Hiltingbury Lakes

Hiltingbury lakes is probably the best known woodland area in Chandlers Ford. The woods surround several Edwardian water gardens. They are located close to the main town centre, near Waitrose etc.

Two of these form a large ornamental lake which is a popular place to fish.

The rest are smaller and more wild, providing a wetland habitat for wildlife.


I'm very found of the woods around this smaller section as walking through them feels a bit like exploring a rain forest.


Overall the lakes is a short but rewarding walk, especially in Autumn or Spring when the trees are at their prettiest.

Great Covert

Since I'll be moving to Southampton in the near future, I thought I take the opportunity to do some posts on the woods and sites of natural interest in the area.

The first wood is one of the largest in the Chandlers Ford area, Great Covert. It isn't technically open to the public but a few footpaths skirt the edges. Currently, the main entrances deeper into the wood are blocked but at the time these pictures were taken, it was easier to get into the wood.

The tree are mainly coniferous and there are large clearings dotted around.

The lack of formal footpaths and almost complete absence of other people give the wood a really wild feeling, and I often see deer, unusual birds and, in the summer, tons of butterflies. It's a great place to lose yourself in.

A good way to enjoy the Great Covert and not get into trouble is to take the foot path which leads of castle lane and skirts around the eastern edge of the wood. After a while there is a path to the left which leads into Zionshill Copse, another interesting piece of woodland that I will cover in a future post.

Walk in the fields

This weekend I went on a short in the fields to the east of Eastleigh. Despite being very muddy, the weather was very nice and the boggy woods had a fairytale like quality. Spring seems just around the corner at last.

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Snow!

Last week it snowed!

A lot!

I worked from home.

And then went for a walk in the woods.

May Day!

Happy May Day!

To celebrate the bank holiday I went for a short walk in the local area. Despite the large industrial estate behind my house there are quite a few nice green areas and bits of woodland. Some of the trees are still in bloom and the weather seems to have turned for the better, resulting in a very tranquil atmosphere perfect for a relaxing stroll.