Walks you can reach from Woolston by train

Coastal country park, stony beach, light woodland, mudflats, riverside causeway with marinas, open farmland and village lanes.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Time: 5h–9h30

3 lunch spots: the Harpers Steakhouse (2h30–5h30 in), Little Canton (3h–5h30 in), or the Jolly Sailor (3h–6h in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: Manor Farm Café, the Dolphin, the Brewery Bar, or the Railway

Warnings: Check tide timings.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

River Itchen and Monks Brook with little road walking — Riverside Park, woodland, North Stoneham Park and waterside meadows.

Time: 3h

Warnings: Four stiles; can be muddy in places; not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs; take care at road crossings.

Walk details: Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership (PDF).

Flat coastal sea wall, tidal harbour, salt marsh, sand dunes, beach, mudflats, tidal lake and historic village high street.

Warnings: Check tide timings.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat tidal harbour shoreline, raised sea walls, mudflats, fields, light woodland, duck pond and pedestrianised historic city centre.

Time: 5h

Warnings: Can be muddy. Best at high tide.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat coastal walk, seafront promenade, sandy beaches, short ferry crossing, disused railway path and harbourside shore path.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Recommended: Lovely views of the harbour inlets. A coastal walk incorporating several sections beside the shore of Chichester Harbour, on a mix of footpaths and minor roads with mainly arable fields and several stiles and kissing gates. The footpath at Fishbourne is tidal at peak high tides. Easy to follow and well-signed. Parallels the Chichester Cathedral Mini Pilgrimage from Bosham to Chichester.

Coastal: four fifths along the coast.

Chichester Harbour

Time: 4h–8h

Lunch: Refreshments at Bosham, roughly halfway.

Warnings: Two sections of eroded coastal defence after winter storms are officially marked closed (passable with care at personal risk). The Fishbourne footpath floods at spring high tides. Stiles and kissing gates.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Solent Way with an inland section and a ferry crossing to Hythe.

Walk details: Railwalks.

Follows the Solent Way, with a ferry from Portsmouth Harbour to Gosport and a ferry from Warsash to Hamble-le-Rice.

Walk details: Railwalks.

A beautiful way of entering Southampton; all the way to Eastleigh which is delightful. Easy walking on roads and surfaced paths through parks at first, then an open riverside stretch along the Itchen before a pleasant woodland walk following the Itchen Navigation. The towpath becomes narrow, overgrown and tricky in places and can get very muddy or flooded in wet weather. Follows the Itchen Way along the route of the Itchen Navigation. Refreshment facilities accessible at Itchen Valley Country Park.

Time: 3h30–7h30

Lunch: Refreshment facilities at Itchen Valley Country Park.

Warnings: The Itchen Navigation towpath is narrow, overgrown and neglected in places, with obstacles and dense vegetation; cover arms and legs against nettles and consider boots, as long grass can be wet. The river path can flood in winter. Loud aircraft noise where the route passes beneath Southampton Airport's flight path by the M27. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A flat route opening along the seafront promenade and then heading inland across mainly arable field paths and quiet country lanes through low farmland. Kissing gates but no stiles; some paths narrow and overgrown in summer. Can get boggy in winter. Following the Chichester Canal path from Hunston makes a nicer route into or out of the city than the residential streets through Whyke.

Time: 3h30–7h

Lunch: A parade of shops at Rose Green near Aldwick, but no facilities after Aldwick before Chichester.

Warnings: Do not try to cross the A27 directly; follow the path to the bridge. There is a railway bridge with about 20 steps each side. Fields around Pagham Rife can get very soggy and muddy in winter.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Flat tidal harbour shoreline, raised sea walls, mudflats, fields and quaint harbourside village.

Warnings: Can be muddy. Best at high tide.

Source: A shorter variant of Southbourne to Chichester – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Farmland, woodland, riverside causeway, stony beach, coastal country park, shoreline tarmac path and wooded valley following the Itchen Way.

Warnings: Check tide timings.

Source: A longer variant of Netley to Botley – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).