Walk of the Week: Christchurch Harbour with The Ramblers

The 7.1 miles include 0.32 miles on the Mudeford Ferry and if the Wick Ferry is used that will reduce it by 0.99 miles. It will take about 4 hours and the ferry is half an hour into the walk. 

The walk starts at Stanpit Marsh Car Park on the east side of the harbour (0 miles).   Leave the car park onto Stanpit and turn right. Pass Totton’s Well (0.06 miles). Just after No 138 turn right to join a harbour side path with Stanpit Marsh on the other side of the creek (0.17). Continue between houses and the waterside until reaching a prominent footpath sign on the left directing you away from the shore just before a boat yard (0.39). The path goes right, left, right and then left to become a wider track near The Watch House (0.42). The track then turns left and then right onto Coastguard Way (0.48) which leads onto a road called Mudeford with a cricket ground opposite. Turn right. (0.54).

(Image: Richard Kenchington) After passing the Nelson Tavern and the Harbour Hotel and just after 107, turn right down a minor road (no entry signs) (1.04). Leave the road to follow the harbour side path on the right. Rejoin the road again (1.25) to pass a dingy park, then go left across a car park to join a seaside path and turn right (1.29). On reaching the ferry (1.39), take it to cross the mouth of the harbour to a pier on the sandy spit on the other side (1.71). On leaving the pier go straight across onto the beach and go right. Follow the shore with views to the Needles across Christchurch Bay. Head for the last of the beach huts (2.13). Take the steps up onto Hengistbury Head. Near the top, bear left to a view point looking back (2.21).

Follow the tarmac path that goes along the headland. Pass Quarry Pond in a dip (2.60). Fork left onto another path (2.63) and climb steadily to the Coastwatch Station (2.80). The path then descends steeply off the headland. Where it divides, go left (3.00) keeping the sea to the left. The path passes to the left of the long Double Dykes earthwork (3.27) then turn right to keep to the path next to it. There is a café here. Continue crossing a roadway, go through a pair of gates onto an access road (3.47) and go straight on.

On reaching three gates, take the kissing gate in the middle (3.53). Keep to the gravel path. At a junction with another gravel path (4.04) continue straight on onto a boardwalk leading to another gravel path (views of Christchurch Priory). This leads into a field (4.20), continue following the field boundary on the right. Near the far right corner of the field turn right onto another gravel path. Go through a pedestrian gate and a little later another to emerge on the banks of the River Stour (4.39). Keep to the riverside path. If the Wick Ferry is running you can shorten this walk by using it (4.51). Otherwise follow the riverside path to Tuckton Bridge (4.94) and cross it.

(Image: Richard Kenchington) Turn right down Willow Drive and then right down Willow Way (5.10). Follow it until reaching a T-junction (5.41) and then turn right. Go anti-clockwise around the Captains Club Hotel to reach the other side of the ferry (5.50). Now follow the Stour downstream. After passing a bandstand and a shelter (5.79) go straight on along a cobbled road, away from the river. After passing Place Mill go right over a bridge and then left to follow the stream feeding the Mill along a path called Convent Walk. On reaching Castle Street (6.10) turn right over a bridge over one channel of the River Avon. Before the next bridge cross over to the left side of the road cross the second course of the Avon and then cross the road again to a car park (6.27).

Pass to the right of the toilets on a path and pass to the right of offices to reach another car park (6.37). Leave it in the far right corner and turn left on reaching a gate. Where there is a kissing gate to the right go left through a pedestrian gate (6.53) and then another. Join a gravel path and go right (6.56). The gravel path ends after going through a gate next to a field gate onto a tarmac cycleway (6.82). Turn right along it for a short distance taking the second gravel path on the right which leads into a wide area of open space. Cross it, keeping parallel with the cycle track (without rejoining it) heading for the nearest white houses ahead. The pine trees by the car park come into view and the end is reached after 7.10 miles.

Written by Richard Kenchington, Hampshire Area Walking Environment Officer of the Ramblers, especially for the Daily Echo.

(Image: Richard Kenchington)