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Itchen Valley Country Park
Lakeside
Country Park
Avenue
Park
Hiltingbury Lakes
Telegraph
Woods
Hocombe Mead -
Local Nature Reserve
Ramalley
Copse
Boyatt
Wood
West End
Copse
Hound
Ecology Park
Lionheart
Way
General Information
Eastleigh Countryside Service, as part of Eastleigh Borough
Council, owns and manages over 800 acres of countryside. We have
more than 30 sites, ranging from the largest Itchen Valley Country
Park at 440 acres to the smallest Lionheart Way at less than 2
acres.
For more information about our sites and the work of the
Countryside Service, please contact us on tel: 023 8046 6091 or
e-mail: ivcp@eastleigh.gov.uk
Doggy stuff
To make everyone's visit to the sites as enjoyable as possible,
we would be grateful if dog owners could abide by a couple of
simple rules:
Please pick up after your dog - dog bins have been installed at
many of our sites to help you.
Please keep your dog under close control many sites have sensitive
wildlife or animals grazing, and not all other visitors are fond of
dogs (especially muddy ones!).
Please also be aware of the signs around our sites showing where
dogs should be on lead and where they may be off lead but under
control.
The Sites:
Itchen Valley Country Park
Size: 182 hectares
Parking: On site - car-parking charges apply.
Site features: Situated in the Itchen Valley either side of the
River Itchen, the Park has a variety of habitats including water
meadows, coniferous and semi-natural ancient woodland, hedgerows
and hay meadows. Over 100 species of bird have been recorded on The
Itchen Valley Nature Reserve. Remnants of the floated water meadow
system can still be seen, and some features, such as ditches and
brick bridges have been restored to working order. The Woodland
Nature Reserve consists of semi-natural ancient woodland, which is
still managed using the traditional method of coppicing.
Visitor facilities: Visitor Centre with displays, shop and café. 2
children's play areas and a play trail with animal sculptures.
Various way marked trails, with Forest Trail suitable for
pushchairs and wheelchairs (electric buggy available from Visitor
Centre). Cycle route and licensed bridle route. Picnic sites and
two barbecue sites. Events programme and various children's
activities throughout the year.
Contact: The Information Assistant
Tel: 023 8046 6091
Email: ivcp@eastleigh.gov.uk
Lakeside Country Park
Size: 24 hectares
Parking: free visitor parking for up to 4 hours on
site
Site features: Formerly a sand and gravel extraction site, the
area has been restored and landscaped to form three interconnecting
lakes surrounded by woodland and meadows.
Visitor facilities: footpaths around the lakes and plenty of picnic
benches. The lakes are available for water activities including
canoeing, windsurfing, dinghy sailing and model boating. Changing
facilities and showers are provided for watersports users.
Day fishing permits are available from Home Stores Tackle on 023
8055 1974. There are fishing platforms around the lakes suitable
for use by disabled anglers.
Eastleigh Lakeside
Railway operates on weekends and throughout school holidays.
There is a cafe for snacks and beverages. For further information
on special events and opening times, please contact the railway on
023 8061 2020.
Contact: Jenna Dewhurst
Tel: 023 8061 7882
email: jenna.dewhurst@eastleigh.gov.uk
Avenue Park
Size: 5.4 hectares
Parking: Doncaster Sports Pavilion Car Park, off Chestnut
Avenue
Avenue Park was once part of North Stoneham Park, owned by the
Fleming family. At its prime, the park would have been over 400
acres in extent. In 1775, Sir John Fleming engaged the services of
the famous landscape architect, Lancelot "Capability" Brown to
redesign the park.
There are a number of events as part of the Shrine restoration and
information can be found here.
Much of the parkland remains intact, and is now a haven for
wildlife with its rich flower meadows, large old trees and water
features. If you are lucky, you may see kingfishers and kestrels
along with numerous other birds.
Contact: Jenna Dewhurst
Tel: 023 8061 7882
email: jenna.dewhurst@eastleigh.gov.uk
Hamble Common and Copse
Size: 31 hectares
Parking: Free parking at Hamble Point and School Lane Car
Parks
Much of the area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
because of its wide range of habitats including coastal heath,
woodland, saltmarsh and mudflats. Hamble Common is one of the few
remaining coastal heathland sites in Hampshire. Other features of
interest include a Second World War Bofors anti-aircraft gun and
remains of a Napoleonic gun battery, Tudor castle and Iron-age
settlements.
Visitor Facilities: Waymarked circular walk and information
panels.
Contact: Kevin Young
Tel: 023 8047 5085
Email: kevin.young@eastleigh.gov.uk
Hiltingbury Lakes
Size: 7 hectares
Parking: Lake Road or Lakewood Road
The predominant features of this site in Chandler's Ford are
water and woodland, with the lakes covering nearly 2 acres.
