Winchester
Children will enjoy spotting wildlife from the boardwalks and a park with a play area on this walk.
A platform overlooking the pond in the nature reserve
The Basics
Time: 40 minutes
Distance: 2.6 km / 1.6 miles
Terrain: Flat compacted pathways and boardwalks.
Pushchair: This route is pushchair friendly.
Dogs: Dogs are not allowed in the nature reserve.
Refreshments: The Willow Tree pub with riverside garden is at the start of the walk or bring a picnic and sit by the river in North Walls playing fields.
Toilets: There are public toilets just beyond the play area in North Walls playing fields.
Public Transport: Winchester train station is 3/4 mile walk away and the bus station is 1/2 mile walk away.
Parking: Durngate pay and display (or Ringo) car park, £0.80 1hour, £1.50 2hours, £2.20 3hours, £2.90 4hours, £7.30 over 4hours, £2 all day on Sundays and free on bank holidays (Postcode: SO23 8DW - W3W: ///crossword.second.approvals)
Boardwalks through the nature reserve
Just a stone’s throw from the heart of Winchester is this wetland nature reserve, known as the gateway to The River Itchen. The all access pathways take you over reedbeds, past ponds and sections of the river before running parallel to North Walls Playing Field where you can stop off for a picnic and a play. The pub at the end of the walk has a garden surrounded on either side by two channels of the river.
The Route
Leave Durngate car park by heading back out towards the road. Turn left and walk along the pavement. In just a few metres, you will come to the point where the river gushes under the road and on your left, you will see the large wooden arch marking the entrance way to Winnal Moors.
Go under the arch and continue straight ahead to the gate. Pass through the gate and fork right at the first fork. After the first section of boardwalk comes to and end, you will pass close to the river on your right. Look out for the ‘secret garden’, as my children called it, where there is a carved bench beside a stream in a little clearing. Just after this, you will see a section of boardwalk going off to your left. Ignore this, and continue straight on with the river to your right.
When you come to the end of the reserve, you will need to bear left as the path curves around. Keep going until you begin to come back down the other side of the reserve with another channel of the river to your right. Go through the gate where there is a cut-out of a figure and continue straight until you see a bridge on your right.
The bridge will take you on an optional diversion into North Walls Recreation Ground. Turn immediately left and walk with the river to your left. Continue to the end of the park and just after the canoe club, veer right. You should then see the children’s play area to your left, over the stone bridge. There are also some nice spots around here to feed the ducks and have a picnic. Continue to veer right and double back on yourself along the tarmac path. When you reach the rugby pitches, veer right across the field and go over the bridge again back into the nature reserve and then turn right.
Walk with a channel of the river on either side of the path and at the edge of the reserve, veer left over the footbridge. Along this final section of path, you will have the option to take a brief diversion to the pond. Other than that, continue straight until you reach a bench, where you should fork right and retrace your steps out of the nature reserve. You will see The Willow Tree pub as you exit.
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Did you know?
As well as kingfishers and roe-dear, the nature reserve is home to otters. If you are very lucky, they could be seen feeding on the many fish or sheltering among tree roots and in the riverside scrub.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at Winchester Water Meadows, which is also close to the city centre and also follows paths around the Itchen.
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