Solent Way

Solent Way is a 60-mile point-to-point walk from Milford-on-Sea to Emsworth Harbour, divided into eight day-walk sections. The route moves from shingle shore and the New Forest’s saltmarsh edge to river banks, harbours, city waterfronts and the open coast before reaching the old oyster town of Emsworth. This is not an uninterrupted beach walk: Southampton and Portsmouth are part of it, and three ferries link separated shore sections. Expect about 24 to 30 hours on foot over several days, before ferry waits and travel. The climbing is modest for the full distance; the real commitment is the length and the logistics. If you have one day, choose one of the published stages and enjoy a proper slice of the route.

Near Milford, a separate detour follows Hurst Spit to Hurst Castle. It adds a shingle walk; return by retracing the spit or use the seasonal ferry to Keyhaven. The 60-mile core line leaves that optional castle excursion out. Once on the Keyhaven seawall, the gravel path crosses Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve, with mudflats and saltmarsh below; cyclists share the path. Fishtail Lagoon’s nesting island is an easy landmark, and winter brings the largest numbers of wading birds. From Lymington, the trail crosses the river and heads inland past Sowley Pond, with a stretch on a quiet road to Bucklers Hard. It then follows the Beaulieu River to Beaulieu, climbs onto open Beaulieu Heath and descends on a winding old lane to Hythe. This is the route’s most New Forest stretch: heath, river and wooded lanes instead of promenades. The reserve’s saline pools and lagoons support foxtail stonewort, lagoon shrimp and starlet sea anemone, though they’re small species you’re unlikely to spot just by walking past.

At Hythe Pier, take the ferry to Southampton’s Town Quay. The route crosses Itchen Bridge to Woolston, returns to the shore, then passes Westwood Woodland Park, Netley Castle, Netley Abbey’s ruins and Royal Victoria Country Park before following the Hamble up to Hamble-le-Rice. Another ferry reaches Warsash. From there, the path skirts Hook-with-Warsash Nature Reserve’s mudflats, then runs past the low sand cliffs at Chilling and Bronwich, open farmland and the reedbeds and saltmarsh of Titchfield Haven. There are bird hides and a visitor centre at the reserve. From Hill Head, a long shingle beach leads past Lee-on-the-Solent and the forts around Stokes Bay to Gosport; the Gosport ferry crosses to Portsmouth. The final sections trade city waterfront for Langstone Harbour and Farlington Marshes, then pass the waterside village of Langstone and Warblington Castle before crossing fields and woods into Emsworth. Its millponds and oyster-fishing history make a good finish.

The Hythe, Hamble-Warsash and Gosport ferries are part of the through route, not optional shortcuts. Check their operating days and timetables before setting your stages; a missed crossing can break the day’s plan. The Hurst Castle ferry is a separate seasonal alternative. The route is waymarked by a tern on a green arrow. Lymington has cafés, pubs, restaurants and shops; Emsworth has plenty of places to eat, including seafood. Don’t count on regular food stops through the heath and marsh sections. Milford-on-Sea is the published start, but this is a point-to-point walk ending at Emsworth Harbour, so arrange return transport before setting off. From the Keyhaven seawall, frame Hurst Spit and the lighthouse above the saltmarsh; that layered view captures the route better than a close-up of the water.