Recreational Route: Southern/Southwest England
Christchurch to Emsworth
112km/70 miles
Across the south of Hampshire via marshes, heaths, ancient woodlands, riverside villages and the historic waterfronts of maritime towns like Southampton and Portsmouth. A mainly coastal trail with some inland stretches to circumnavigate estuaries and bays, originally established by Hampshire County Council in 1982. Nearly all the route forms part of European coastal path E9.
The original waymarked route starts at Milford-on-Sea but the most recent publication describes a route from Christchurch. The Bournemouth Coast Path then continues to Sandbanks, Poole, to connect with the South West Coast Path (37km/23 miles): most of this is now signed as part of the European Coastal Path E9.
Connects with
- Avon Valley Path
- Chemins de saint Michel (via ferry Portsmouth-Cherbourg)
- GR2 (via ferry Portsmouth-Le Havre)
- GR223 (E9, via ferry Portsmouth-Cherbourg or Ouistreham)
- GR23 (E9, via ferry Portsmouth-Ouistreham)
- GR24 (E9, via ferry Portsmouth-St Malo)
- GR34 (E9, via ferry Porstmouth-St Malo)
- GR36 (via ferry Portsmouth-Ouistreham)
- Isle of Wight Coastal Path (E9, via ferries Lymington - Yarmouth and Portsmouth - Ryde)
- Pilgrim's Trail (see North Downs Way)
- South West Coast Path (E9, via E9/Bournemouth Coast Path and ferry Sandbanks - Studland)
- Staunton Way (E9)
- Stour Valley Way (Dorset)
- Sussex Border Path
- Test Way (via link)
- Wayfarer's Walk
Highway Authorities
Accommodation
Click here to find bed & breakfast accommodation on this path.
Tourist Information Centres
Booking and Luggage Transfer
include Let's Go Walking
Holiday Providers
include Let's Go Walking
Transport
The route runs very roughly parallel to the south coast railway line connecting Weymouth, Southampton, Portsmouth and Southampton with London, Reading, the Midlands and northern England; and Southampton with Portsmouth, London and Brighton. Some stations are some miles off the route though there are connecting bus services. There are useful stations at Poole (bus connections to Sandbanks Ferry), Bournemouth, Christchurch (bus connections to Milford), New Milton (bus connection to Barton), Brockenhurst (buses to Lymington), Southampton (buses to Beaulieu), Netley, Hamble, Burlesdon, Swanwick (buses to Warsash), Fareham (buses to Hill Head, Gosport), Porstmouth Harbour, Portsmouth and Southsea, Fratton, Hilsea, Bedhampton, Havant and Emsworth. The Chichester Harbour Bus also connects Havant and Emsworth with various destinations around the harbour including Chichester on weekends and bank holidays in summer: see Public transport: Southern England.
The route from Poole uses the following ferry services:
There is also a ferry connecting Keyhaven, on the route, to Hurst Castle. Tel 01590 642500.
Maps
The route is marked on recent editions of these maps.
Publications
- Pub Walks Along the Solent Way by Anne-Marie Edwards, ISBN 1 85306 738 5. Countryside Books, £7.95 + p&p. Order here!
A guide to walking the route either as a continuous path, or a series of short circular walks of between 5.5km/3.5 miles and 13.5km/8.5 miles, with clear sketch maps, and some public transport details. Includes the marked route from Milford and an extension from Christchurch. [2003] - The Solent Way, free leaflet from Hampshire county council covering the section from Milford to Emsworth. Order here!
The route can be walked using this leaflet in conjunction with recent OS maps, and there is also a detailed route descripion online at www.hants.gov.uk/walking/solentway [2003] - Exploring the Bournemouth Coast Path by Leigh Hatts, ISBN 1 85306 908 6. Countryside Books, £7.99.
Covers the E9 route from Milford to Sandbanks, Poole, and parts of the Solent Way (to Lymington) and South West Coast Path (to Swanage), as seven easy sections, with sketch maps, background information and transport details. The guide includes an alternative clifftop route through Bournemouth as well as the official E9 route along the prom. [2005]
