Zebon Copse & Calthorpe Park
Fleet & Church Crookham
Children will enjoy the Fort at Calthorpe Park, the trim trail play area at Zebon Copse, the boardwalks over the mire and walking or cycling beside the canal.
The Basingstoke Canal connects two fantastic parks; Calthorpe Park in Fleet and Zebon Recreation Ground in Church Crookham.
The Basics
Time: It takes 40 minutes each way to walk between the parks, plus 20 minutes if you walk around Zebon Copse.
Distance: It is 2.7 km / 1.7 miles each way to walk between the parks, plus 1.2 km / less than a mile to walk around Zebon Copse
Terrain: A busy road crossing, pavement and tow path. Boardwalks and woodland paths at Zebon Copse. All flat.
Pushchair: This route is pushchair friendly.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome at Calthorpe Park, Fleet and along the canal. The play areas at Zebon Recreation Ground, Church Crookham are enclosed with open space for dogs all around the edges.
Refreshments: Bean at the Park by Caleb’s Coffee beside the parking/tennis courts at Calthorpe Park sell drinks and light refreshments including bubble tea and waffles. They offer a 10% discount on hot drinks to Ambling Path Members. You will also pass The Fox and Hounds that backs directly onto the canal with a small children’s play area.
Toilets: We could not find public toilets at either park when the sports pavilions are closed.
Public Transport: The nearest bus stop to the entrance to Calthorpe Park is Campbell Close.
Parking: Free car park at The Zebon Centre, Church Crookham (Postcode: GU52 0ZE - W3W: ///recital.repeating.judges) or free parking for three hours at Calthorpe Park, Fleet (Postcode: GU51 4AB - W3W: ///knees.claw.ranking)
The fort at Calthorpe Park, Fleet
This linear walk or bike ride along the Basingstoke Canal connects two outstanding play areas. You can start at Calthorpe Park in Fleet with the exceptionally good Fort, complete with double zip-line, scramble net, hidden tunnels, mini-pump track, tunnel slide and separate toddlers area. It is then easy to walk or cycle down to the canal for a scenic route along the tow path to Church Crookham, where you will find another play area at Zebon Recreation Ground. This has a climbing wall, long trim trail and another separate toddler’s area. You can even add on a stroll around Zebon Copse with bluebells and a boardwalk over a mire with flowering bog plants. A café in the park and a canal-side pub complete the attractions!
The Route
To start at Calthorpe Park, Fleet and walk to Zebon Copse and Recreation Ground, Church Crookham:
Parking is beside the tennis courts/Bean at the Park café. The Fort and the rest of the play equipment is not easy to spot, which is why this park is so great! It is hidden in a pretty clearing at the far end of the park. Follow the path with the café to your right and the tennis courts to your left all the way to the far end. On your left, at the edge of the park, you should be able to make out the tunnel slide going down the bank, just beyond a basket swing. In the clearing, you will find the huge fort, one of the best free play areas we have ever been to, a separate toddlers area, mini pump track, picnic tables and double zip-line.
To get to the Basingstoke Canal and walk to Zebon Copse in Church Crookham, you will need to return to the parking area. Walk towards the wooden swan and picnic area on the shingle path, with the end of the tennis courts to your right. Follow the path past the swan and then a bin. Go around the barrier and continue on the path until you pass the football club.
Head out to the road and cross with care. Opposite, join Glen Road and after a few metres, look for the little cut through on your right where you can join the canal tow path. Walk or cycle with the water to your left. You will soon pass The Fox and Hounds with a garden and tables that back onto the canal, and which also has a small children’s play area.
You will pass under two road bridges and should continue until you get to the pedestrian swing bridge. Cross the swing bridge and follow the path through the trees to find Zebon Recreation Ground on your right. The toddler’s area is by the pavilion and the trim trail and climbing wall are across the grass, behind the hedge.
To start at Zebon Recreation Ground and Copse, Church Crookham and walk to Calpthorpe Park, Fleet:
Zebon Recreation Ground is beside The Zebon Centre where you parked. You will find young a children’s play area just behind the building. The older children’s play area is to your left if you were facing the football pitches and is sort of hidden by the hedge. It has a long wooden trim trail assault course and a large synthetic rock with climbing holds.
To walk to the canal and copse, exit the car park and walk back towards the Zebon housing estate. As you exit, you will immediately cross a path, called Water Lane, running from left to right. Turn left here and the path will take you down into Zebon Copse.
When you get to the canal, cross the swing bridge and turn right. Walk with the water to your right. You will pass under two road bridges and then the Fox and Hounds pub, which backs onto the canal. After the pub, look our for a house on your right with a barge on the water called Grace (obviously if the barge is being used, this way-mark does not work so well) soon after this, you will see a little cut through on your left that takes you out onto Glen Road. We suggest looking for Glen Road on Google Maps to help you recognise this cut through. If you reach Reading Road Wharf, you have gone too far!
Walk up Glen road a few metres, then cross Crookham Road and turn left. After a few metres, you will reach a sign for the football club, turn right towards the club and follow the path until a green barrier takes you into Calthorpe Park. Walk past the tennis courts and then turn left, passing Bean at the Park by Caleb’s Coffee (10% discount on hot drinks for Ambling Path Members) on your right. The Fort and the rest of the play equipment is not easy to spot, which is why this park is so great! It is hidden in a pretty clearing at the far end of the park. Follow the path with the café to your right and the tennis courts to your left all the way to the far end. On your left, at the edge of the park, you should be able to make out the tunnel slide going down the bank, just beyond a basket swing. In the clearing, you will find the huge fort, one of the best ‘free’ play areas we have ever been to, a separate toddlers area, mini pump track, picnic tables and double zip-line.
For a twenty minute walk around Zebon Copse and mire:
If you want to add an extra twenty minute, circular walk around the mire and woodland to this route, look out for a map of the walking route just before you reach the swing bridge near Zebon Recreation Ground. There are more maps scattered along the way and it is really easy to follow a simple circuit around the mire and copse using them. You will pass along boardwalks over the mire, where in summer bog plants flower. You will then go along paths through the copse, where you should spot some bluebells in spring. The guided route will take you back around to Water Lane.
As a member, you gain instant access to all 126 PDF files in our PDF library. You also get a digital membership card that allows you to benefit from special members-only discounts at some of our favourite pit-stops on the walks.
Zebon Copse Recreation Ground, Church Crookham:
Calthorpe Park, Fleet:
Walk or cycle the Basingstoke Canal:
Add an optional walk around Zebon Copse:
Did you know?
There is evidence of there having been woodland at Zebon since 1600. Many wildflower species found here, such as bluebells, are slow to colonise and are used as ‘ancient woodland indicators’. So if you are seeing lots of them, it proves they have been here for a long time.
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:
