Today we headed over to the Royal Victoria Country Park to walk the Hamble Rail Trail, which follows the route of the now disused railway built to connect Manchester and Hamble towards the end of WW2.
The path starts at the Royal Victoria Country Park, where we paid £4 to park for the day, and follows alongside the old railway, mainly on woodland tracks which, whilst rather muddy, were flat and easy to follow.
The old railway fixtures are still in place, but are showing their age as they were last operated in the 80's.
The railway terminates at the BP oil terminal, where the best preserved piece of track disappears out of reach and into the industrial site.
The oil terminal, and nearby industrial units weren't the most scenic, but the footpath along the waterfront was well maintained.
The beach was popular with both local birds and local dog-walkers
And the water itself was host to a flotilla of small boats
Our walk ended back in the Royal Victoria Country Park at the site of the old military hospital. The only remaining part of the structure is the Chapel, which is currently closed for refurbishment.
All-in-all we had a pleasant hour-and-a-half walk and celebrated with a cup of tea and a cake at the Park's cafe.
Statistics:
Total Walk Time: 1 hour 30 minutesWalking Conditions: Easy and Flat, muddy in places, pebble beach for about 15 mins
Cost: £4 to part at RVCP. Could park for free on the roads outside the park or start from one of the other car-parks marked on the maps below.
Useful Links:
Hamble Rail Trail Maps & Guides:http://www.hamblevalley.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/HV-Rail-Trail10-LR.pdf
http://www.hamblevalley.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Hamble-Rail-Trail-Walking-Leaflet.jpg
Royal Victoria County Park Website
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/countryside/countryside-service/country-parks/rvcp.htm
Royal Victoria Country Park - Trip Advisor
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g790308-d216074-Reviews-Royal_Victoria_Country_Park_Chapel-Netley_Hampshire_England.html
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