Buscot Lock

Picturesque Buscot Lock is a working lock with a weir, bridges and swans.

 

 

 

 

The lock keepers we met were very friendly and showed my children how the manual lock works, much to their delight. 

 

 

 

 

The Thames Path

Walking from Buscot Lock to St John’s Lock took us about an hour and the paths were easy to walk along.  

 

 

 

 

We followed this circular path from the National Trust’s website. 

 

 

 

 

You walk from Buscot Village, past Buscot Lock, along the Thames Path, staying close to the river.  

 

 

 

 

When you reach the bridge you are almost at St Johns Lock.  

 

 

 

 

 

St John’s Lock

St John’s Lock is the highest lock on the River Thames.

 

 

 

 

It has toilets, a small picnic area and a statue of Old Father Thames. 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Father Thames 

Originally carved for Crystal Palace in 1854, Old Father Thames was moved to the source of the Thames in Trewsbury Mead in 1936.  

 

 

 

Sadly, it was vandalised and moved again to St John’s Lock.

The source of the Thames is now marked with a simple stone.  

 

 

 

The Trout Inn

We had lunch right next to the river at The Trout Inn,

 

 

 

 

which has a large garden and lots of tables. 

 

 

 

 

 

Buscot Play Area

Buscot Village Play Area has a long obstacle course.  

It is conveniently located next to the Buscot Village National Trust car park and is a good place to play at the end your walk.

Nearest Town: Buscot, near Faringdon
County: Oxfordshire 
Nearest Postcode: SN7 8DA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, eat at Buscot Village Tea-Rooms (SN7 8DA) or eat at The Trout Inn (GL7 3HA).
Facilities: There are toilets for customers at the Tea-Rooms and Trout Inn. There are public toilets at both locks.

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: The paths are fairly flat and easy to walk on.  You could take an all-terrain buggy if you don’t mind bumping up and down some stairs. 

Parking: Pay and display car park at Buscot Lock or The Trout Inn’s car park at St John’s Lock. 
Cost of Parking: Parking at Buscot Lock is free for National Trust members; from £2 for two hours for non-members. Parking at The Trout Inn is free. 

Information Written: August 2023

 

The Play Equipment

The play equipment is for children under 12 years old and includes:

• toddler swings
• two rocket springers
• a multiplay with two slides, easy to climb steps, a ladder and a corkscrew pole
• two games boards – noughts and crosses and spinning planets
• a sun, a moon and a star painted on the floor.

 

 

Choice of Walks

From the Twyford Close Play Area you have a couple of choices of walks, which you can also cycle or scooter. 

 

Elvetham Heath

Elvetham Heath Nature Reserve is a short walk away. Leave the play area from the gate under the trees. Follow the path to the left and it will take you over a road and then down a hill.

The gate to the nature reserve is a little way down this path and on the left. 

 

A Second Play Area

If you stay on this path, you will eventually come to the Post Haste Play Area.

This takes about ten minutes at an adult pace.

Nearest Town: Elvetham Heath
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU51 1JU

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Picnic tables.

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

Parking: You can park on the road by the play area. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Cows, birds, insects and squirrels. 

Information Written: February 2017
Information Checked: June 2022

 

St Martha’s Hill and Colyers Hanger

Accessible only on foot, St Martha’s Hill has been a place of worship since Norman times and its beautiful views makes it easy to see why.  

 

 

 

At the very top is St Martha-on-the-Hill church.

 

 

 

 

 

The Paths

The paths to the top of the hill are sandy, steep and uneven in places.

It took us about 20 minutes to reach the top at a child’s pace.

 

 

 

The Other Trails

There are other trails shown on the information board and in the car park, one of which is easy access. 

 

Nearest Town: Chilworth, near Guildford
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU4 8PZ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

How Long We Spent There: About two hours.
Buggies: I wouldn’t bring one as there are uneven paths and sandy slopes, which can be steep. 

Parking: There are two car parks, one at Halfpenny Lane (GU4 8PZ) and another on Guildford Lane (GU5 9BQ).
Cost of Parking: Free

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

Information Written: July 2022

 

Priest’s Way

The walk to Keates Quarry and the dinosaur footprints is an easy 3/4 of a mile along paths with sea views.

When you leave the Spyway car park head towards the sea and then turn right onto Priest’s Way in the direction of Worth Matravers. 

 

 

Keate’s Quarry

Along Priest’s Way you walk past a working quarry that is surrounded by stacks of stone.

This is limestone from the local area, which has been quarried for centuries, building places like Corfe Castle and Westminster Abbey.

