The Shipwrights Way

What is the Shipwrights Way?

It is a new long-distance route which will link villages and towns in east Hampshire through some beautiful countryside. Eventually, it will run from Alice Holt Forest near Farnham, down across the South Downs to the sea at Portsmouth. The route will be open to walkers and cyclists and, where possible, horse-riders and people with disabilities.

Where will it go?

As much as possible, the route will be off-road, using rights of way and permissive paths. Starting from Alice Holt Forest, it will pass through Bordon, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Staunton Country Park, Havant, Hayling Island and via ferry into Portsmouth, finishing at the Historic Dockyard - around 60 miles in all, and including seven rail stations. It will form part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network route 22 linking London to Portsmouth.

When will it be available?

The first two sections were launched in March 2011 and the rest of the route will follow, section by section, over approximately the next two years.

Why 'Shipwrights'

The name reflects the journey of oak grown at Alice Holt to dockyards such as Portsmouth for medieval shipbuilding; the route will finish at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, home of the Mary Rose and HMS Victory.

How is the project being delivered?

The project is a strong partnership between East Hampsire District Council, Hampshire County Council, the Forestry Commission and South Downs National Park Authority, who have pooled their resources and expertise.. Representatives of each of these organisations together form the steering group which is directing the project; Cath Hart is the Shipwrights Way Project Officer reporting to this group. A wider stakeholder group, including Councillors, Parish Councils, land managers and users, meets less often to help inform the project.

Where did the project start?

It was long-held Forestry Commission aspiration to provide a long-distance route linking two large areas of woodland - Alice Holt Forest near Farnham and Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield. This idea was discussed and then developed by the Hampshire Action Team (HAT) for East Hampshire - a feasibility study was carried out in late 2009 which showed that the project was achievable, and it is now a stand-alone partnership between East Hampshire District Council, Hampshire County Council, the Forestry Commission and the South Downs National Park Authority.

• Shipwrights Way project 608kb
• Bentley Station to Alice Holt Forest 680kb

• Buriton to Queen Elizabeth Country Park 1mb
• Alice Holt Forest and Cradle Lane Section 1mb
• Stakeholders map 1mb

All files pdf

• Steering Group January 2012
• Steering Group September 2011
• Steering Group 30 June 2011
• Steering Group 8 March 2011
• Steering Group 25 January 2011
  
• Steering Group Terms of Reference
• Feasibility study
• Original proposal from Forestry Commission to HATs group, April 2009