Status Updates From 50 Walks in Hampshire & Isl...

24/04/2021 - Keyhaven - we did this walk on a nice enough day but up on the sea wall for a couple of miles, the wind was blowing so fiercely! It just felt such a struggle in the wind and we were very grateful when the walk went inland. We ate at the Chequers Inn which had a nice pub garden. Even though we went on a Saturday the car park was not overly busy when we got back.

17/04/2021 - Minstead - a lovely New Forest walk, I would really recommend it. Although it was over 6 miles in the end and not 5.5 miles. The car park is small but free. We turned up at 09:15am and were the first car but when we got back to the car, people had parked everywhere! We walked past lots of ponies during the walk. The pub at the end/start was very nice and has a very large garden.

10/04/2021 - Beaulieu - this walk is not circular which is a bit disappointing and unfortunately for us, the only section which is different on the way there and back is currently closed so we had to do the same way both times. However, it is a very nice walk and an easy one. The car park is not large but seemed to still have spaces. There were ponies and donkeys roaming round the car park when we got back.

05/04/2021 - Exbury - this walk was actually about 7.5 miles but definitely worth it as you have a lovely view of the ocean for the end of the walk, just remember to check high tide times before you go! Otherwise you will have to take the detour. The car park was pricey but large. We were one of the first cars to turn up early in the morning (about 9am) but it was heaving my the time we got back to the car park.

Burnham Beeches - this was a good autumal walk. Lots of gravel paths but one very muddy section if it has rained! How we managed to stay upright I don't know. The car park is large but we went on a Tuesday and it was almost full. You only have to pay for parking on weekends and bank holidays. The walk was a bit shorter than stated in the book.

Breamore - this is a lovely New Forest walk. A nice length at 5 miles. We were unsure on the parking as the book recommends a Primary School car park and it was a school day but it was fine (and free). Lots of pheasants walking about on the paths. A bit of road walking but it was fine if you took care. One I would like to do in Summer. The manor house was also very impressive from the outside.

17/09/2020 - Rockbourne - The best part of this walk was the drive to it as we went right through the New Forest and there are just loads of ponies, donkeys and cows walking about, all right at the edge of the road, it is absolutely stunning. There were a few issues with this walk such as broken stiles and we had to walk a different path at some points. The pub we ate at was lovely and well worth the diversion

31/08/2020 - Wickham - we did this walk on a Bank Holiday Monday and we could not park in the recommended car park but we were able to find another one that started close enough to the route. We had to sort of find our way on to it but there were a few times when we were unsure we were going the right way and some overgrown paths. A nice forest walk.

Horsebridge - a really nice walk. Exactly 6 miles as stated in the book and the instructions all match perfectly as well. The car park is small but free. There are no animal fields to go through. A lot of the walk is on pavement. Some hills but easily managed.

07/06/2020 - Tichborne - Parking is limited on this walk (but free) but we did find a space eventually. We got a bit confused with the instructions at the start but did find out way. Right at the end there are some chickens and horses to walk through. There is also quite a bit of road walking at the end but it is a very quiet road.

30/05/2020 - A Meon Valley Ramble - this is a very nice little walk. The car park is small (but keep driving because there is more parking further on) but was quiet. We got a bit confused on the track part but found the way in the end. It was cool to see the overgrown railway platform as well.

25/05/2020 - Titchfield - it was lovely seeing the sea on this walk. The recommended car park was full when we turned up (it is tiny!) so we drove to a residential street a few minutes walk away and there was a wide road with plenty of parking. Part of this walk is walking along the cliff top but it is lovely.

16/05/2020 - New Alresford - this walk was actually 10 miles and not the 9 miles stated in the book. Cheap and plenty of parking at the station. Nice walk along the river to start. It is a very good long walk.

26/03/20 - Waggoner's Wells and Ludshott Common - parking on Bramshott Common which is free but a very small car park. If it is muddy (which is was for us) then there is an alternate path at the beginning and end but this is very steep. We did go wrong a couple of times as we struggled to match the instructions which made it a 5 mile walk for us rather than 4. The conifer plantation was a bit scary.

