Hurst Spit

Hurst Spit separates the sea and the Lymington River Estuary.  

 

 

 

 

To one side it has mudflats and salt marshes.  

 

 

 

 

To the other it has the sea and views to the Isle of Wight and the Needles. 

 

 

 

 

Swimming or using inflatables in the sea here is not recommended as the currents are very strong.

 

 

 

 

Walking to Hurst Castle

The walk to the castle is about two miles and is part of the Solent Way.

It is not the easiest of walks.  Sturdy footwear is recommended and it is hard going with a buggy.

 

 

You can pick up the path to Hurst Spit and Hurst Castle from Keyhaven Car Park – just head for the Hurst Castle Ferry and then keep walking.  

 

 

 

Sailing to Hurst Castle

If you would like to visit Hurst Castle but don’t fancy the walk or have little ones with you, then consider the Hurst Castle ferry.  

 

 

 

It is a beautiful 20 minute ferry ride through salt marshes, mud flats and moored boats. 

 

 

 

 

Hurst Castle

Hurst Castle is an artillery fort that was built in the 16th century by Henry VIII to protect the Solent, Southampton and Portsmouth.

 

 

 

It is one of the best preserved of Henry VIII’s castles and had an active military role until the mid-20th century.

 

Nearest Town: Lymington, New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO41 0TP takes you to Keyhaven Car Park and if you keep driving, Hurst Spit. 

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: Hurst Spit is free but there are various costs for castle entry – please see the websites for details.
Child Cost Range: Hurst Spit is free but there are various costs for castle entry – please see the websites for details.
Free if: Hurst Spit is free. Children under 5 years enter the castle for free.

Where to Eat: Eat at the Hurst Castle cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: There are toilets and accessible toilets inside Hurt Castle. There are no toilets available for people not visiting the castle. There is a cafe outside the castle that is available to all visitors.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Not buggy friendly. 

Parking: Pay and display car park at Keyhaven. 
Cost of Parking: From £3 for two hours.

Wildlife You Might See: Fish, crabs, seabirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: January 2023

 

Danebury Hill Fort

Today it is a peaceful local nature reserve with plenty of ups and downs to explore. 

 

 

 

It is believed that during the Iron Age, about 300 to 400 people lived at Danebury Hill Fort, along with grain stores, livestock, temples and shrines. 

 

 

 

By about 100BC, Danebury Hill Fort had been abandoned and was probably being used as a farm.

 

 

 

 

Danger at Danebury Hill Fort

The Danebury Hill Story Trail leads you around the hill fort and its ramparts.

 

 

 

It is called “Danger at Danebury Hill Fort” and helps you to imagine yourself living at the hill fort during the Iron Age and then role play defending the hill fort against raiders trying to steal your grain.

 

 

 

Museum of the Iron Age

Further information on Danebury Hill Fort can be found at Musuem of the Iron Age in Andover, which is about a 15 minute drive from Danebury Hill Fort.  

 

 

 

It has a recreation of a roundhouse

 

 

 

 

 

and further information about life at the hill fort. 

 

 

 

 

 

* Hampshire CC’s Story Trails

This is one of Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails.

These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, which are told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

 

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and divided into numbered sections. Numbered markers prompt you to read the sections of the story along the trail.

 

 

Finding a Story Pack

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a copy of a story trail from the internet in written or audio form.

Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail.

Nearest Town: Andover
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO20 6HZ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: It is easy to take an all terrain buggy to the hill fort but not up onto the ramparts, which have very steep sides.

Parking: Car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies and other insects, rabbits and birds.

Information Written: September 2019

 

At the Top

The views from the top of Crooksbury Hill are spectacular.

On a clear day you can see across the Surrey Hills, including Butser Hill, Gibbet Hill and Selbourne Common. 

 

 

The Woods

The woods on the top of the hill are shady and peaceful, with huge logs to climb on and den building opportunities.

 

 

 

Soldier’s Ring Hill Fort

Soldier’s Ring is a small hill fort that may date from the Bronze or Iron Age. It is now a large, flat area of woodland surrounded by walls made from earth. 

