Walk TP01 (contd. from previous page) Riverside - At the junction of River Walk and Broadwater Roads, go straight ahead, around the Orchard Loop railings for the most direct route back to the community centre. Alternatively you can retrace your steps along Broadwater Road. Continue up Forest Hills Drive/Meggeson Avenue and after passing the other end of Broadwater Road on your left, turn left into A circular walk from Community Centre, to Riverside Park and Hillgrove Road. Continue uphill and just before Cutbush hidden Pond take the path on Mansbridge, then through the community orchard and over the right. and back to Townhill Park via Woodmill. Continue ahead on this path as it bears slightly left and then right. When you emerge onto Meggeson Avenue, turn left and continue uphill for another 200m to return to Start/finish: Townhill Park Community Suitable for all, mostly on pavements the community centre. Centre, Meggeson Avenue, SO18 2FH or gravel paths. Reasonable hill on Walk distance: 2.75 miles (4.4km) return. Refreshments: Woodmill Activity Centre No public toilets on route but or shops on Meggeson Avenue customer toilets available at Woodmill On bus routes 7 (First), U9 (Unilink) and This walk uses parts of the HIOW 16 (Bluestar) from Woodmill Lane/ Wildlife Trust Bargeman’s Way and Forest Hill Drive junction The Itchen Way.

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2 Looking across to Mansbridge Community Orchard. Photo © Jo Proctor

Inside photos: Cutbush Hidden Pond, Chase About Play Area, St Mary’s Church, 1 Greylag Goose on the River Itchen © Jo Proctor 2016

This walk leaflet is produced by SO18 Big Local. Big Local is run by Local Trust and partners, Toilet & refreshment stop (Woodmill Activity centre) (5) and funded by Big Lottery Fund. For more information, find us on Facebook or visit www.so18biglocal.org.uk Map of route produced using Leafletjs.com Mapping tiles courtesy of © OpenStreetMap.org 1. From Townhill Park Community Centre take the small access road to the left of path on your left, before the houses and flats. Over to the centre, walking away from Meggeson Avenue. Turn left and follow the road your left is Mansbridge Community Orchard, a local downhill, with new build houses on your left and more established housing on your project to look after and harvest the many fruit trees right. Look out for bat boxes and solar panels on the new build houses. on the site. Continue ahead until the Chase About Continue ahead as the path enters the trees and children’s play area where you can stop and explore, becomes a gravel track. Pass a house on your right and meet the adventurers who have headed across hand side and continue straight ahead past Cutbush the common. Hidden Pond on your left. The walk then re-joins a road and you pass Wilmington Close on your right. 4. To continue the walk continue straight ahead on the same path , with the play Cross to the right hand footpath and follow the road area on your left and then houses and a fence on your right and trees and shrubs on to re-join Meggeson Avenue. your left . You will pass two paths off to your left. If you are feeling adventurous you can take the first of these paths and it will emerge at the second. You then cross the 2. At this junction turn right and follow Meggeson Avenue for 10m or so, then take Monks Brook and continue straight ahead for another 50/60m. the next right into Broadwater Road. If you want to visit the shops to pick up some You emerge onto St Marys Church Close, with the church to the left supplies for your walk you will need to cross Meggeson Avenue to the newsagents and Wessex Lane to your right. If you would like to explore the just down the hill. If you don’t need supplies continue along Broadwater Road as it church then turn left, otherwise turn right to Wessex Lane. At curves to the left, passing Beverley Heights, Maryland Close, St Helena Gardens and Wessex Lane turn left and then left again when you reach Moat Hill on your right. Woodmill Lane. You will need to cross Woodmill Lane here, do so The next turning on the right is River Walk and you take this road down to the with care and continue on the footpath on the opposite side of the entrance to Riverside Park. Walk around the metal barrier and continue straight road to cross the river and pass the Activities Centre on your right. ahead , with the old pitch and putt golf course and a fence on your left, open space You can stop here for a drink and a rest. to your right and the Canal ahead. This section of the walk is part of the National Cycle Network Route 23. Woodmill was last rebuilt in 1820, after the previous structure burned down. Its function as a working mill ended in around 1930 and it is now home to the Itchen Navigation Canal was the most efficient way to transport coal, timber and Woodmill Activities Centre, who offer a wide range of activities for adults and wool between and . Wooden barges up to 20m long were young people including: Paddlesport, Low and High Ropes, Bushcraft, Orienteering, used on this route, before the railway arrived. Climbing, Zipwire, Trapeze, Archery, Tunnelling, Bridge Making, Rafting, Shelter Building, Challenge Course and Environmental Studies all year round.

3. When you reach the canal turn right and follow the river upstream to the old stone bridge on your left at Mansbridge. Turn left and cross over the 5. On leaving the Activities Centre, continue straight ahead for a bridge (perhaps stop for a game of pooh sticks) and follow the paved path short distance and then cross the main road on your left to re- between the A27 on your right and trees and shrubs on your left. join the Itchen Navigation Canal, now on your left. Continue along If you are feeling adventurous take the first path on your left through the bushes the riverside path, past the golf course on your left and turn right and out onto the area of open space, heading towards the play area in the far to retrace your steps from earlier in the walk. corner. If you want to stay on the pavement, continue ahead and take the paved