Hamble Valley Heritage Guides

Discover more about the picturesque Hamble Valley on a guided walk or coach tour

Enjoy a variety of walks whilst learning some fascinating facts about the heritage of the area including the 13th century ruins of Netley Abbey and its links with King Henry VIII, Jane Austen, Artist JMW Turner and tales of ghastly hauntings.

Discover villages like the pretty maritime village of Hamble Le Rice, and learn of its connections with smuggling, rope making, the author Neville Shute, Edward Heath and oysters; Bursledon’s shipbuilders - good enough for Nelson; West End with its Titanic connections; Eastleigh's railway history; Botley's Assize and William Cobbett are amongst the villages and topics covered in the guided walks programme.

The long distance Strawberry Trail is also available for those who prefer the more energetic walks. A Winter walk programme is also available, making use of the Borough’s outstanding network of footpaths.

Guided tours for groups

Private Group tours -

including a wide variety of talks covering local history, travel and natural history. These include such titles as; The Hamble Valley; Headaches, Haemorrhoids and Herbals – plants and medicine from the past; An Armchair tour of Netley Abbey Village; Victorian Cemeteries and Marquis, Monks and Mysteries – the story of Netley Abbey.

Tailormade themed walks

including aviation histories of Eastleigh and Hamble, Architectural talks and walks, and the Cobbett Trail.

Coach excursions for groups

Themed daylong excursions can be arranged for private parties these include:

• The Villages of Howards Way
• Cobbett’s Rural Rides;
• Artistically Inspired
• Hampshire Aviation

Short breaks can be arranged for parties outside the area, linked with the above excursion themes. Typically these run from Friday evening until Sunday lunchtime, in conjunction with local hotels, include a welcome reception with a short introductory talk, a full day excursion on the Saturday and a walk on the Sunday morning prior to departure.

More information is available here and at www.hamblevalleyheritage.co.uk

The Hamble Valley Heritage Guided Walks take place every Sunday during Summer months. 

A full programme  of public walks is available from www.hamblevalleyheritage.co.uk

If you are interested in tours, walks or coach tours for groups, contact hamblevalley@aol.com or 023 80617182 to discuss your requirements.