 

 

 

To find Soldier’s Ring from the view point on the top of Crooksbury Hill, follow the path behind the trig point. This leads you down the other side of the hill and into the woods.

 

 

 

The entrance to Soldier’s Ring is about halfway down this path and is marked by this gate.

 

 

 

 

From here you can see the walls surrounding the hill fort.

 

 

 

 

The Paths

There are three paths that lead up Crooksbury Hill, none of these are gentle or buggy friendly.  I found the path on the left of the Botany Hill car park was the easiest.

Walking up the hill along any of these paths takes 5 to 10 minutes but factor in a little extra time for little ones. 

 

The Path From Crooksbury Hill Car Park

This path goes straight up the hill.  It starts by the information board in the picnic area, is very steep and has steps of various heights all the way up.  

 

 

 

The Paths From Botany Hill Car Park

There are two paths from this little car park that both lead through the woods to the view point.  Neither of these have stairs but they are both steep and uneven in places.  

 

 

 

The path on the right of the car park takes you along the base of Soldier’s Ring and then up to the Crooksbury Hill view point.  

 

 

 

The path on the left takes you up through Soldier’s Ring and then to the top of Crooksbury Hill. 

 

Nearest Town: Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 1RF

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Picnic area at Crooskbury Hill car park. 

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: All paths up Crooksbury Hill are steep so I wouldn’t recommend a buggy. 

Parking: Crooksbury Hill car park is on Crooksbury Road (GU10 1RF) and a much smaller, unmarked car park on Botany Hill (GU10 1LY).
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Slow worms, lizards, birds, butterflies, wood ants and other insects.

Information Written: August 2016
Information Checked: May 2022

 

The Natural Play Trail

The Natural Play Trail include things like:

• a tree to climb through
• a see saw made of planks and logs
• a fort with tunnels
• log balance beams
• ropes to climb on
• logs to edge along
• areas to build dens
• areas to climb trees

 

 

Box Hill

As well as the Natural Play Trail, Box Hill also has picturesque views, mini-beasts, a cafe, Visitor Centre and Discovery Zone. 

 

 

 

Box Hill Fort

The Box Hill Fort was one of a series of forts built in the 1890s to enable London to defend itself from invasion. It was used again during WW2. 

 

 

 

The Stepping Stones

The River Mole flows along the foot of Box Hill and can be crossed by jumping between the famous Stepping Stones. 

 

 

 

To find the Stepping Stones you can either walk down the hill or drive to the Stepping Stones car park (see below).  

 

 

 

From April to June the air is heavy with the unmistakable scent of wild garlic.

 

Nearest Town: Dorking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcodes: Box Hill: KT20 7LB – note that his does not seem to work for all sat navs so follow signs once you start to see them. The Stepping Stones: RH5 6AE – keep an eye out for the car park as it is easy to miss. 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, shop, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: The paths around the car parks are surfaced and buggy-friendly. The paths along the play trail are muddy and uneven in places but I used an all terrain buggy without any issues. 

Parking: There are different car parks to choose from –  a couple on top of Box Hill (KT20 7LB – can be unreliable so follow signs as soon as you see them) and another by the Stepping Stones (RH5 6AE). They all become very busy and are often full by mid-morning. 
Cost of Parking: Free for National Trust members; from £1.50 per hour for non-members.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies and other insects.

First Visit: June 2018
Last Visit: June 2021

 

The play area is divided into three sections.

 

Ship Play Trail

This is an Infant Play Trail for ages 3 to 6 years that has:

• a galleon with nets, a wheel and a slide
• a second, smaller boat
• springers
• a trampoline
• a train
• a wobbly, wooden hut
• toddler swings
• wobbly bridges
• a climbing wall
• a balance course and
• wobbly balance boards.

 

 

Inclusive Area 

This fully inclusive area has:

• a wheelchair accessible roundabout
• a swing
• a cradle swing
• an accessible slide
• musical instruments
• fun house mirrors
• a basket swing.

 

The Fort 

This is a Junior Play Trail for ages 7 to 11 years that has:

• swings
• climbing walls
• wobbly bridges
• ladders
• balancing logs
• hanging rings and
• a rope climbing frame.

