Eyeworth Pond
Fritham
Children will enjoy all the potential animals to spot on this walk including highland cows, ducks, donkeys, ponies and deer.
Donkeys are one of the animals that you might spot in the area around Eyeworth Pond
The Basics
Time: 1hr 15mins
Distance: 4.6 km
Terrain: Gravelled path, heathland, tarmac lane, mostly flat, very muddy in winter.
Pushchair: Pushchairs will be able to make it halfway along the surfaced track, but will need to return the way they came.
Dogs: Keep dogs on leads around all the livestock.
Refreshments: The Royal Oak, Fritham
Toilets: None, unless visiting the pub.
Public Transport: There is no suitable public transport to this location.
Parking: Free car at Eyeworth Pond, continue down the hill from the main car park in Fritham to reach this (Postcode: SO43 7HJ - W3W: amending/marathon/inherits)
Part of the route is well surfaced for pushchairs
Eyeworth pond was created in 1871 to supply water to a nearby gunpowder factory, but these days it is a good spot for a picnic and to spot birds atop the lily pad covered water. The walk includes a small patch of woodland before hitting the heathland plains with rolling views. Complete this walk with a visit to the renowned Royal Oak at Fritham.
The Route
From the car park, walk around the barrier and along the gravelled path with the pond on your left, heading into the trees. The trees will soon open up to heathland, where the heather is purple in late summer. Continue along the path until you eventually meet a barrier and the road, the B3078 Roger Penny Way, beyond (those with pushchairs will need to turn back here).
Just before hitting the road, you need to turn right up onto Longcross Plain. There is not an official path, but your aim is to walk up as far as Forest Road, which connects to the B3078. You should spot a give way sign, and this is your rough target.
As you almost hit this second road, turn right and you will see a wide grassy path heading off across the plain. You should have the give way sign to your left and some wooden posts that look like they once held a noticeboard to your right. Follow the straight, grassy path, now heading back in the direction you came.
You will edge closer to trees as you walk and eventually the boundary of a field will appear to your left. Keep this boundary close to your left hand side as you enter the woods again. The ground can be very wet here, so appropriate footwear is needed. The path is initially hard to make out, but once you reach a large metal gate providing access to the field, the path becomes a lot more obvious as an established farm track.
You will emerge beside The Royal Oak Pub. The pub is dog friendly and has a large garden that backs onto a farm where children will be able to spot animals and tractors working. As well as providing their own home cooked food, in the summer a fish and chip van visits on Saturday evenings and a pizza van on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
Turn right at the pub and follow the quiet lane down towards the pond and car park.
Did you know?
Eyeworth pond was created in the nineteenth century by damming a small stream to create a reservoir of water needed in the manufacture of gunpowder at the nearby Schultze Gunpowder Company. The company was in operation until 1921.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one near Burley which goes over Holmsley Ridge to Whitten Pond
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