Rowlands Castle and Stansted Forest
Children will enjoy the playground that can be added on to the start of this walk.
The view towards Stansted House
The Basics
Time: 1 hour 10 mins
Distance: 4.3 km / 2.7 miles
Terrain: Pavements, some stony and some grassy woodland paths, a couple of very steady inclines.
Pushchair: You may struggle to get a pushchair through the kissing gate to start this walk.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome in Stansted Park and they are allowed in the recreation ground, but the children’s play area is fenced off.
Refreshments: You will pass two pubs, The Robin Hood and The Castle , as well as The Bumblebee café.
Toilets: To the side of the pavilion building in the recreation ground.
Public Transport: Rowlands Castle is served by the London Waterloo to Portsmouth trainline.
Parking: To take advantage of the play equipment, we parked at the recreation ground off The Fairway for free (Postcode: PO9 6AQ - W3W: ///flamed.heartache.universal). If you are not planning on going to the playground, then parking can usually be found along the side of Finchdean Road just beyond the railway bridge, also free.
Rowland's Castle Recreation Ground
Rowland’s Castle has an excellent play area which we use as a starting point for this walk over the splendid village green, past pubs and a café and into Stansted Forest where long grassy rides edged by bluebells frame views of Stansted House.
The Route
Our walk begins at the recreation ground. Leave via the main entrance onto The Fairway. At the junction with the village hall, turn left and walk toward the village green. Cross the village green and walk under the the large railway bridge at the opposite end of the village centre. Walk along Finchdean Road and pass The Castle pub on your left. Continue along the pavement and look for a point in the stone wall on the opposite side of the road where there is a kissing gate.
Go through the gate and walk straight ahead into Stansted Forest. You will pass a stream and bridge on your left. Head towards a meeting of paths around a large central tree. Turn left on the stony path that will steadily climb into the forest. Ignore the path marked to the Old Lodges, and wait for the next obvious fork in the path with a post with a yellow arrow.
Fork left, sticking with the official footpath. The path will take you through trees and in the spring you should see bluebells. Remain with the same path until you reach a junction with a wide grassy path.
Turn right and follow the grassy ride as it takes you steadily back down hill. Look out for some carved benches to rest on. This path will come to an end when it hits an even wider grassy path at the bottom called The Avenue with long views to Stansted House.
Join The Avenue and turn right. At the end of the grass, the path enters the cover of the trees again and becomes stony once more. Follow the path downwards and you should soon recognise the large central tree from where you started. Retrace your steps from here to your car.
You could turn left at The Avenue and extend your walk to Stansted House where there is a tea-room, walled garden, miniature railway, maze and garden centre. This would take you about thirty minutes each way.
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Did you know?
Rowlands Castle did have a castle. It was built sometime in the 12th or 11th century and it is said Henry II used to stay to enjoy hunting in the area. Aside from the name of the parish and some small areas of wall, there is not much evidence of its existence left now.
If you liked this walk…
…try this one around Stansted Park where you can get up close to the house and its attractions.
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