Interspersed with the pine woodlands are oak and hazel trees, which
are home to many common species of bird and mammal. Waterfowl
including mallard and moorhen nest on protected parts of the bank
and island.
Visitor facilities: Footpaths and information panels. Fishing by
annual permit.
For fishing enquiries and permits,
contact: Home Stores Tackle
Tel: 023 8055 1974
For site enquiries,
contact: David Payne
Tel: 023 8047 5086
Email: david.payne@eastleigh.gov.uk
Hocombe Mead
Size: 6.5 hectares
Parking: Please park considerately on local residential
streets
The Council declared Hocombe Mead Local Nature Reserve on 22
February 2008.
This wooded stream valley between Ashdown Road and Hocombe Road
is a site of varied habitat, including mixed woodland and ancient
meadows, with small areas of valley bog and remnants of heathland.
The woodland is at least 400 years old, figuring on old maps as far
back as 1588, when it was known as Eagles Copse. The site holds a
particularly wide range of butterfly.
Visitor Facilities: Extensive footpaths and information panels.
Contact: Dave Payne
Tel: 023 8047 5086
Email: david.payne@eastleigh.gov.uk
As part of the partnership with the Grasslands Trust, Hocombe
Mead now has a website giving information about volunteering,
events, history and much more.
Ramalley Copse
Size: 2.8 hectares
Parking: Ramalley Lane.
The name "Ram Alley" appears in maps and documents as far back
as the 16th Century. Cherries were harvested here during the 17th
19th centuries, and wild cherry trees can still be seen in the
copse. The ancient art of coppicing has probably been
practiced here since medieval times and still continues today,
producing a rich mosaic of different habitats. The sheltered glades
of the copse attract many butterflies, whilst birds nest amongst
the denser thickets.
Visitor facilities: Information panels and footpaths.
Contact: Jenna Dewhurst
Tel: 023 8061 7882
Email: jenna.dewhurst@eastleigh.gov.uk
West End
Copse
Size: 6.5 hectares
Parking: Local residential streets
This site features traditional coppice (predominantly hazel
coppice with oak standards), whilst willow and other scrub can be
found along the stream valley. The stream has been dammed at one
point to form a pond. Until 1994 the coppice had been severely
neglected and had become overgrown. Since this time, work has been
carried out by the Countryside Service to thin the coppice and
allow light into areas of the wood to encourage ground plants and
insects, including butterflies.
Contact: Dave Payne
Tel: 023 8047 5086
Email: david.payne@eastleigh.gov.uk
Hound Corner Ecology Park
Size: 1 hectare
Parking: in cemetery layby on Hound Road.
This park was developed with the help of local volunteers from what
was derelict land. The site contains an established wildflower
meadow, a pond which is home to smooth newts and a butterfly
garden. During the spring, migrating nightingales have been heard
singing from deep within the scrub along with the many common birds
which visit the site.
Contact: Jenna Dewhurst
Tel: 023 8061 7882
Email: jenna.dewhurst@eastleigh.gov.uk
Telegraph Woods
Size: 19 hectares
Parking: Lay-bys on Telegraph Road or Moorhill Road.
This beautiful area of woodland features Douglas firs and sweet
chestnut coppice as well as patches of heathland, a variety of
habitats and a rich diversity of plants and animals. Roe deer which
inhabit the wood can sometimes be seen feeding in the surrounding
fields. Near the Telegraph Road entrance to the wood, the remains
of an Armada beacon can still be seen, marked by a perfectly
circular bank. Further west is the site of an Iron Age Fort dating
back to 600BC. With its waymarked paths, picnic tables and
spectacular views, Telegraph Woods is a lovely place to spend
time.
Contact: Kevin Young
Tel: 023 8047 5085
Email: kevin.young@eastleigh.gov.uk
Lionheart Way
Size: 1 hectare
This
small woodland site features a pond, which is home to smooth newts,
and a short circular walk.
Contact: Bursledon Parish Council
Tel: 023 8040 7535
Email: clerk@bursledon.org
Boyatt Wood
Size: 13 hectares
Parking: Residential streets off Woodside Avenue
Boyatt Wood today is a small remnant of the once much larger wood
shown on old maps. The wood harbours wildflowers such as bluebells,
wood anemones and violets. The main footpath through the wood is
also a high voltage cable route maintained by the National Grid.
This means that tree growth below the cables has to be controlled
for safety reasons, but on sunny summer days this grassy ride
attracts many types of butterfly such as peacock, red admiral and
common blue.
Contact: Jenna Dewhurst
Tel: 023 8061 7882
Email: jenna.dewhurst@eastleigh.gov.uk
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