 

 

“Dinosaur Tracks” This Way

A little way after the quarry you come to a gate on the right with a picture of a dinosaur and “Dinosaur tracks” written on it.

 

 

 

Keates Quarry is then just a short walk across the field.

 

 

 

 

Be sure to bring wellies!

It was very muddy when we visited and we had to make stepping stones to reach the gate.

 

 

 

Dinosaur Footprints

The fossilised dinosaur tracks are believed to have originally been made by Brachiosauruses walking on a lagoon’s beach.

Brachiosauruses were enormous plant eating dinosaurs that could grow to 30m long. They lived 145 million years ago at a time when Dorset was a tropical area covered in swamps, lagoons and forests.

 

The footprints are enormous!

We think we spotted baby dinosaur footprints too.  

 

 

 

 

Dancing Ledge and the Cliffs

From the Spyway car park you can also walk towards the sea and cliffs and then either walk down the coastal paths or just enjoy the beautiful views.

I understand you can also see Dancing Ledge, which is an area of cliff that has been quarried into a flat ledge and has a rock pool that was created for local school children. 

 

 

Scratched Arse Ware?

Sadly, we didn’t have time to explore the rest of Spyway and discover what Scratched Arse Ware is or see Dancing Ledge but I will update this post after our next visit.

 

 

 

Instead we drove for 20 minutes to Dorchester to see the Dinosaur Museum.

 

 

 

 

The Paths

When we visited, the paths ranged from smooth to muddy and bumpy. I used an all terrain buggy and think you might struggle with a normal buggy. 

Nearest Town: Swanage
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH19 3HG

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: I used an all terrain buggy without any problems, although I could not push it over the muddy fields. I think some of the paths might be too bumpy for a normal buggy.

Parking: There is medium sized car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Seabirds like puffins, shags, guillemots and sea gulls, cows and insects.

Information Written: February 2020

 

 

Butser Hill

The trail leads you around the top of Butser Hill National Nature Reserve, which is one of the highest points in Hampshire with beautiful views towards the Isle of Wight and the South Downs. It is also an ideal spot for kite flying.

 

 

Reaching the Top

You can either walk up the hill from Queen Elizabeth Country Park or drive up from the A3. We considered walking but the Visitor’s Centre staff advised against taking a buggy.

 

 

The Paths

It only took us fifteen minutes to walk to the top at a slow pace. We did not find the hill steep to climb and my toddler walked with me.

The hill is covered in rough, clumpy grass but there were paths mown through it.

 

Queen Elizabeth Country Park

From Butser Hill you can easily reach Queen Elizabeth Country Park by car, where there is a cafe, play areas for a range of ages, orienteering trails and picnic areas.

They also host family friendly events, which are listed on the Queen Elizabeth Country Park website.

 

Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails

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

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and is divided into numbered story sections that you read out as you reach number markers along the trail.

 

 

Find a 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 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: Horndean
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU32 1QR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: We used an all terrain buggy without any problems.

Parking: Near the top of Butser Hill is a pay and display car park with lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour

Wildlife You Might See: Sheep, butterflies and birds, maybe even a dragon if you are lucky!

Information Written: June 2017

 

Normandy Common

Normandy Common is a wooded area with an orchid meadow, pond, orchard, woods, various sports areas, and a small adventure play area.

 

 

 

There is a map in each of the car parks that shows you where everything is. The three main areas we visit are below but there are other little areas you can discover for yourself!

 

 

 

The Stream and Pond

The stream flows through the play area next to the car park on the main road. It can flow quite quickly in wet weather and sometimes there are ducks on it.

 

 

 

The pond is in the woods at the end of the stream on the other side of the road. 

 

 

 

 

To find the pond, cross Hunts Hill Road (the road the car parks are on). There is a footpath and bridge immediately on your left, which takes you into the woods and then onto Normandy Pond. 

 

 

 

The Wispy Woods

We call the wooded area between the cricket pitch and the orchard the Wispy Woods because some of its enormous and feathery fir trees.

It’s a smallish patch of mature woodland with a wild feel. I find it an ideal place to let the children run around and explore. 

 

 

The Secret Orchard

This is a Traditional Orchard, a conservation area that is being preserved as a habitat for plants and animals. It is planted in grassland and managed in an organic way.

The boards say, “All wildlife and visitors can enjoy a variety of true and traditional fruit flavours.”

 

We visited in September and found pear, apple, plum, and cherry trees.

We also saw a mulberry bush, which I knew from the nursery rhyme but had never actually seen. 

