Titchfield Canal
Children will enjoy the path on this walk which runs parallel to the canal. They can also spot birds in the nature reserve and finish with a play on Meon Shore.
Hillhead Beach
The Basics
Time: 1 hour each way for the whole canal, but you could cut this short to any distance you liked
Distance: The path is about 3.4 km in each direction.
Terrain: Flat, very muddy in winter. The northern section is better surfaced.
Pushchairs: Starting in Titchfield, you could walk about a quarter of the path in a southernly direction before the path becomes too wet and uneven, but you would have to get through a kissing gate to begin the walk.
Dogs: Yes, there are steps where dogs can swim.
Refreshments: Coffee Commotion, a mobile barista can be found on Meon Shore beside the start/finish point - check Facebook their Facebook page for opening. In Titchfield, Titchfield Mill pub has a canal-side garden and cosy fireside interiors
Toilets: Opposite the start of the footpath, beside the coffee van.
Public Transport: To arrive by bus, you are better off starting in Titchfield and using the bus stop at The Bowling Green served by Bluestar buses lines 611 and 620 from Stubbington to Eastleigh.
Parking at Meon Shore: Pay and Display parking running along the entire shore (Postcode: PO14 4HL - W3W: clever/pool/clays) . Aim to park as close to the chalets at the western end of the shore as possible. Parking can be very busy on summer weekends.
Parking at Titchfield: A small, free car park off Bridge Street at the start of the canal (Postcode: PO14 4EA - W3W: confident/avoid/irony)
Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve is visible for much of the walk
This walk is an utter delight as you will find yourself with views across Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve on one side and Titchfield Canal on the other. It is almost entirely flat and can be started in either the historic village of Titchfield or from Meon Shore.
The Route
This walk can be extremely muddy in winter. You will undoubtedly need wellies if the weather has been wet.
You can do this linear walk in either direction, but our recommendation is to start at Meon Shore so that you can end the walk with a coffee and a play on the beach. Also, the car park at Titchfield is small, so a space is often not guaranteed.
As of February 2024 and until approximately April 30th (sooner if work is completed) the footpath is closed at around half way to Titchfield. This is to allow for repairs to the path where the canal has burst its banks. If you have wellies, it is possible to pass through the closed section and we did see people achieving this, although of course you should use your own judgement to assess what is safe to do on the day of your walk.
Stand at the toilet block at the very western end of the shore, just before the chalets where the road bends right up to Titchfield. Have your back to the sea, facing the nature reserve and look for the footpath on the opposite side of the road that dips down the bank and then heads off to your left.
The path is initially quite wet, but does firm up quite quickly before becoming muddier again later on. Follow the path with the reeds of the nature reserve to your right. The road will be parallel off to your left to begin with, but this will soon be replaced by the water of the canal. And that is about all the direction you need!
The path will run parallel to the canal all the way to Titchfield and as long as the canal is to your left, you are on the right path! Walking all the way to Titchfield will take about an hour with children in one direction, so if you have children you can turn back at any point depending on their stamina. The nature reserve will be in view for most of the way to your right, and you will be able to spot a wide variety of bird life. As you approach Titchfield the surface of the path improves and dries out. Just before this there is a nice area with a bench, a brick bridge and some wooden access steps down into the canal where dogs, and children in wellies, could paddle in the summer when the water is lower.
Did you know?
It is unlikely that Titchfield Canal was constructed for navigational purposes and evidence suggests its main use was in providing irrigation to a water meadow sustem
If you liked this walk…
…try this one at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve which takes you inside the reserve.
