Length: 15.2 km (9.5 miles)
Toughness: 2 out of 10
London Waterloo: 09-09 hrs Southwestern service to Portsmouth Harbour Woking 09-34 hrs, Basingstoke 10-00 hrs Winchester 10-19 hrs Does NOT stop at Clapham Junction
Arrive Botley: 10-38 hrs
Clapham Junctioners: 09-12 hrs Southwestern service from Waterloo to Weymouth
Arrive Winchester: 10-04 hrs Change trains
Leave Winchester: 10-19 hrs Southwestern service to Portsmouth Harbour (as above)
Arrive Botley: 10-38 hrs
Return
Netley to Waterloo: 02 mins past the hour changing at Fareham
18 mins past the hour changing at Southampton Central
Rail ticket: buy a day return to Netley
This walk works well in either direction (Netley to Botley, or Botley to Netley) but in recent times we have tackled the walk in reverse, which works better for swimmers.
The slightly early departure from London allows for a more leisurely morning. Swimmers should have plenty of time for a dip in a cove before lunch, then have lunch in Burlesdon, before enjoying the walk along the causeway to the ferry.
Setting out from Botley railway station, you have to negotiate a bit of road walking but once through the town you are soon in countryside and woods. You continue past Manor Farm and Country Park to follow The Strawberry Trail through woodland down to a number of coves to the River Hamble. Select one of these for your first swim today. On then to Burlesdon for lunch - options include Harper's Steakhouse aka the Navigator pub, and the Boat House Cafe within Premier Swanwick Marina.
You now enjoy a relaxing walk along the causeway to the River Hamble, through mudflats, for 3 km. You then take the Warsash Ferry - a vision in shocking pink - across the River to the village of Hamble. From here you cross Hamble Common to the coastline, to follow the shoreline of Southampton Water all the way to Netley. You can have a final swim here, or go for tea in the Cedar Tea Rooms in Netley Park, or do both, before making for Netley railway station for your journey home.
This walk seldom disappoints and is especially enjoyable if the sun shines today.
T=1.3
Walk Directions are here: L=1.3
3 comments:
My sister lives in Netley, maybe she can provide tea and cakes.
N=12 on this walk, including one walker we had not seen in two and a half years, on a day of w=hot-sun-and-sultry-cloud (in about equal measures). The train down started fairly empty but got busier and busier - there was some event on in Portsmouth, I think.
Once in Botley, and free of the early section along the main road, we split into two groups - one that was aware of the alternative route along the river and another that was not. The former got to the swimming spot on the Hamble River to find it at absolute high tide. Three of us had a very pleasant swim (two going right across to the far side), while two later arrivals got as far as wading into the water and then though better of it.
Of the other group I understand three or four had lunch at the Steakhouse and were very pleased with it. We saw them briefly outside it but soon got separated from them again amid the busy main road traffic. The rest of us found a perch a bit later on the estuary on which to have our sandwiches.
Hurrying down this long but beautiful riverside stretch (with sea asters coming into flower, and at one point a possible otter that we decided eventually was probably a vole…) we came to the pretty pink ferry across to Hamble village. The sun was out at this point and the water sparkled. Nearly the whole group was united at the cafe by the landing jetty to have tea, wine or (in two cases) lunch.
Kids were swimming in the blue waters here and I looked forward eagerly to a late afternoon dip at Netley. But once we got to the shores of Southampton Water, sultry cloud was back in charge. It was also low tide. I went for a swim regardless, and three followed me, but the water was barely a metre deep even 80 metres out from the shore, like trying to swim in a puddle. Two of my companions were kind enough to describe this as their worst sea swim ever….
We then had a rush for the 6.18 train, which was five minutes late, allowing all to catch it. The “other” group were waiting in the platform. So to Southampton for a 15 minutes layover and a fairly busy train home.
I salute your bravery in swimming in SE England's seas given the current ****show over effluent discharge!
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