Titchfield Canal
Children will enjoy the path which runs parallel to the canal, with some steps into the water where they can paddle in summer. They can also spot birds in the nature reserve and finish with a play on Meon Shore.
Hill Head Beach
The Basics
Time: 1 hour each way for the whole canal from Titchfield to Meon Shore.
Distance: The path is about 3.4 km / 2.1 miles in each direction.
Terrain: Flat, very muddy in winter, although recent path improvements should have improved this. The northern section is better surfaced than the southern.
Pushchairs: Starting in Titchfield, you could walk about a half of the path in a southernly direction before the path becomes too uneven and narrow. This would get you past the paddling spot, but not to the beach.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome and there are steps where dogs can swim.
Refreshments: Coffee Commotion, a mobile barista can be found on Meon Shore beside the start/finish point - check their Facebook page for opening times. In Titchfield, Titchfield Mill pub has a canal-side garden and cosy fireside interiors.
Toilets: There are public toilets at Meon Shore.
Public Transport: To arrive by bus, you are better off starting in Titchfield and using the bus stop at The Bowling Green served by Bluestar buses lines 611 and 620 from Stubbington to Eastleigh.
Parking at Meon Shore: Pay and Display parking running along the entire shore (Postcode: PO14 4HL - W3W: ///clever.pool.clays) . Aim to park as close to the chalets at the western end of the shore as possible. Parking can be very busy on summer weekends.
Parking at Titchfield: A small, free car park off Bridge Street at the start of the canal (Postcode: PO14 4EA - W3W: ///confident.avoid.irony)
There is a spot along the canal where children can paddle
This walk is an utter delight as you will find yourself with views across Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve on one side and Titchfield Canal on the other. It is almost entirely flat and can be started in either the historic village of Titchfield or from Meon Shore.
The Route
This walk can be extremely muddy in winter. You will need wellies if the weather has been wet, however recent reinforcements to the path may well have improved this situation.
You can do this linear walk in either direction, but our recommendation is to start at Titchfield as the parking is free and the beach becomes the half way reward.
To start in Titchfield:
Exit the car park and then use the gate to access the canal path. The walk is very simple from then on, just stick with the path in the same direction all the way to the coast. You will have plenty of opportunities to see into Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve to your left and the canal will be to your right. Pushchairs should make it about halfway.
Bear left after the exit gate to avoid walking by the road. Cross the road at the end and access the beach on the other side. Meon Shore is a windy beach that is great for wind surfing etc, but not so good for sand castles and bathing. If you want a more sheltered beach for this, you could continue along the promenade to Hill Head Beach with its beach huts.
To start at Meon Shore:
Stand at the toilet block at the very western end of the shore, just before the chalets where the road bends up to Titchfield. Have your back to the sea, facing the nature reserve and look for the footpath on the opposite side of the road that dips down the bank and then heads off to your left.
Follow the path with the reeds of the nature reserve to your right. The road will be parallel off to your left to begin with, but this will soon be replaced by the water of the canal.
The path will run parallel to the canal all the way to Titchfield and as long as the canal is to your left, you are on the right path! Walking all the way to Titchfield will take about an hour with children in one direction, so if you have children you can turn back at any point depending on their stamina.
The nature reserve will be in view for most of the way to your right, and you will be able to spot a wide variety of bird life.
As you approach Titchfield the surface of the path improves and dries out. Just before this there is a nice area with a bench, a brick bridge and some wooden access steps down into the canal where dogs, and children in wellies, could paddle in the summer when the water is lower.
Did you know?
It is unlikely that Titchfield Canal was constructed for navigational purposes and evidence suggests its main use was in providing irrigation to a water meadow system.
If you liked this walk…
…try this one at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve which takes you inside the reserve.
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