Emsworth to Westbourne
Children will love walking beside the River Ems as well as exploring the wildlife in Brook Meadow and on Slipper Millpond.
The Basics
Time: 1 hour
Distance: 4.7 km
Terrain: Flat, some steps, narrow footbridges, fields, uneven paths
Pushchairs: No
Dogs: Yes, but be aware there is a field with cattle in
Refreshments: There are plenty of options in Emsworth, but for a halfway pub you could stop at The White Horse in Westbourne
Toilets: None on route
Parking: Palmers Road car park, Emsworth, £2.30 for two hours (Potscode: PO10 7DB W3W: raves/glory/cities)
Starting from Emsworth’s picturesque millpond, follow this walk as you make your way to the pretty village of Westbourne. Return via Brook Meadow Nature Reserve, where there is an opportunity for children and dogs to splash about in their wellies or paws in the River Ems.
The Route
At the far end of the pay and display car park, look out for the large sign for Brook Meadow Nature Reserve. Take the path and soon cross over the river. You will then spot a gate on your left that will take you into the nature reserve. You can chose to get go through this, but we recommend adding a loop around the millpond to your walk. To do this, do not enter the nature reserve, but instead veer right and head under the underpass.
Go left as you emerge from under the A259 and continue until you get to Queen Street. Cross the road and turn right on the other side, looking for the footpath just before The Lord Raglan pub. The footpath will take you past some flats/houses and then out onto Slipper Millpond.
Follow the path along the western side of the pond before turning left at the end and returning along Slipper Road on the eastern side to complete the circuit. Cross the A259 and then turn left and almost immediately right to walk along Lumley Road along the eastern side of Peter Pond. There is a bench beside the pond where ducks often gather to be fed.
Continue along Lumley Road, heading away from Emsworth. Although this is a public road, traffic is light as it is not a through road. After passing some modern homes to your right, you will then come to a section of the lane where pretty little cottages line up next to the stream. Just after these, you will cross under the railway bridge.
After the railway bridge, the next landmark will be the large white building of Lumley Mill. The footpath passes directly to the right of the house (it feels a little as if you are walking onto their private drive, but please be assured this is also a public right of way). After the mill, you will pass by various converted barns and cottages. Continue along the path with glimpses of the stream gently flowing to your left and ponies grazing on the other side. This section of the path is known as Mill Lane.
Just after Lumley Croft, the path will take a sharp turn to the left and you will then cross over the A27. Afterwards, keep left and then right, passing the padlocked entrance to a paddock with some alpacas in. Continue along Mill Lane with the stream to the left and look out for the ‘dog splash’ point (note there are dedicated dog splash points along the river and dogs should, only enter the water at these points).
When you reach the sign for Our Back Garden, veer left and walk along a pleasant stretch of path where the stream runs parallel. At the top of this section, you will reach Westbourne. Turn right opposite the church if you fancy the pub or go left to continue the walk.
Walking along the pavement, look out for the footpath on your left, just after the WOW clinic. The path feels a little overgrown as you enter, but is fine beyond the start. Look out for the gate on your left into a field. This field has cattle in it. Inside the field, you should head right, following the obvious path across the grass. Pass by a couple of great oak trees and continue until you reach the gate on the far side.
Go through the gate and then soon under the A27. Turn right with the path and go under the railway line. At the end of this stretch, look out for the entrance to Brook Meadow Nature Reserve on your left and enter it.
Pass by some storage containers and then cross over a footbridge. This is the best place on the walk for a dog or welly splash. On the opposite side of the bridge, turn right and follow the path above the river. Just after a circle of tree stump seats, look out for the green bench and steps. Keep ahead, taking the right fork here.
The path will lead you through the southern portion of the reserve and out through the south gate. Here you should turn right to go back over the footbridge to Palmers Road car park.
Did you know?
Slipper Mill Pond was built in the 1760s to provide power to Slipper Mill, which made meal to serve Portsmouth’s Navy. After the mill closed last century, 33 local residents bought the pond to prevent it from development. Last year it was eventually gifted to The Slipper Mill Pond Preservation Society, who now own and manage the pond.