Cycle Along the River on the Blackwater Valley Path
Section 4 of the Blackwater Valley Path follows the river’s route along the busy A331 dual carriageway. Unfortunately, you tend to be more aware of the road than the river. Nevertheless, it is a largely traffic free cycle route that we enjoy using.
Blackwater Valley Path Section 4: Hollybush Pits to Coleford Bridge
This is 2 miles long and starts near North Camp railway station.
We parked at Carrington Recreation Ground, which is very near to the station and also has a play area.
From here the path follows not just the River Blackwater
but also the A331 dual carriageway. The road noise can be overpowering.
There are places to stop and rest along the way,
some pretty views of the River Blackwater
and also the local concrete and recycling plants.
This section of the path ends at Coleford Bridge and the Kingfisher on the Quay pub.
About ten minutes away is Rectory Road Play Area.
The Blackwater Valley Path
The Blackwater Valley Path is 23 miles long, marked by signposts and divided into 12 sections.
These sections follow the river, are not circular and do not finish where they start.
Paths Along Section 4
The paths along Section 4 are said to have hard surfacing that is suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs and bikes.
We found the paths to be generally flat but uneven in places.
They can also be very, very muddy.
There are some road crossings, which you need to cross with care. Please see the Section 4 route description for full details.
Would We Go Back?
Almost the entire section of the path runs along the A331 and it is very noisy.
There are some parts of the walk where you walk directly beside the dual carriageway. Whilst we will not be going back to this section on a walk, it is a largely traffic free cycle route that we do use.
Where to Next?
Upstream – Section 3: Shawfields to Hollybush Pits
Downstream – Section 5: Coleford Bridge to the M3 Bridge
Visit the Blackwater Valley Path website
See the Section 4 Route Directions
Further Information
Nearest Town: North Camp, Farnborough
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode for Hollybush Pits/Carrington Recreation Ground: GU12 5PG
Nearest Postcode for Coleford Bridge/Rectory Road: GU14 7HX
Opens: Daily
Cost: Free
Where to Eat: Bring a picnic
Facilities: None
How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Doable with buggies but be prepared for some narrow paths.
Parking: To park near Hollybush Pits, we go to Carrington Recreation Ground (GU12 5PG). To park near Coleford Bridge is harder but we were able to park at Rectory Road Play Area (GU14 7HX) and walk to the Blackwater Valley Path.
Cost of Parking: Free
Wildlife You Might See: Kingfishers, birds, badgers, lizards, ducks, moorhens, coots, Canada gees, butterflies and other insects.
Information Written: May 2024
Ratings
Our visit to Section 4 of the Blackwater Valley Path from Hollybush Pits in North Camp to Coleford Bridge in Farnborough is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.
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Would We Go Back
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