Wheelchair Walks (Hampshire)

Lovely colours in West Wood at this time of year. West Wood is within Farley Mount Country Park, 5 miles west of Winchester. The country park sprawls over downland and woods, with panoramic views of central Hampshire. Paths within West Wood are mostly compacted gravel paths, however, our entry route to West Wood was along a soft dirt path. A manual or electric wheelchair may be able to negotiate the gravel paths, but you certainly would need off-road tyres/wheels to access the woods where we did. The joy of this Forestry Commission wood is that you can wander around without needing to follow a route. The route we walked is shown on a Strava map, but please don’t try to get in or out of the wood at the NE corner of the wood. It is not clear from most maps, but there is an 150m stretch of private land (and a locked gate). We had to retrace our steps part of the way, making for a longer walk (9km) than intended. Parking - There is a dirt car park https://what3words.com/sculpting.wildfire

Ashley Walk, Godshill, The New Forest

Returning home from picking up my adult daughter’s off buggy from Delichon Ltd in Fordingbridge after a service, we took a quick walk along the first 1 km/0.6 miles and back of the 4.8km/3 mile Pitts Wood Circular from AllTrails Although we didn’t complete the whole walk, this area of The New Forest seems highly accessible, with a network of wide compacted gravel paths (although the lack of Changing Places UK/hoist & bench toilets means my daughter cannot enjoy a full day out in The Forest). An off road buggy or off road wheelchair is recommended, as from bitter experience these seemingly smooth paths are surprisingly bumpy when pushing an NHS manual wheelchair. Parking - Ashley Walk car park https://what3words.com/capers.tributes.awoken. There are no marked bays Toilets - None. The nearest public toilets are in Fordingbridge SP6 1AQ. The nearest Changing Places toilets are Paultons Park, Ower, Nr Romsey SO51 6AL (11.2 miles) and Moors Valley Country Park, Horton Rd, Ashley Heath

South Wonston, Hampshire

The day after record rainfall in Hampshire (35.2mm in Otterbourne on 4 January 2024), we succeeded in finding a relatively dry 8.9km/5.5 mile walk around South Wonston. The route is a mixture of farm tracks, footpaths, gravel, and residential roads. The worst mud was on the section of the Watercress Way https://www.thewatercressway.org.uk between South Wonston Farm and the dismantled railway, which could be avoided by walking down Downs Road making the walk 700m/0.4 of a mile shorter. There is a steep muddy path to/from Worthy Down Lane down to the dismantled railway. Off road wheels are essential. Open OS Map in a new window . We came across an information board at Worthy Down Halt on the dismantled railway line, towards the end of our walk (having walked in a clockwise direction) making us realise the area has more of interest than we initially thought (we house hunted in the area 20 years ago!). Worthy Down became an airfield in 1918 for the Royal Flying Corps, later becoming

Exton - Old Winchester Hill, South Downs Way, Hampshire

The South Downs Way between Exton and Old Winchester Hill is a slow 4.6km/2.8 mile slog uphill one way. The final ascent up Old Winchester Hill is a narrow steep gully, and should ONLY be attempted with some seriously fit muscle (and a wrist strap to prevent free fall), and determination to ‘walk’ every inch of the South Downs Way. Cyclists I met on a different section of The South Downs Way suggested Old Winchester Hill to Exton would be easier. For a more leisurely stroll, park up the top of Old Winchester Hill (see earlier post). The final ascent to Old Winchester Hill The South Downs Way splits briefly at Exton, into separate walkers and cyclists routes. The walkers route along Church Lane to the northeast Exton to Meon Valley Trail is NOT off-road wheelchair accessible as it is a narrow path between trees and large tree roots, ending in a flight of steps up to The Meon Valley Trail. Open OS Maps in new window . The cyclists route leaves Exton to the south along Beacon Hill Lane

Bighton Woods, Hampshire

I revisited route I had walked last summer and thought not accessible, to discover that it is off-road wheelchair accessible if you cut the corner off at the only non-accessible kissing gate. The route is 6.8km/4.2 miles, only 200m shorter than if you negotiated the last kissing gate. Open OS Maps in new window . The route is a combination of muddy footpaths across fields, dirt tracks, and quiet country lanes. Open OS Maps in new window . Join the path across the fields behind Bighton Village and The Three Horseshoes, and head east until you come to a private estate. Turn left up the drive, and then follow the way markers between two cottages and through Bighton Woods. At the end of the woods pass through the gate and continue straight ahead up the side of the field. At the second ‘junction’, take the left fork through the trees emerging into a field, then turn right into the field keeping the fence on your right. Continuing along the side of the field you will come to a wooden kis

