellow cow parsley can be found in the meadows. Rhinefield is the best of the forest for a circular day walk from Ringwood, with single-track paths meandering through ancient pine woodlands and rocky clearings frequented by deer and wild ponies.

The old New Forest railway line was routed here in the 1850s, before widening of Southampton's roads prompted its abandonment in 1937. ". Rhinefield Walk is a great example of one of the many walking routes on offer in the New Forest National Park. This pine-scented route sweeps through Rhinefield, one of the forest's largest areas of ancient woodlands. You know the New Forest well. You’ve been walking on its paths since you were a child, and you’re sure you know the area better than anyone else.

Meon Valley, Hampshire

The South Downs National Park in Hampshire has a variety of landscapes including forest, rolling chalk hills and river valleys. The Meon Valley is one of the most scenic parts of this unique national park. There is much to enjoy on this walk as you will discover much of the area’s landscape history spanning 6,000 years. As you walk over the distinctive steep limestone ridges of the South Downs National Park, it’s almost possible to imagine how early settlers may have farmed, possibly cultivating crops since 7-8,000 BC.

You can still see evidence that people have inhabited the sites beside the River Meon since Neolithic times. I’ve taken a fresh perspective on the Meon Valley. A meander of a walk like this captures the essence of a place and reveals a world rich in stories of people and nature. And it doesn't take much to complete it. There are many different ways to explore the Meon Valley, but I recommend starting in Sarisbury Green – at the heart of this landscape, and following in the footsteps of others since prehistory.

Sarisbury Green is also home to the fascinating Ordnance Survey National Discovery Centre, which provides background information on the area's history for those who would like to dig deeper into its history and culture. The Meon Valley is a hidden gem, nestled within the South Downs National Park in south east England. It’s often overlooked by visitors to the national park, but it’s an area rich in history and beautiful countryside that’s well worth exploring.

The Meon Valley walking route takes you into the heart of the area that lies between Winchester, Portsmouth and Chichester. Walking through this landscape is like stepping back in time. You’ll find signs of medieval villages hidden among the rolling hills, with remnants of ancient earthworks dotted around the landscape. The West Meon to Cosham walk is a five mile stretch linked by public footpaths that enter the heart of the South Downs National Park in Hampshire, England.

This walk follows the course of the River Meon through a community rich in history with agriculture and crafts, and rich of scenery with rivers and waterfalls. After exploring this area you will reach Portsmouth a city steeped in culture and heritage. The South Downs, so much more than just a place of outstanding natural beauty! It's a National Scenic Area and considered to have the most diverse landscape in Britain. The Meon Valley is centred on Meonstoke, explore the valley from Winchester or Eastleigh or catch the famous Southern line steam train from Alresford for a 'full circle'days walk.

Over 6,000 years ago the earliest settlers left their mark on the landscape of Meon Valley. The discovery of prehistoric flint tools and fragments of human skulls show us that as long as there has been life here, there has been a connection with the natural world. But have you ever walked along its lesser-known paths?. A 3 mile walk in a woodland area of Hampshire.

Rhinefield, Hampshire

Rhinefield Forest occupies the small valley at the foot of the southerly spur of Minstead Ridge, cut off from the rest of the forest by Minstead Warren House Lane, or St Giles'Road. The little red railway engine in this picture is emerging from ‘The Tunnel’, a 220-yard underground passage, engineered by Sir Arthur Heywood in 1903 to carry the railway under the New Forest. It's my mum's favourite walking spot. The Rhinefield forest walks are an idyllic way to explore the New Forest National Park, with miles of open trails through huge pine plantations, entering dense woodland and exploring grassy meadows.

There are dozens of hiking routes in the Rhinefield part of the New Forest and you can easily combine some of them to create a circular route. Rhinefield walking route, near Romsey, is a 3 mile circular walk. This pine-scented route sweeps through Rhinefield Forest in the heart of the New Forest National Park, home to some of the tallest trees in England. Start at Rhinefield car park and pick up a printable map for a great day out in Hampshire.

Solent Way, Hampshire

Our popular walking route explores the uplands of this historic city, crossing heathland, woodland and grassy glades. The wide-open views from the top give you a glimpse of why Winchester was once known as 'the capital of the world'. This walk is one mile longer and considerably harder than our St Catherines Hill car park walk. If youre after a walking route thats easy to follow and rewards with magnificent views, take this sure-footed wander to the top of St Catherines Hill in historic Winchester.

St Catherines Hill, Hampshire

The hill is also known as Bishopstoke Hill and is marked on OS maps as Beacon Hill or Beacon Tump. Enjoy this walk from Solent Way in Winchester to the top of the tree-topped beacon of St Catherines Hill. The hill is also known as Bishopstoke Hill and is marked on OS maps as Beacon Hill or Beacon Tump. Enjoy this walk from Solent Way in Winchester to the top of the tree-topped beacon of St Catherines Hill.