Landford and Hamptworth

Explore the northern tip of the New Forest in Wiltshire among woodlands that were once Royal Forests.

This walk starts in the village of Landford and explores the northern tip of the New Forest in Wiltshire among woodlands that were once Royal Forests. The walk follows a wooded path to a river ford and through pretty woods and fields to Hamptworth Farm. The route then follows the edge of a golf course to Langley Wood and to the little hamlet of Hamptworth before returning back over the ford to Landford.

Be Forest Friendly: The New Forest is great for dogs but to minimise disturbance to wildlife, livestock and other people, please keep your dogs close by you and visible at all times - if necessary use a lead. Pick up after your dog, especially around car parks, on paths and where people play or picnic.

This Google Street View window allows you to look around a country lane near Hamptworth, where you turn right onto a grassy path at waypoint number three on the map above.

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Starting at the Southampton to Salisbury bus stop (opposite the Methodist church) turn left to follow a signed footpath uphill for a short detour to avoid the road. Follow the path behind Start / Finish houses to a small wood and then re-join the main road (waypoint 1). Lyndhurst Road (church hall) bus stop, Landford SP5 2AE, Grid Ref: 2. Re-join the track SU 255 195

Carefully cross the road to join a track straight ahead between two houses. Follow the track Distance uphill, past a byway sign, and along a wooded track with low banks either side. Go through a 4-5 miles wide metal gate and continue along the woodland corridor to a ford crossing. Look for a hidden path and small footbridge on your right for a detour around the ford to re-join the track Duration (waypoint 2). 2-3 hours 3. Turn right onto grassy path Surface Field and woodland paths, country At the grassy triangle turn left onto Lyburn road and past a Southern Water utility building. lanes. Where the road forks on a left bend, turn right and follow the road to a footpath sign for Hamptworth Farm. Turn right onto a grassy path and then follow a track through mixed oak and birch woods You might be lucky and catch a glimpse of deer (waypoint 3). Getting there... Wilts and Dorset route X7 bus - 4. Stile onto Hamptworth Road Salisbury to Southampton. Regular service.

Leave the woodland and follow along the field hedge on your right to a small metal gate. Go through the gate and then immediately over a stile onto Hamptworth Road (waypoint 4). Turn left and follow the road uphill past the picturesque thatched cottages at Hamptworth Farm and then downhill past the golf course. 5. Information panel

Turn right into Cole's Lane at the footpath sign and follow the lane downhill, keeping the golf course on your right and then crossing over the River Blackwater. Follow the tree-lined lane uphill to Langley National Nature Reserve. Ignore the first entrance and continue following the lane to your right to the next reserve entrance (gate 5) and information panel (waypoint 5). 6. Wooden barrier

Go through the wooden gate and follow the grassy track into the woodland reserve. At a wooden barrier (waypoint 6) bear right and follow a yellow footpath arrow downhill, passing huge beech trees and along a sunken tree-lined track to the edge of the golf course. Follow the reserve’s black waymarker posts with yellow dots along a narrow path through the wood by the golf course. Pass the reserve’s welcome sign and cross a stream via a footbridge and then walk uphill out of the wood. 7. Crossroads

Go straight ahead along a wide tree-lined track through the golf course to a crossroads (waypoint 7). Follow straight on and uphill along a wooded track and past farm buildings into North Common Farm. Please keep dogs on a lead through the farm. 8. Track junction

Continue ahead through the farmyard and turn right over a stile at a footpath sign by the farm entrance. Follow the field edge on your right and cross the next style immediately ahead, following along the field hedge on your left. At the track junction (waypoint 8) go through the wide gate on your right (yellow dot on post) and follow along the field edge and over a stile into woodland. 9. Yellow dot

Walk along the woodland track downhill past Landford Lodge, over the River Blackwater and uphill out into a field. Follow the path when it turns left and keep the hedge on your right. Turn right at a signed path junction and follow the hedge on your right to a large oak tree with a yellow dot (waypoint 9). Turn right through the hedge and head diagonally left across the field to a stile. Head straight across the next small field to a kissing gate and onto Hamptworth Road. To your right is the Cuckoo Inn. 10. Hamptworth Manor Farm

Cross the road to the green and walk along Lyburn Road, passing Hamptworth Manor Farm (waypoint 10). Lyburn Farm, part of the Hamptworth Estate, produces award-winning cheeses and is a member of the New Forest Marque local produce scheme. Turn left at the grassy triangle to the ford crossing and retrace your steps along the wooded path, across the road and then left along the footpath back to the bus stop.

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