Walhampton Monument

Summary

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A self-guided walking route in the New Forest starting and finishing at Lymington Town railway station. The walk is 3.2 miles (5.1 km) and takes about 1–2 hours, with a moderate level of difficulty and access by train or bus. It follows riverside paths and quiet country lanes to key points including the Old Ferry House, the Burrard-Neale (Walhampton) Monument, and paths through Lymington Golf Course. The route also passes the former WW2 site RAF Needs Oar Point, a temporary airfield built for D-Day operations, with an interpretation board on the way. Background notes explain that the monument commemorates Admiral Sir Harry Burrard-Neale, a naval officer and former MP for Lymington, and that the Dartmoor-stone monument may have served as a seamark for mariners.

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New Forest Walking Guides

Walhampton Monument

An easily accessible route by train and bus from Brockenhurst and Lymington railway stations.

Directions

  1. Lymington station

    Leave the station, turning right onto Mill Lane. Turn right again, crossing the railway line and the Lymington River via a former toll bridge

  2. Right towards Old Ferry House

    At the sharp left turn of the road, turn right to follow the river and walk until you reach the white-painted Old Ferry House right on the riverside. A smaller road bears left leaving the main road. Keep the large white house on your left and the modern brick houses on your right. Walk 20m short distance before going through a gated footpath entrance beside a National Park boundary marker

  3. Walhampton Monument

    Follow the path up through woodland to reach the Burrard-Neale Monument. After visiting the monument head straight on to the informal car park then head right down monument lane. After 100m look out for a left turn onto a public footpath which runs closely past two houses

  4. Golf Course

    Follow the path as it winds through the Lymington Golf Course before diving back into trees and coming down onto Snooks Lane. Turn left, then in roughly 10m, turn right down a public footpath past Snooks Farm. Head along the broad gravel road looking out for the information board at the end explaining how the area was used as a WW2 airfield

  5. Shotts Lane

    Immediately after the information board turn right onto Shotts Lane. Go straight over the next road junction, past the gate keepers cottage, to keep following Shotts Lane south. On a tight right bend at Lisle Court, Shotts Lane becomes Lisle Court Road. Follow Lisle Court Road round to the right past large properties and farms until it meets South Baddesley Road

  6. Back into Lymington

    Follow South Baddesley Road back into Lymington passing the Isle of Wight ferry and re-joining the riverside road. Trace your steps back over the former toll bridge and back to the train station.

Trail Overview

Start/finish
Lymington Town Railway Station, SO41 9AU.
Grid reference
SZ 327 957
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Ordnance Survey map
Explorer OL 22 New Forest.
Distance
3.2 miles (5.1 km) – 1-2 hours.
Local facilities
Parking and public toilets in Lymington, near St Barbe Museum. Train and bus transport to start of walk.
Accessibility
Moderate walk.

Walhampton Monument

This walk takes in the monument to Admiral Sir Harry Burrard-Neale (1765-1835), an old WW2 airfield site and explores the old country lanes surrounding Lymington.

Admiral Sir Harry Burrard-Neale (1765-1835) was a prominent naval officer and former MP for Lymington who was greatly admired for the changes he brought to the town and had a distinguished naval career.

The monument is made of Dartmoor stone taken from the same quarry as that of Nelson’s Column. It is said that the monument was designed to act as a sea-mark, a useful navigational aid to mariners since the wooded coast from Keyhaven to Calshot was featureless at the time.

This walk also passes by the WW2 airfield ‘RAF Needs Oar Point’ which was a temporary Advanced Landing Ground constructed in preparation of D-Day. Built swiftly, crews were barracked in tents or local dwellings and steel planks were laid down for runways. It was home to four squadrons of Hawker Typhoons supported by 900 ground crew. Look out for the interpretation board at the half-way point of this walk which explains more.

Keep your distance from the animals and don't feed or pet them - you may be fined.

Keep your distance from the animals and don't feed or pet them - you may be fined.

Keep your distance from the animals and don't feed or pet them - you may be fined.

Keep your distance from the animals and don't feed or pet them - you may be fined.