Walking in Hampshire
Hampshire runs from the open heaths and woods of the New Forest to the chalk downs around Winchester, where the South Downs Way begins. In the east are Queen Elizabeth Country Park and the hangers around Petersfield and Alton, and on the coast Langstone and Emsworth look out over the harbours.
Difficulty is shown only where we have graded the route, so choosing a level hides walks not yet graded.
Walks with a mapped start point are plotted above; the rest appear when you search their town. Zoom, drag or click a pin to explore, or search a town to list its walks.
Choose a starting town
New Forest & Southampton
Winchester & the Meon Valley
Petersfield, Alton & the South Downs
Havant, Emsworth & Hayling
North Hampshire
Top walks by area
A starting point for each part of Hampshire: well-documented routes that finish back where they start, between 1 and 12 miles.
New Forest & Southampton
- Lymington via Normandy Lagoon Circular WalkLymington · 3.0 mi
- Exbury via Lepe Circular WalkExbury · 3.8 mi
- Wootton Bridge New ForestBrockenhurst · 5.0 mi
- Chilworth via Chantry WoodChilworth · 5.4 mi
- Southampton via Common and Golf CourseSouthampton · 5.5 mi
- Langley via Lepe Circular WalkLyndhurst · 6.2 mi
Winchester & the Meon Valley
- Winchester via St Catherines HillWinchester · 5.0 mi
- Winchester via Twyford and River ItchenChilcomb · 8.0 mi
- Hambledon Circular WalkHambledon · 5.7 mi
- Wickham Circular WalkWickham · 7.1 mi
- Meon Valley TrailExton · 7.2 mi
Petersfield, Alton & the South Downs
- Petersfield via Buriton via Shipwrights WayPetersfield · 5.3 mi
- Liss Riverside And West LissLiss · 1.9 mi
- QE via South Down Way and ChaltonWaterlooville · 8.4 mi
- QE Country Park via Head DownBuriton · 10.1 mi
- East Worldham via Stream ForestEast Worldham · 4.5 mi
- QE Country Park via War DownQueen Elizabeth Country Park · 4.8 mi
Havant, Emsworth & Hayling
- Emsworth via Thornham PointEmsworth · 4.2 mi
- Warblington ChurchHayling Island · 1.4 mi
- Langstone via Hayling IslandLangstone · 9.9 mi
- Havant via Hayling IslandHavant · 10.0 mi
North Hampshire
- Highclere via Crux EastonCrux Easton · 4.7 mi
- Odiham via Dogmersfield Basingstoke CanalOdiham · 9.1 mi
- Fleet via Aunt Pool HillFleet · 5.0 mi
- Whitchurch via LaverstokeWhitchurch · 5.2 mi
- Frogmore via Wokingham Way and Castle BottomFrogmore · 11.2 mi
Popular in Hampshire
Know before you go
Practical points for walking in Hampshire. Rules and timetables change, so check the linked sources before you set off.
New Forest National Park
The New Forest became a National Park in 2005. It is a former royal hunting forest more than 1,000 years old, and over 7,000 commoners’ animals graze its open heath and woodland.
Ponies and livestock
Every pony, donkey and cow on the Forest has an owner. Feeding or petting them is banned, with a £100 fixed penalty, so give them space and keep dogs close as you pass.
South Downs Way
The South Downs Way runs 100 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne along the chalk ridge of the South Downs National Park. It opened in 1972, and several of our Winchester, Exton and Buriton walks follow part of it.
Queen Elizabeth Country Park
About 1,400 acres of open-access woodland and downland three miles south of Petersfield, inside the South Downs National Park. Butser Hill, at 886 ft, is the highest point on the South Downs.
St Catherine's Hill
Just outside Winchester, this chalk downland reserve is topped by the earthworks of an Iron Age hill fort, with views over the city and the Itchen Valley. Dogs must be kept on a lead.
St Catherine's Hill (Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust)
Maps
The New Forest is on OS Explorer OL22, Petersfield and the western Weald on OL33 (Haslemere and Petersfield), and Winchester and the Meon Valley on Explorer 132.
Walking in Hampshire: questions
How many walks are there in Hampshire?
We list 94 walking routes in Hampshire, starting from 48 towns and villages. The typical route is about 7 miles; 11 are under 4 miles and 29 are 10 miles or more. Every route is free to view.
Which towns have the most walks?
Petersfield (9), Brockenhurst (7), Alton (6), Lymington (5), Emsworth (4) and Winchester (4). Use the town search or the town list on this page to see every walk from a particular place.
Are there short circular walks in Hampshire?
Yes. 11 routes under 4 miles finish where they start, including Emsworth Mill Pond Loop (1.2 mi), Warblington Church (1.4 mi), Liss Riverside And West Liss (1.9 mi) and QE Country Park Short Woodland Trail (1.9 mi). Choose Under 4 mi and Back to start in the filters above to see them all.
Are there easy walks in Hampshire?
18 routes are graded easy so far, such as Emsworth Mill Pond Loop (1.2 mi), Warblington Church (1.4 mi) and Liss Riverside And West Liss (1.9 mi). We are still grading the rest, so many other short routes are gentle too.
Can I take my dog on Hampshire walks?
Yes, on most routes. In the New Forest, keep dogs to the main tracks from spring until the end of July to protect ground-nesting birds, and never let them chase ponies or cattle. Elsewhere, keep dogs under close control around livestock. See Know before you go for more.
Can I feed the ponies in the New Forest?
No. Feeding or petting New Forest ponies and donkeys is banned and can bring a £100 fixed penalty. Every animal on the Forest has an owner, so enjoy them from a distance.
Where does the South Downs Way start?
In Winchester. The trail runs 100 miles east along the South Downs to Eastbourne, passing Queen Elizabeth Country Park and Butser Hill on its way out of Hampshire.
Which long-distance trails pass through Hampshire?
The South Downs Way, Hangers Way, Shipwrights Way, Staunton Way, Wayfarer's Walk, Test Way and Itchen Way all pass through Hampshire, and each has its own guide on Walking Rambler.