 

 

 

Finding the Woods and Orchard

Leave the play area and walk over the football pitch towards the red bin. Walk over the bridge and onto the cricket ground until you reach the cricket building.

 

 

 

Walk across the car park to the woods and take the footpath marked as a Permissive Horse Ride.

 

 

 

 

Follow this path until you come to the entrance to the Wispy Woods on the left.

 

 

 

 

To reach the orchard, keep following this path beyond the woods, ignoring any side paths.

There is a large bend to the right and then a smaller bend to the left and the orchard is up a slight hill and on the right. It is about a five minute walk from the Wispy Woods.

 

The orchard and woods are clearly marked on the car park maps. If it is your first visit, then consider taking a photo of the map with you. 

 

The Adventure Play Area

Large trees surround Normandy Common Play Area, making it a shady, peaceful place to play. The equipment includes:

• a slide
• various climbing frames
• swings
• toddler swings
• a swinging basket
• a seesaw
• a ground level trampoline
• a zip wire
• scramble nets
• a climbing wall and balance beams that together make an obstacle course.

 

Sports Facilities

There are also plenty of places to play sports:

• a table tennis table (bring your own bats!)
• a street snooker wall and court (a cross between football and snooker)
• tennis courts
• a football pitch
• a cricket ground.

Nearest Town: Normandy, Near Guildford and Aldershot
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU3 2DB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic.
Facilities: None but there some picnic tables.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Generally buggy friendly but some of the paths can be narrow.

Parking: There are two play area car parks on Hunts Hill Road. The first is on the corner with the main road (GU3 2DB). The other is further down Hunts Hill Road (GU3 2DB).
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies, insects, slow worms, snakes, lizards, stag beetles, glow worms, newts, frogs, kingfishers and dragonflies.

Information Written: July 2016
Information Checked: January 2024

 

Ashdown Forest

The atmospheric Ashdown Forest inspired A.A. Milne to write about the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin and friends.

 

 

 

Pooh Bridge

No visit to Ashdown Forest is complete without a visit to picture perfect Pooh Bridge, where Pooh invented the game of Poohsticks. 

 

 

 

Be sure to pick up some Poohsticks on your walk to the bridge – they can be hard to find, probably because they are all in the stream! 

 

 

 

The Walk

We walk to the bridge from Pooh Bridge car park, which has a little cafe.

The paths are generally flat and buggy friendly, with a gentle hill leading away from the car park. 

 

 

The Houses

Following the path to Pooh Bridge leads you past a little balancing course and down a hill.  

 

 

 

 

If you leave the path and head into the woods on the right you can find Eeyore’s gloomy house

 

 

 

 

Piglet’s tiny house

 

 

 

 

 

and Owl’s high up house. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bridge

The bridge jumps straight out of the pages of Milne’s stories, having been rebuilt in 1979 to match Shepard’s illustrations. 

 

 

 

 

Pooh’s House 

Winnie-the-Pooh’s house is in a tree stump very near to Pooh Bridge.  

To find it, walk to the bridge from Pooh Bridge car park, cross the stream and walk a little way up the lane.  

 

 

 

When you get there, don’t forget to knock and “Rnig Also” to see if anyone is home!

 

 

 

 

Other Story Locations

Ashdown Forest is home to other locations from the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, including Roo’s Sandy Pit, the Enchanted Place, Eeyore’s Gloomy Place and the Heffalump Trap.  

 

 

 

It also has a memorial plaque to A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard.

For full details, please see my post about how to create your own Winnie-the-pooh Expotition. 

 

 

Pooh Corner Tea Rooms and Pooh’seum

A short drive away from Pooh Bridge is the village of Hartfield and Pooh Corner, a tea room and museum dedicated to all things Winnie-the-Pooh.

 

 

 

The Pooh Corner staff are lovely and happy to give advice on places to visit in Ashdown Forest with maps.

 

Nearest Town: Hartfield, Ashdown Forest
County: East Sussex
Nearest Postcode: TN7 4EX 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free 

Where to Eat: Eat at Pooh Corner Tea Rooms or bring a picnic and eat in Ashdown Forest.
Facilities: None but there is a cafe offering snacks and ice cream at the Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX). 

How Long We Spent There: Full day
Buggies: You can take an all terrain buggy to Pooh Bridge.  The ground is uneven around Gills Lap. 

Parking: You can park at Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX). 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Cattle, deer, ponies, birds, butterflies, other insects, snakes and mammals.

Information Written: September 2022

 

Ashford Hangers

The Ashford Hangers is a National Nature Reserve with invigoratingly steep hillsides covered in clinging trees

 

 

 

 

and breathtaking views extending across Hampshire and Sussex.