25/03/20 - In Harewood Forest (Longparish) - this was a lovely walk through a pretty village and then forest and arable farmland. It was over 8 miles for us but we did do the detour to the pink monument (it was nowhere near 70ft as stated in the book so a bit disappointing). Free car park which was pretty empty but we did go on a weekday. Very pretty and easy as well.

Chawton - this is a lovely walk but in February it was very muddy so I would definitely recommend wellies. The car park is free but seems to be very popular with walkers so gets busy quite early on, as does the pub at the end of the walk. Quite a lot of field walking with walking through fields of sheep and horses. A few things have changed on this walk since the book was published but it is easy to stay on track

10/09/19 - Hambledon - there wasn't much parking on the suggested street for this walk so we parked a street away but it was free parking. A nice long walk. A few fields of cows to go through. There was one tiny section (a few feet) that was entirely covered in stinging nettles so we had to wade through them and got quite badly stung. We had lunch at the Bat and Bull and it was very nice with lovely views.

08/06/19 - Hurstbourne Tarrant - this is a short walk but a tough one because it is really overgrown in places and you are basically wading through stinging nettles so it is a good idea to cover up your legs. You are mostly in the trees on this walk but there is a lovely viewpoint at the end. Parking is free. One very long upwards section but it is not too steep.

Ashmansworth - this is a lovely beautiful walk with loads of views of rolling hills and countryside to look on. It is quite demanding as there are lots of steep up and down parts. The book recommends parking by the war memorial but there is not much room there so we parked in the Jack Russell Inn and had lunch there first - it is a lovely pub. We did this on walk on a gorgeous day which made it even nicer.

Candover - a really short walk in a tiny village/hamlet called Brown Candover. Free parking and pretty houses (although not many!) in this village. Most of the walk is next to crops. A nice short one.

26/05/19 - Alice Holt - I had never heard of Alice Holt but having down the walk there, I think it would be a lovely place to take children. This is a short walk following the Lodge Pond Trail markers. You don't need the book as you can follow the markers. The arrows have changed to Purple rather than Blue. Parking is expensive.

Odiham - we did this walk on a very windy Saturday morning. Managed to find free street parking on the high street. Most of this walk was along the canal which was nice. There are a couple of fields of cows to walk through. Some very short road walking sections. A nice easy walk and is not too long

Ecchinswell - free big car park for this at the village hall. A very short walk with some massive houses to look at along the way. One to do when your legs are not feeling up to much! I have no idea why it is an orange walk, there are some uphill bits but it is not very steep.

High above Highclere Castle - did this walk on a beautiful sunny day and it was lovely. Free car parking and I would definitely recommend walking up the hill at the start of the walk rather than the end! Hill is very steep but lovely views at the top. Lovely pub (Carpenters Arms) halfway round. Can be muddy in places.

06/04/19 - Around Roman Calleva - an interesting walk where you party follow a Roman wall that is almost 2000 years old. As long as you don't go on a Sunday morning, there is a free Church car park (note there are two St Mary's churches in Silchester. Bring your walking boots for this walk as it can be quite muddy. Fields of horses and sheep to go through. Lots of stiles.

14/03/18 - Winchester - this is a pretty walk mostly along the river and fairly short too. A visit to the Cathedral is a well worth it. Parking in Winchester can be pricey so we parked at the park and ride at St Catherines as this is pretty much on the route and walked from there (£3.00) but realised there is a small free car park on the route as well. St Catherine's hill is nice but there is a lot of steps!

November 8, 2017 - Whitchurch - the car park is small but was quiet and it is free. A lot of the walk is over farmland and there are fields of sheep and cows to walk through. Some of the walk was overgrown and you had to walk pretty much in stinging nettles with barbed wire on the other side of you so you need to be covered up for that section. A very nice walk. We recorded it as a mile longer than the book.

30/04/17 - Selbourne - this is a nice short walk although very steep in places. It starts with the impressive zig zag walk up 300 feet which was fairly easy to manage as you can stop often and look at the view. Some of the walk goes through fields with horses and cows. The car park is large and free of charge.