 

Kiosk and Picnic Area

Next to the play area are lots of picnic tables and a kiosk that sells refreshments.

 

 

 

 

Swinley Forest

The play area is next to the Swinley Forest, with cycle routes and various trails.

The Look Out also has a permanent orienteering course and you can buy a map from the reception desk in the Discovery Centre for £1.

 

 

The Look Out Discovery Centre

Inside The Look Out Discovery Centre are over 90 activities including a building site, an indoor stream, a reaction testing game and a range of hands-on science experiments including a hot air balloon to launch and a globe that floats in mid-air. 

Nearest Town: Bracknell
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG12 7QW

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Picnic tables and a cafe.
Facilities: A shop, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a large car park but this gets very busy.
Cost of Parking: From £2 for the first four hours.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds and insects.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: January 2022

 

 

Sand Lizards

If you are lucky you might spot a sand lizard in the sand dunes or fossils in the stones. Fossils can either be found in the pebbles on the beach or in the chalk and flint pebbles exposed at low tide.

 

 

Fossils

Many of the larger pebbles, and most complete fossils, can be found at the end of the beach nearest the car park – no long walks required!

 

 

 

We found this fossil, which we think is a flint cast of the inside of an ancient sea urchin (but would be happy to hear otherwise).

It is about 2 inches in diameter and has clear markings. The children were delighted.

 

 

Beachcombing

It is not surprising that Littlehampton West Beach is a protected Nature Reserve. We found all sorts of treasures from sharks’ egg cases to cuttlebones. We even saw a little egret wading in the shallows.

 

 

Littlehampton Fort

After leaving we discovered that behind the car park is Littlehampton Fort, which is over 150 years old and was built to protect the entrance to the River Arun from attack.

 

The Cafe

Next to the car park are public toilets and West Beach Cafe, which serves refreshments and also has breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.

From here you can see the River Arun and the contrasting Littlehampton East Beach, with its theme park, promenade and amusements.

 

Access

The beach is only a short walk from the car park but to reach the sea you have to climb down a steep, stoney slope. 

 

Nearest Town: Littlehampton
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: BN17 5DL

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try the West Beach Cafe. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: We spent about five hours at West Beach.
Buggies: There is a steep slope down to the sea but I used an all terrain buggy without any issues.

Parking: Good-sized car park
Cost of Parking: From £0.60 in the winter and £1.50 in the summer.

Wildlife You Might See: Sea life, seabirds and sand lizards.

Information Written: June 2017

 

At the Top of Box Hill

The Natural Play Trail

Scattered throughout the woods on top of Box Hill are natural play areas that form the Box Hill Natural Play Trail. It has balance courses

 

 

 

a seesaw

 

 

 

 

ropes and

 

 

 

 

a tunnel.

 

 

 

 

It’s a fantastic way to liven up a walk in the woods. 

 

 

 

 

Box Hill

At the top of Box Hill there are several viewing points, a cafe, Visitor Centre and Discovery Zone but this was shut when I visited. 

 

 

 

Box Hill Fort

Box Hill Fort was part of a series of forts built in the 1890s to enable London to defend itself from invasion. It was used again during WW2. 

 

 

 

At the Bottom of Box Hill

The Stepping Stones

The River Mole flows along the foot of Box Hill and can be crossed by jumping between the famous Box Hill Stepping Stones. 

 

 

 

From here you can either continue on up Box Hill or stop and have a paddle or pond dip in the river. 

 

 

 

From April to June the air is heavy with the unmistakable scent of wild garlic.

 

Nearest Town: Dorking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcodes: Box Hill: KT20 7LB – note that his does not seem to work for all sat navs so follow signs once you start to see them. The Stepping Stones: RH5 6AE – keep an eye out for the car park as it is easy to miss. 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, shop, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: The paths around the car parks are surfaced and buggy-friendly. The paths along the play trail are muddy and uneven in places but I used an all terrain buggy without any issues. 

