Walks from the Railway: Guildford
to Portsmouth
John Owen Smith
Also published in book form: ISBN: 978-1-873855-55-3 ; Updated 2016
It is about 60 miles (or 95km) to walk from Guildford to Portsmouth Harbour, and it can be done. If, however, you would prefer to let the train take at least part of the strain, this book has divided the journey into manageable chunks which can be walked between railway stations. It also includes a circular walk or two from each of the stations on the way – and I couldn't resist the temptation of offering you a quick trip to the Isle of Wight too.
The routes are described travelling towards the coast. There is no reason, of course, why you should not choose to walk in the opposite direction. In either case, I recommend that you take the relevant Ordnance Survey maps with you as, from personal experience, it can sometimes be all too easy to find yourself on the wrong path and needing to find your way back to some identifiable point.
This is particularly true where a route uses permissive paths rather than public rights of way, as the former are not always shown as tracks on maps.
Circular Walk 1 - Guildford & Compton - 7¾
miles/12.5km 9 – Access as PDF
Circular Walk 2 - Guildford & Chilworth - 10 miles/16km
– Access as PDF
Link Walk A
- Guildford to Godalming - 5½ miles/8.5km –
Access as PDF
Circular Walk 3 - Godalming & Peper Harow - 5 miles/8km
– Access as PDF
Link Walk B
- Godalming to Milford & Witley stations -
3 miles/5km to Milford Stn; 6¾
miles/11km to Witley Stn – Access
as PDF
Circular Walk 4 - Milford station & Hydon's Ball
- 7 miles/11km – Access as PDF
Link Walk C
- Between Walks 4 and 5 - ½ mile – Access
as PDF
Circular Walk 5 - Witley station & Chiddingfold
- 8 miles/12.5km – Access as PDF
Link Walk D
- Witley station to Haslemere - 8½ miles/13.5km –
Access as PDF
Circular Walk 6 - Haslemere & Hindhead - 6 miles/9.5km
– Access as PDF
Circular Walk 7 - Haslemere & Blackdown - 8 miles/13km
– Access as PDF
Link Walk E
- Haslemere to Liphook - 5½ miles/8.5km – Access
as PDF
Circular Walk 8 - Liphook & Bramshott - 8 miles/13km
– Access as PDF
Circular Walk 9 - Liphook & Griggs Green - 7½
miles/12km – Access as PDF
Link Walk F
- Liphook to Liss - 6 miles/9.5km – Access
as PDF
Circular Walk 10 - Liss & Hawkley - 9 miles/14.5km
– Access as PDF
Link Walk G
- Liss to Petersfield - 4½ miles/7km – Access
as PDF
Circular Walk 11 - Petersfield & Steep - 6 miles/9.5km
– Access as PDF
Circular Walk 12 - Petersfield, Butser & Buriton
- 11 miles/17.5km – Access as PDF
Link Walk H
- Petersfield to Rowlands Castle - 7 miles/11km – Access
as PDF
Circular Walk 13 - Rowlands Castle & West Marden
- 8¾ miles/14km – Access
as PDF
Link Walk I
- Rowlands Castle to Havant - 3¾ miles/6km –
Access as PDF
Circular Walk 14 - Havant & Hayling Island - 8½
miles/13.5km – Access as PDF
Link Walk J
- Havant to Portsmouth Harbour - 14 miles/22.5km – Access
as PDF
Note: Check
that the Hayling Island ferry is operating before doing Walk J
Circular Walk 15 - Portsmouth Harbour & Southsea
- 3 miles/5km – Access as PDF
Extension on the Isle
of Wight: Ryde to Fishbourne - 3 miles/5km
Circular Walk 16 - Portsmouth Harbour & Gosport
- 5 miles/8km – Access as PDF
In October 2008, the author and some colleagues walked the route of the book from Guildford to Hayling Island :—
| Start | Lunch | End | Distance | |
| Thurs | Guildford | Godalming | Chiddingfold | 12.5 miles |
| Fri | Chiddingfold | Haslemere | Liphook, Black Fox | 11 miles |
| Sat | Liphook, Black Fox | Steep, The Harrow | Buriton | 11 miles |
| Sun | Buriton | Rowlands Castle | Langstone, The Royak Oak | 12.5 miles |
See also report and picture in the Petersfield Post
If you would be interested in having the author join your group to guide and interpret one of these walks, please contact me for details of costs.
John Owen Smith was born in 1942 and trained as a Chemical Engineer at London University, but spent most of his working life designing commercial Information Systems for the paper-making industry. Following redundancy, he 'fell' into researching and recording the local history of east Hampshire, where he now lives. His output of historical community plays, lectures, articles and books includes:—
