Holly Hill to Royal Victoria Country Park via Warsash/Hamble ferry return

Starting at Holly Hill car park off Barnes Lane (free parking and toilets) we will walk down through Holly Hill woods past the lakes and waterfalls to Hamble shore and down to the Warsash/Hamble Ferry which as been running since 1493!! (£5 return / £2.50 each way CHANGE ONLYs so please have this with you, dogs and parrots FREE). From here we will cut across Hamble to Southampton water and head up to Royal Victoria Country park. The Royal Victoria Country Park was once the site of the world’s largest hospital. The Royal Victoria Hospital was built in 1856 and served the British military for over a century as the British Army’s first purpose-built hospital. Royal Victoria was a unique and ambitious project which would help change the face of the medical world. Today the chapel is all that remains of the quarter mile long building. We will walk by the Fair Ways Fairy Garden to check out the amazing castle and dragon sculpture created from the remains of an ancient Cedar tree and stop here for lunch. Skirting the perimitter of the country park through Spear Pond Gully and West Wood we will head back to the Warsash ferry and return via a different route through Holly Hill via the Sunken Garden and to the car park. There is a steep walk up to the car park from the Holly Hill Lakes. For those who would like to grab a coffee or drink after we can head to the Mansion at Coldeast which is a 10-minute walk from the car park, however muddy boots and clothes are not advised if sitting indoors. ??

Start/Meeting: At the main gate into the woodlands at Holly Hill Car Park SO31 7BH

Directions: Leave the M27 at junction 8 for Hamble, then take the first left along the A27. Drive over the Hamble bridge through Swanwick and turn right into Barnes Lane at Sarisbury Green. Follow this road until you see the signpost right for Holly Hill Woodland Park. SATNAV Postcode: SO31 7BH

OS Grid Ref: SU500078

Lat/Lon: 50.8680260481058,-1.2894344329834

Sat Nav (APPROXIMATE ONLY!): 157 Barnes Ln, Sarisbury Green, Southampton SO31 7BH, UK

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