Butser Hill, South Downs Way, Hampshire

Encouraged by the accessibility of The South Downs Way at Harting Down, we checked out The South Downs Way between the Sustainability Centre and Butser Hill and back (10km/6.2 miles). Open OS Maps in new window . The South Downs Way along this section is mostly 1.5m wide tracks. There is a road junction to cross near Leydene Park, but visibility is good and the road is not busy. There is also a section along a country lane (Limekiln Lane) leading to Butser Hill, but again visibiity is good and the road was very quiet (on a Friday morning). This would be easy going for an all terrain wheelchair or buggy. The South Downs Way veers off south before Butser Hill summit, but do head into the nature reserve by the disabled parking at the Roundhouse Café and make a circuit of the grassy summit to appreciate the views. Parking - There is no parking at The Sustainability Centre GU32 1HR but there is some street parking just to the east of the centre. There are 4 Blue Badge bays at Butser Hi

Fareham Easy Access Trail

We stumbled across the Fareham Easy Access Trail on a stroll from Wicor Recreation Ground where our younger (non-wheelchair bound) daughter was playing football. The Fareham Easy Access Trail , according to the Hampshire County Council’s leaflet, is ‘a mile (1.6km) long surfaced (gravel topped) footpath that takes you to a viewpoint overlooking the water of Portsmouth Harbour. The surfaced trail starts beside the road to the golf course off the A27, and skirts around Cams Hall and along the edge of the estuary overlooking Fareham Quay. Early on the path becomes enclosed by trees before emerging alongside fine views of the creek. The Trail then passes beneath grand oaks until it ends where two seats overlook the estuary. From here a coastal path still continues but it becomes uneven and less suitable for wheelchair users.’ There also seems to be a radar key operated accessible kissing gate at this point. The circular route is 4 miles/6.4km. The leaflet suggests starting the walk from F

Lee on the Solent, Hampshire

There is a perfect wheelchair friendly paved walk along the seafront from Hill Head to Lee on the Solent in Hampshire. The Solent Beach Path is a level paved walk from Salterns to Elmore Angling Club just east of Lee on Solent sea front. All terrain wheelchairs could continue beyond this point but we have yet to explore. Parking - There are several car parks with Blue Badge spaces along the seafront from Salterns along to Lee on Solent. We tend to park at Salterns Car Park PO14 3LU and walk the length of the paved promenade and back Length - 5km return from Salterns Car Park to the end of the paved promenade and back. Duration - 1h Terrain - paved promenade apart from a small stretch of pebbles in front of the Hovercraft Museum but you can take the ramped path up to the road and down again the other side of the slipway. Suitable for ‘ordinary’ wheelchairs Toilets - At least 3 between Salterns and Lee on Solent. Changing Places toilet at Lee on Solent Splash Park PO13 9LB. Salterns to

Exton - Beacon Hill, South Downs Way, Hampshire

Encouraged by the accessibility of the South Downs Way from Holden Farm to The Milburys , I checked out another section of the walk. I walked from Exton to Beacon Hill along the Walkers route of the South Downs Way, across fields. Sadly this scenic route is NOT accessible. It starts with a kissing gate, then there are a series of stiles, and a steep grassy slope to climb. I returned down the the cyclists route, down a single lane road. With stretches with no verges, I began to feel that I would not feel comfortable/safe pushing my daughter in her off road buggy. But midweek in term time I met no cars, only 2 cyclists, and a local couple happily pushing a baby in a pram up the road. So the decision is yours. And wide vehicles ie lorries are signposted down a different, wider, road. Open OS Maps in a new window . The walk from Exton to Beacon Hill viewpoint and back along the road is 8.3km/5.1 miles, starting and ending at the car park opposite the track to Manor Farm Cottages. Ba

The Cricketers, Alresford, Hampshire

Day 18 of Group B Strep Support (GBSS) Walk 100k in March. A short 2.5km/1.6 miles off-road wheelchair accessible route from The Cricketers Inn, re-opening the last week of March 2023 (there is also a 900m paved route one way from The Cricketers, down Spring Gardens past the watercress beds to Deep Ford). The 2.5km walk is manageable in an off road wheelchair, down small compacted gravel tracks and across fields. Open OS Maps in new window . Parking - Parking is plentiful in the residential roads along Tichborne Down in Alresford, as The Cricketers carpark is not that big. There is blue badge parking at Alresford Station SO24 9JL although this fills up quickly when events are taking place on The Watercress Line. There are also a couple of bays outside Alresford Community Centre on West Street, at the top of Broad Street, and at Arlebury Park, The Avenue, Alresford SO24 9EP Toilets - public toilet next to the Alresford Surgery SO24 9JL on Station Road. No Changing Places toilet in Alre

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