11 – Havant to Bedhampton

Description

The Hills to Harbour Trail is a series of self-guided walking routes that link the stations along the railway line between Guildford and Portsmouth. You can walk between any pair of stations.

Walk 11 is 4.2 miles in length and takes you from Havant to Bedhampton railway station.

Immediately after leaving Havant Station, the route winds through Havant Park to the High Street where you will find plenty of shops, cafes, and pubs. Then quiet paths and lanes meander down to the waterfront at Langstone with its pubs overlooking the harbour. If you are interested in birds, keep your binoculars handy. You are never far from water as you pass through fields and woodlands on your way to Bedhampton Station.

(When tested in November 2024, a sea defence failure had resulted in a footpath closure. A diversion was advised.)

Start and End

Havant/Bedhampton

Distance

4.2 miles

Time

2 hours 15 mins

Grade

4/10 - Mostly flat. Some stiles and narrow paths.

Accessibility

Not push/wheelchair accessible

Route Map
Download GPX File

Upload the GPX file to your walking app

Walk Instructions

  1. Leave the station from the Southampton bound platform 2 and turn immediately right at the station exit to follow the path between the station and the taxi rank.
  2. Enter Havant Park and immediately turn left to follow the path between the tennis courts and the edge of the park.
  3. Cross the road at the light-controlled crossing and turn right (signed to Havant Bus Station.)
  4. At the corner of the shopping centre, turn left (Elm Lane).
  5. Continue forward past the bus station and then bear slightly right into an ally way between the buildings (Trafalgar Walk).
  6. At the end of the ally, turn left through the pedestrian precinct (West Street).
  7. Walk through the precinct for about 100 yards to pass the church on your right. Continue forwards at the crossroads into East Street.
  8. Turn first right along Town Hall Road.
  9. At the wiggle in the road, look out for and bear left along the narrow path with a low brick wall on either side.
  10. At the road, keep left along the path and cross the Shipwright’s Way/Hayling Billy Trail. Continue forward on the other side to cross the end of Lymbourn Road (unsigned) and then forward along the footpath.
  11. Keep forward along the footpath until you reach the road (Wade Court Road). Turn right.
  12. After passing under the busy dual carriageway, continue forward along the same road (now Wade Lane). You are now in more open countryside.
  13. After about a third of a mile you will reach Langstone Harbour. Turn right to follow the shore.
  14. After passing the mill pond on your right, turn left to keep following the shore past the Royal Oak pub.
  15. Just past the pub turn right away from the shore and along Langstone High Street.
  16. At the main road bear slightly right to cross the road. Continue right for a few paces and then take the surfaced path on your left.
  17. Cross the Shipwright’s Way/Hayling Billy Trail and continue forward for about 40 yards. Walk a short distance forward along Mill Lane then bear slightly right to continue along Mill Lane.
  18. After a while Mill Lane becomes a path. Pass the inlet on your left and cross the footbridge. Go through the metal kissing-gate.
    The official Solent Way path along the shore is to the left. When the route was walked in September 2025, this path was formally closed due to fallen sea defences (see photo). Notice of the closure can be found using the following the web link which includes a PDF of an advised diversion:
    https://www.hants.gov.uk/community/publicnotices/publicnoticedetails?id=16085
    To follow this diversion, turn right just after the metal kissing-gate. The diversion eventually returns to the shore to re-join the Solent Way.
    (The shore route was checked in September 2025 and found to be passable at low tide, but this would not be so at other states of the tide.)
  19. Pass through the small car park and continue along the shore.
  20. Keep to the path on top of the sea defences when nearing the headland and follow this round to the right beside the creek.
  21. Follow the path beside the creek for a further third of a mile to the road. Turn right for about 50 yards to the roundabout.
  22. Turn left at the roundabout crossing the road to continue forward over the bridge (Brockhampton Road).
  23. Continue down the slope on the other side of the bridge and turn left at the roundabout into Marples Way.
  24. Near the end of Marples Way turn left into Ridgway.
  25. Follow Ridgway round to the right and take the footpath on your right. (This path may be difficult to see until you are next to it.)
  26. Once on the path, immediately cross the stile on your left and follow the general direction of the powerlines diagonally across the field to another stile.
  27. Cross the stile and continue following the general direction of the powerlines towards the bridge visible on the far side of the field.
  28. Cross two stiles to find the path but do NOT cross the bridge. Instead turn right along the path.
  29. You can either meander through the open meadow to your left or continue forward along the concrete road (Meyrick Road).
  30. At the end of Meyrick Road turn left to Bedhampton Station

Safe Walking

Walking is a sociable activity so travel with someone else if you can. It’s also best for safety. Follow the usual walking guidelines about clothing, footwear, drinks, food, and first aid kit. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back

Refreshments

Many stations have opportunities nearby for refreshments when you arrive. The towns have cafes and pubs, and there are some along the route as well. They may have more restricted opening than those in London, particularly for serving food, so check websites for opening times when planning.

Reporting footpath issues

The Hills to Harbour Trail crosses three counties, all of which have good, on-line facilities for reporting rights of way issues. If you find something that needs fixing, please report it on the appropriate webpage.

Search for “report rights of way” followed by the county name.