Paddle and Play in the River Wey at Flood Meadows, Alton
Flood Meadows hides a beautiful surprise – nestled away behind the trees is the young River Wey. Here the river is so near to its northern source that the water is shallow and slow-flowing and offers a shady place to splash, paddle and pond dip.
There are no facilities at Flood Meadows so bring everything you need.
Flood Meadows
Flood Meadows has 15 acres of fields, flowers and mature trees.
A peaceful footpath winds along the northern branch of the River Wey
This was originally water-cress beds and is now home to frogs, newts, snails and lots of water birds.
The River Wey
The River Wey has two branches – the northern and the southern branch.
The source of the northern branch is just a short walk from Flood Meadows.
The Wey Walk
This is a signposted 1.75 mile walk that starts at King’s Pond and follows the River Wey through Alton to its source.
A copy of the Wey Walk leaflet can be found on the Walk Alton website.
To the Source!
You can walk to the source of the northern branch of the River Wey by following the Wey Walk signs through Flood Meadows and on to its main gateway.
When you join Basingstoke Road, turn right and walk down the pavement to the corner.
The Source of the north branch of the River Wey is in the field opposite you.
If you follow the path to the end of the field, there are some drainage pipes, which were dry when we visited.
The field was too overgrown to see where the River Wey springs out of the ground but you might have a better view in the winter when everything has died back.
Bring Everything You Need
There are fields where you can have a picnic but there are no other facilities so be sure to bring everything else you need.
Visit the Flood Meadows website
Further Information
Nearest Town: Alton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU34 1HR
Opens: Daily
Cost: Free
Where to Eat: Bring a picnic.
Facilities: Picnic table.
How Long We Spent There: About three hours.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.
Parking: There is a small car park with a few parking spaces at the end of Tanhouse Lane (GU34 1HR). You can also try parking on Basingstoke Road (GU34 1QA) by the main entrance to Flood Meadows or in one of the main Alton car parks.
Cost of Parking: Free
Wildlife You Might See: Insects, birds, lots of water birds, fish and other pond life.
Information Written: August 2016
Information Checked: June 2022
Ratings
Our visit to Flood Meadows in Alton is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.
-
Fun
-
Condition
-
Value
-
Would We Go Back
Before taking part in any activities or visiting any places listed, you should make appropriate checks to ensure high quality provision, a safe environment is provided and to check all these details are up to date before you visit and/or take part. We accept no liability (to the fullest extent permitted by law) for the quality of the activities provided or places listed or for the accuracy of any information given.
