Swanmore to St. Clair’s Meadow
Children will enjoy St Clair’s Meadow Nature Reserve on this walk, with access to the river and grassy banks for picnics.
St.Clair’s Meadow is a place where you can access the River Meon
The Basics
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 4 miles
Terrain: Mostly flat field paths, quiet country lanes and disused railway
Pushchair: No
Dogs: Yes, on leads through private land
Refreshments: None on this walk, but you could picnic in St Clair’s Meadow Nature Reserve
Toilets: None
Public Transport: There is no public transport for this walk
Parking: At the side of the Road on Cott Street, near Tudor Cottage (Postcode: SO32 2QG - W3W: slowness/spoken/losing)
Fingers crossed for more rapeseed fields this spring
We photographed the rapeseed on this walk in 2021. There has not been rapeseed in the fields since that year, but as farmers rotate their crops year to year, we keep our fingers crossed for 2025! It is still a beautiful country walk with plenty more to enjoy than just the rapeseed including some interesting old houses, a section of the Meon Valley Trail and and a riverside nature reserve.
The Route
Opposite Tudor Cottage, you will see the start of the footpath going up the bank and turning right to follow the road. After a short distance, you will come to a field entrance. Officially, the footpath goes straight across this field but when it is ploughed and crops are growing, the footpath has been diverted around the perimeter, beginning with the edge parallel to the road. At the corner of this field, it is also possible to join the footpath from the road should you have found parking further along Cott Street.
Aim for the line of tall straight trees at the right hand edge of the field. The footpath continues through these trees and out the other side, passing an orchard on your left.
Follow the path through the next field, with the hedge on your right, passing a lone tree in the field to your left. At the top of the gentle hill, the path enters a small copse where there is usually a smattering of bluebells and wild garlic in Spring. Very soon, you will come back out of the trees into a very large field. This is where our rapeseed photos were taken and fingers crossed the farmer will grow it again here soon!
Follow the wide, straight path ahead of you across the field and then turn left along the path that goes past a lone tree to your left. At the edge of this field section, the path will start to descend and you will see the road and river below you.
Cross the A32 with care and immediately enter St Clair’s Meadow Nature Reserve on the other side. This is a great spot to picnic, spot wildlife and play around The River Meon.
Cross the little footbridge and then turn left through the kissing gate. Walk with the river to your left and look for the steps by the old railway bridge. Turn right at the top of the steps and follow the Meon Valley Trail along the disused railway track.
After the point where the path goes over a road you will see some steps up the bank on your right. Go up the steps and into a field on the other side. Follow the path diagonally across the field and then veer left into the trees. Continue on this path, passing some private woodland, to reach Soberton Mill.
At the little lane, turn right passing some beautiful houses and then going over a little footbridge beside the old mill. Turn right on the other side of the river and then follow the footpath as it heads up to the A32 again. Cross the road and on the opposite side, enter the paved entranceway for Holywell Estate.
The footpath follows the paved access road, passing the fine house, then veers right past the stables and then onto the driveway to the stable yard. Keep going, following the footpath signs until you reach the gate. Turn right after the gate and pass a barn on your left before arriving back at Cott Street. If you parked near Tudor Cottage, you will need to turn left to walk up the quiet lane to find your car.
We suggest viewing the interactive map as a ‘Trails Map’ to ensure all the paths are visible:
Did you know?
Rapeseed is grown for human consumption as vegetable oil, for animal food and for biodiesel - but it is also an important foraging source for honeybees.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one from Soberton that also passes through St Clair’s Meadow, but is much shorter and starts from a pub!
