Walks near Portsmouth by train
Hampshire · South East England
Stations: Portsmouth and Southsea · Portsmouth Harbour
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Portsmouth and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Portsmouth.
Guildford Circular via Compton (Surrey)
1 hour direct from Portsmouth and Southsea.
Beginner-friendly: No coast or river to follow, but pretty straightforward long lines nonetheless, and Watt’s Chapel provides a lovely reward for reaching the midpoint of the circuit. The lunch stop is a simple café in the vicinity of Watt’s Chapel, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.
Watts Chapel: A spectacular Arts and Crafts memorial chapel decorated by Mary Watts.
Time: 3h30–7h
1 lunch spot: Watts Gallery café (1h30–3h in)
5 end-of-walk rewards: the Withies Inn, Ye Olde Ship Inn, the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: Walking Post (inc. GPX).
Fishbourne Circular via Chichester Harbour (Sussex)
30 minutes from Portsmouth and Southsea, with one change.
Beginner-friendly: Just follow the coast and come back along a straight walk. It’s almost too simple! Flat, short and plenty of choices for lunch. Chichester Harbour is a little-known National Landscape. Its protected saltmarsh landscape feeds an abundance of birdlife. It’s a major recreational harbour but somehow has a romantically melancholy and isolated air — you can imagine sea shanties being composed here.
Coastal: three fifths along the coast.
Time: 3h–6h
4 lunch spots: Bosham (1h30–3h in) — the Anchor Bleu, Timberley's, the Berkeley Arms, or Marwick's
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Bull's Head Pub, or the Woolpack Inn
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Amberley to Arundel (Sussex)
45 minutes from Portsmouth and Southsea, with one change.
Beginner-friendly: A beautiful, varied walk with a number of sights along the way and the experience of seeing Arundel Castle gradually emerge on the horizon. Arundel itself is a romantic little town that’s worth exploring and appreciating if you have the time. Visiting the castle and its grounds would require a day in itself. Simply follow the river and cross over when you get to Arundel. You can’t go wrong! There’s only one place to have lunch en route (the George) and it can be busy on weekends, so reserve a table to avoid a wait — book for 2.5 hours after your arrival at Amberley to allow for a leisurely pace with time to dilly-dally and appreciate sights on the way. Book for 3 hours after your arrival for a slow pace or extra contingency! (or just pack lunch).
Waterway: nine tenths along the River Arun.
Time: 3h30–7h
1 lunch spot: the George (1h30–3h30 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Eagle
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Amberley to Shoreham-by-Sea (Sussex)
45 minutes from Portsmouth and Southsea, with one change.
Highly recommended: Open chalk ridge, South Downs escarpment, wide well-marked paths, exposed hilltops, riverside estuary path and suburban road walking near finish.
Hilly: half on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Time: 8h–15h30
1 lunch spot: Columba's Kitchen (4h–8h in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Buckingham Arms, or the Crabtree
Warnings: Very exposed in wind.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Milford to Haslemere (Surrey)
1 hour from Portsmouth and Southsea, with one change.
Highly recommended: Remote heathland, pretty lakes, sandy bridleways, ancient woodland, heather and gorse commons and a dramatic natural amphitheatre.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Time: 4h30–9h30
Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!
1 end-of-walk reward: the Harper's Steakhouse
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Farnham to Godalming (Surrey)
45 minutes direct from Portsmouth and Southsea.
Highly recommended: River valley, forest tracks, sandy bridleways, open parkland, country houses and wooded valleys.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Mother Ludlam's Cave: Sandstone cave associated with local folklore.
Time: 6h–12h
1 lunch spot: the Barley Mow, Tilford Green (2h30–4h30 in)
5 end-of-walk rewards: the Cyder House Inn, the Rose and Crown, the Richmond Arms, the Fox & Finch, or the Star
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).
Goring-by-Sea to Worthing (Sussex)
45 minutes direct from Portsmouth and Southsea.
Recommended
Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.
Time: 5h30–10h30
2 lunch spots: the Black Horse (3h–6h in), or the Gun Inn (3h–6h in)
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Reverse direction: Railwalks.
Lymington Town to Brockenhurst (Hampshire)
1 hour from Portsmouth and Southsea, with one change.
Recommended
Time: 3h30–7h
1 lunch spot: the Fleur de Lys (1h–1h30 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Snakecatcher Pub, or the Huntsman
Warnings: Can be EXTREME mud in Lymington Reeds Beds Nature Reserve.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Reverse direction: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).
Haslemere Circular via Black Down (Surrey)
45 minutes direct from Portsmouth and Southsea.
Mixed National Trust woodland, heathland with bracken, gorse, heather and bilberry, hilltop plateau, open views, rhododendron tunnels and undulating bridleways.
Time: 4h30
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Arundel Circular via South Stoke Barn (Sussex)
45 minutes from Portsmouth and Southsea, with one change.
Low hills, river valley, water meadows, woodland, parkland, riverside paths and an attractive hilltop town.
Time: 5h
Warnings: Flood risk in meadows.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Amberley Circular via Arundel Park (Sussex)
45 minutes from Portsmouth and Southsea, with one change.
Water meadows, riverside embankments, wooded downs, open chalk parkland, historic town and landscaped estate lake.
Time: 4h30
Warnings: Flooding risk in meadows.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Godalming to Guildford (Surrey)
45 minutes direct from Portsmouth and Southsea.
A gorgeous, gentle route; The scenery is stunning. A gentle, mostly flat riverside route along the towpath of the River Wey and Godalming Navigations. On rough paths in places, with a few muddy parts and a sandy and eroded section near Guildford that needs care. Part runs along an old railway line. Mostly follows the towpath of the River Wey and Godalming Navigations; part runs along the old railway line and much of the path is National Trust land. Narrow boats, locks and a pillbox along the way.
Waterway: four fifths along the River Wey.
Time: 2h30–4h30
Lunch: A pub/restaurant with a children's playground roughly half way; note some venues have reported closures.
Warnings: The towpath at Guildford between the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and the rowing club has been closed since 2019 due to a collapsed footbridge, with an unsigned diversion via the A281 and Shalford Road; the diversion includes steep steps and a narrow gate. The approach to Guildford station is traffic-heavy with awkward crossings. A sandy, eroded section near Guildford needs care.
Walk details: Blackwater Valley Nature Walks (tips, photos, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Reverse direction: Wey Valley Community Rail Partnership (PDF).