 

 

 

 

 

Shoulder of Mutton Hill

This is the view from the top of Shoulder of Mutton Hill and it is every bit as spectacular as people say. 

 

 

 

 

The stone you can see is a memorial to the poet Edward Thomas, who lived in this area from 1906 to 1916. 

 

 

 

 

Where to Next?

From Shoulder of Mutton Hill you can continue on to Cobbett’s View on Wheatham Hill

 

 

 

 

or back down to Lutcombe Pond and Ashford Stream.

 

 

 

 

Finding Shoulder of Mutton Hill

There are different ways to reach Shoulder of Mutton Hill and the top of the Ashford Hangers but these are the three routes I use, all of which involve climbs:

 

From Lutcombe Pond:

From the car park at GU32 1AB, follow the path that runs along Ashford Stream, keeping Lutcombe Pond on your right.

Keep walking straight up the hill and when you are nearly at the top,  you come to these steps.

 

Follow this path all the way to Shoulder of Mutton Hill.

 

 

 

 

From Lutcombe Pond Using the Little Bridge:

From the car park at GU32 1AB, follow the path that runs along Ashford Stream, but this time cross the little bridge and keep Lutcombe Pond on your left.

 

 

Follow the path to the right and you come to these steps, which are at the foot of Shoulder of Mutton Hill.

 

 

 

A short but very steep climb will take you all the way to the top.

 

 

 

 

From Ashford Farm:

From the car park at GU32 1AB, 

 

 

 

 

follow the path as it leads up the hangers.  

 

 

 

 

After a climb and some twists and turns, you will find yourself at these stairs and Wheatham Hill.

Continue on this fairly flat path and Shoulder of Mutton hill is a little further on and on the left. 

Nearest Town: Steep, Near Petersfield
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU32 1AA or GU32 1AB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

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

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: The first path from the car park to the pond is buggy friendly but the paths quickly become steep and uneven afterwards. 

Parking: There is a small space for a few cars to park off the road (GU32 1AB) on Ashford Lane. There is also an area where cars park to the side of Ashford Farm (GU32 1AA). 
Cost of Parking: Free

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

Information Written: January 2024

 

The equipment includes:

• toddler swings (with short ropes)
• a very small slide for young children with musical chimes and cogs
• a larger slide and multiplay with bridges and an abacus
• two deer springers
• a seesaw
• a basket swing
• a roundabout
• a zip wire
• a picnic table
• seats for adults.

 

 

Note that the larger slide is best suited to older children – it does not have easy to climb stairs and has a high, wobbly bridge.

 

Nearest Town: Thursley
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU8 6QD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Picnic tables.

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

Parking: There is a car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects and birds.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: October 2024

 

Selbourne Common

Selbourne Common is covered in towering trees, wildflower meadows and a hidden pond.

 

 

 

 

As you walk around, an occasional gap in the trees reveals a beautiful view across the Hampshire Downs, as if to remind you how high up you are.

 

 

 

The Common was peaceful and relaxing. The silence was only broken by the rustling of leaves as squirrels and birds foraged.

 

 

 

 

The Zig-Zag Path

This path was cut by the naturalist Gilbert White and his brother in 1753 to make accessing Selbourne Common easier.

 

 

 

 

You can just about make out the lines of the path in the middle of this photo as they zig-zag their way up the hill.

 

 

 

 

 

The Selbourne Hanger

The Zig-Zag path is on the steepest side of the hill, called the Selbourne Hanger. It is covered in precariously balanced trees.

 

 

 

 

 

The ascent is fairly gradual and not a challenging climb. We climbed for about ten minutes, at an adult’s pace, before reaching the top.

This could be a tricky climb for a child.

 

 

 

 

The Views

The path seems never-ending but the higher you climb, the more rewarding the view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time you reach the top, the views are breathtaking and the well placed bench is the perfect place to relax and enjoy them.

 

 

 

 

 

Go Wild

There are plenty of plants and animals for children to discover – stag beetles, butterflies, dragonflies and other insects as well as birds, orchids and fungi.

 

Nearest Town: Selbourne
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU34 3JR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Either bring a picnic and blanket or alternatively, check out the Selbourne Arms, which is next to the car park. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: We did not bring a buggy with us and were glad we hadn’t – the Zig-Zag path is steep and narrow with frequent steps.

Parking: There is a car park behind the Selbourne Arms pub. From this car park, follow the ‘Footpath to Selbourne Common’ signs, which lead you down a shady footpath to the start of the Zig-Zag path.
Cost of Parking: Free

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

Information Written: June 2017