Parking: There are different car parks to choose from –  a couple on top of Box Hill (KT20 7LB – can be unreliable so follow signs as soon as you see them) and another by the Stepping Stones (RH5 6AE). They all become very busy and are often full by mid-morning. 
Cost of Parking: Free for National Trust members; from £1.50 per hour for non-members.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: June 2018
Information Checked: June 2021

 

The Hill Fort

The Hill Fort was built at some time between about 100 BC and 100 AD during the Iron Age. It had ramparts with ditches of up to 4m deep and 9m wide!

 

 

 

We couldn’t see much of the Hill Fort but when the bracken has died back in the winter, you can see the walls better.

 

 

 

 

The Hurtwood 

Holmbury Hill is located in The Hurtwood, which is over 2,000 acres of privately owned common land in the Surrey Hills.

 

 

 

 

There is plenty to explore, whether by foot or bike – we counted 14 car parks, 3 viewpoints and 2 forts!

 

 

 

 

The Paths

The main paths around The Hurtwood are broad and easy to walk on but this is a hilly area. Some of the side paths are rougher and have steep slopes – this area is used by off-road cyclists.

 

 

 

The path to the top of Holmbury Hill is easy to walk on with one steeper slope just before the viewpoint.

 

Nearest Town: Peaslake, near Dorking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: RH5 6NU will get you close. Follow Radnor Road (away from Peaslake) for about a mile and Hurtwood Car Park 1 is on your left. 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: You could take an all terrain buggy to the top of the hill.

Parking: Car park
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: September 2023

 

The History of Redan Fort

During the Crimean War, the British had been impressed by the field fortifications used by the Russians.

These fortifications, called redans and redoubts, could be built quickly to provide an easily defendable position.

 

 

Redans were V-shaped, often made from two embankments and a ditch, and had an open back. Redoubts were similar but fully enclosed.

 

 

 

 

Aldershot as a Training Camp

After returning from the Crimean War, the British Army developed Aldershot as their main training camp, building field forts for training.

 

 

 

 

Redan Hill Fortifications

Redan Hill Fortifications are a partial reconstruction of a training redoubt that was originally built here in 1856.

This fort was used for training until the 1860s, when it was cut through by the railway.

 

 

The Cannon

At Redan Fort you can see a 32-pounder cannon, the structure of the fortifications and a tree covered hill.

We had fun playing hide and seek around the trees and it made a good picnic spot but there is not a huge amount to do here.

 

 

 

The Play Area

Redan Hill Play Area is just over the road from the fort and has equipment that includes swings and a slide.

 

 

 

 

Finding the Fort

Redan Fort is on Redan Road behind this black and yellow barrier.

 

 

 

 

The fort is at the top of a hill. The walk takes a few minutes and the hill is not steep.

 

Nearest Town: Aldershot
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU12 4SJ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket.
Facilities: None.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: We could not find a car park nearby but were able to park on Windmill Road (GU12 4NJ), which runs alongside the play area and fort.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds and insects, especially grasshoppers.

Information Written: June 2017

 

The Hill Fort

About 2,500 years ago, Danebury Hill Fort was a series of earthen ramparts, ditches and gateways protecting a central area. 

As you can imagine, it has a spectacular location with far-reaching views. 

 

 

The Inhabitants

It is believed that during the Iron Age, about 300 to 400 people lived at Danebury Hill Fort, along with grain stores, livestock, temples and shrines. 

By about 100BC, Danebury Hill Fort had been abandoned and was probably being used as a farm.

 

 

Local Nature Reserve

Today Danebury Hill Fort is a tranquil nature reserve with beautiful views. 

 

 

 

 

 

* Hampshire CC’s Story Trails

This is one of Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails.

These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, which are told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

 

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and divided into numbered sections. Numbered markers prompt you to read the sections of the story along the trail.

 

 

Finding a Story Pack

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a copy of a story trail from the internet in written or audio form.

Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail.

Nearest Town: Andover
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO20 6HZ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: It is easy to take an all terrain buggy to the hill fort but not up onto the ramparts, which have very steep sides.

Parking: Car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies and other insects, rabbits and birds.

Information Written: September 2019