Itchen Valley Country Park
Southampton
Children will enjoy the multiple play areas on this walk including a natural play trail, a mud kitchen, a woodland play area and even an indoor play space for toddlers.
The woodland play trail
The Basics
Time: 45 minutes
Distance: 2.7 km / 1.7 miles
Terrain: A mixture of well compacted gravel paths and firm woodland paths apart from in the nature reserve where paths are uneven and sometimes muddy.
Pushchair: The paths around the park are well suited to pushchairs apart from in the nature reserve, you would need to miss this out from your walk.
Dogs: Dogs should be on leads throughout the park apart from High Hill Field where they can run free. They are not allowed in the enclosed play areas.
Refreshments: Woodland Café overlooks one play area, as well as lots of picnic benches around the park.
Toilets: There are toilets in the park beside both the main play areas.
Public Transport: There is no public transport into the country park.
Parking: Large car park with number plate recognition -1 hr £2.20, 2 hr £3.50, 3 hr £4.40, 4hr + £5.20 (Postcode: SO30 3HQ - W3W: ///proof.storm.clocks)
A lesser-known play area hidden in the woodland
Itchen Valley Country Park comprises a range of habitats including meadows, woodland and water meadows. It makes a brilliant location for outdoor loving families with facilities such as a café, Go Ape, picnic field, barbecues for hire, small indoor play, multiple outdoor play areas and community use buildings.
The Route
There are various trails that you can do around the park. Our route has been chosen because it takes in all of the play equipment, as well as a more peaceful part of the park for a bit of contrast!
From the café, walk up the tarmac entrance road until you meet a zebra crossing. Turn right at the crossing, coming off the entrance road, and after a few metres, you will find the first feature on the play trail: some wooden tubes to crawl through. Turn left and walk along the compacted gravel path. In a few metres, you will find a slide and then slightly further on a some wooden poles, a woodpecker and some dragonflies.
After the dragonflies, you will see a car park ahead of you. Turn right and follow the compacted gravel path with the car park to your left. At the end of the car park, you will enter a meadow. Continue forward across the meadow and then at a gap in the hedge, proceed into the next meadow. Bear left with the path and climb to High Hill where there is a bench and a sort of totem pole.
Just after the bench, bear right off the main track onto the grass and follow the sign for the nature reserve (those with pushchairs will need to continue on the main path) . Just to the right of another bench, in the corner of the field, go through the tall metal gate into the nature reserve . The path will go straight initially before bending to the left. Follow the single grassy path through the woodland, an area of the park that gets few visitors. Continue until you reach a wooden bridge and soon after that, the gate out of the reserve.
Turn immediately right when you exit the nature reserve and walk through the conifer trees. The path will soon be bordered by rustic fencing and it will lead you to The Drey, a small woodland play area. Pass the play area to your right and continue along the path with partial rustic fencing either side. You will soon spot some of the apparatus from Go Ape and then an opening to your left will take you out into High Field.
Cross High Field to The Warren, a play area suitable for older children. High Field is full of picnic tables and it is a popular place for kids to run around and play games. Go through The Warren play area via a yellow gate and exit by the yellow gate on the opposite side, returning to the woodland.
Straight ahead of you, you will find a small assault course under the trees. Turn left and walk with Go Ape to your right (and above) and an axe throwing area to your left. As the Go Ape comes to and end, you will find an outdoor classroom area with wooden tree stumps surrounded by a brush fence. Pass this to your right and continue straight. The next play equipment you will find will be a wooden tractor and trailer, just after a little spider’s web. With the tractor to your right, continue along the path. You will pass a couple of climbing frames suitable for young children and then the Woodlarks mud kitchen area to your right. Continue straight to come to the cafe/toilets/picnic/barbecue area. You will also find an enclosed play area for under eights called The Den.
As a member, you gain instant access to our complete PDF library of over 200 walks. Members also benefit from special discounts we arrange at some of our favourite pit-stops.
Did you know?
The park has undergone a major£3.3 million transformation with a range of improvements including new community buildings, improved play areas, picnic and barbecue areas and a covered seating area alongside the café.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at River Hamble Country Park which also has a play area and café and can be easily accessed from the Southampton area.
We are passionate about keeping The Ambling Path as a free resource available to everyone, forever. If you have enjoyed using our walking guides, then please consider leaving us a donation. This will help to cover our costs as well as rewarding the considerable time and effort needed to maintain the site. Thank you.
Follow us on social media to see our new walks and get regular updates on our old ones:
