Misty Sway and the Disused Railway

Date 30 December 2008

Distance: 6 miles
Parking: New Forest Car Park Longslade Bottom
Map: Explorer OL22
Map ref for car park: SU269002

This walk is taken from the October 2008 edition of Country Walking magazine with a slight adaptation regarding the start point. Please see the publication for further details.

For the route I took, there is a bridge beyond the car park. Head towards this and climb the path left of the bridge up on to the disused railway trackbed. Soon come to another bridge with an electricity substation to the left. Just before the bridge descend the path to the right and follow the trail across the heathland and as it curves up through another car park to a barrier and the road.

Cross the road and take the left of two paths heading across more heathland. The path passes diagonally across the heath and in the distance to the south is seen Sway Tower. Keep heading towards the Tower. Outlaying houses of the village begin to show to the right. Come to and cross over a live-railway bridge and follow a grass track to the right into the village.

Pass the Hare and Hounds pub on the left. At the bottom of the slope turn right by the car sales showroom into Church Lane. Follow the road up, past St Luke's Church to a T-junction. Turn right here and keep along this road, past the railway station and where the road forks further on, take the left fork which is Mead End Road.

Continue up Mead End Road and turn right into Adlams Lane. The road becomes a bridleway and slopes down to two gates, the second of which enters Set Thorns Inclosure. The route follows the cycle trail. Where the trail forks in the earlier stages keep to the left hand path, ignore all other paths to right and left. Pass one cleared area, at the next cleared area where the path splits to either side of the point, follow the right hand, and better surfaced, way. Coming round past rising ground and pine trees on the right, the path slopes downward towards a caravan park. Pass to the left of the caravan park and through a gate up into open heathland. Ahead is the elevated line of the disused railway. Follow the path round (it is quite rutted in places) with the line of the railway on your right. Pass in front of the bridge and soon the path rises to access the railway trackbed. Turn right to cross over the bridge. Follow the track past the caravan site and under two bridges, the first is a footbridge, the second carries a road.

Emerge from the trees and ahead is the bridge started out from. Just before the bridge, descend the path to the right and return to the car park.

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