The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Eastleigh

The Faladoon Nature Reserve is a peaceful, lesser-known area, historically associated with Winchester College, that lies alongside the internationally important River Itchen chalk stream. Located near Winchester, this reserve forms a green corridor that offers tranquil walks, including a loop that connects to the historic Hockley Railway Viaduct. The area is significant for its diverse flora and fauna typical of a managed chalk-river flood plain, providing habitat for various bird species like kingfishers and woodpeckers, and serving as a key spot for local wildlife enthusiasts and conservation groups like the Conchological Society due to the presence of rare mollusc species.

The iconic, but deteriorating, wooden steps on the main path up St Catherine's Hill have recently been replaced by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust as part of a crucial refurbishment project. The new steps are constructed from durable, anti-slip treated timber to provide a safer, more stable, and more sustainable route for visitors, with an expected lifespan of at least 30 years. This essential conservation work is designed not only to improve public access to the historic Iron Age hillfort but also to safeguard the site's fragile chalk grassland and biodiversity by preventing visitors from creating unsanctioned, damaging paths.

St Catherine's Hill is a prominent chalk downland hill on the outskirts of Winchester, notable for its layered historical and ecological importance. Now a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed as a nature reserve, its summit is ringed by the impressive earthworks of a univallate Iron Age hillfort dating back over 2,000 years. The top is marked by a distinctive copse of beech trees, known as 'The Clump', which contains the scant ruins of the 12th-century St Catherine's Chapel, while the hillside features a turf-cut labyrinth known as the Miz-Maze; the entire site provides spectacular views over the city, the Itchen Valley, and supports a rich variety of wildflowers and butterflies, including the protected Chalkhill Blue.

St Catherine's Hill is a prominent chalk downland hill on the outskirts of Winchester, notable for its layered historical and ecological importance. Now a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed as a nature reserve, its summit is ringed by the impressive earthworks of a univallate Iron Age hillfort dating back over 2,000 years. The top is marked by a distinctive copse of beech trees, known as 'The Clump', which contains the scant ruins of the 12th-century St Catherine's Chapel, while the hillside features a turf-cut labyrinth known as the Miz-Maze; the entire site provides spectacular views over the city, the Itchen Valley, and supports a rich variety of wildflowers and butterflies, including the protected Chalkhill Blue.

The River Itchen is a globally significant chalk stream that flows for approximately 28 miles through Hampshire, from its source near Cheriton, through the city of Winchester, and into Southampton Water. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the river is famed for its clear, mineral-rich, and stable-temperature water, which creates a rare and highly valued habitat for species like Atlantic salmon, otters, and the white-clawed crayfish. It is renowned worldwide among anglers as one of the premier locations for fly fishing, particularly for brown trout and grayling, and features a complex network of channels, including the historic Itchen Navigation, that once supported water mills and the local watercress industry.

Stop and find a place to to take a good pic of the Church along this section. The Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty in Winchester is one of England's oldest continuing charitable institutions, founded around 1132 by Bishop Henry of Blois to provide relief for thirteen poor men and food for many others, a mission later expanded by Cardinal Henry Beaufort. Renowned for its beautiful medieval and Norman architecture, including a magnificent church described as a "cathedral in miniature," it functions today as an almshouse providing accommodation for around 25 elderly men, known as the Brothers, who wear traditional black or claret gowns. Visitors often seek the traditional Wayfarer's Dole, a small cup of beer and a piece of bread offered to any traveller upon request, continuing an ancient tradition of hospitality.

Beautiful path along the river, whether you hike or paddle - it is simply wonderful to be able to enjoy pure nature here

The terrain was easy going except for part of the journey is along a road with no pavement ( approx 500m ). Recommend walking shoes in the winter