Westwood Woodland Park

A tranquil green open space near Southampton offers a taste of the countryside, fresh air and fascinating historical and natural delights. Westwood Woodland Park is open every day with free entry and parking  at Weston Shore Car Park and The Mill House pub.

A beautiful mix of woodlands and traditionally managed rolling grasslands alive with wildlife. Spectacular panoramic views across Southampton Water towards the New Forest, ruins and relics from centuries of human activity hidden amongst the undergrowth at Westwood. Friendly Countryside Rangers can be found on site most days and run a regular programme of guided walks, events and school visits.

There are two way marked trails for walkers and one cycle route. A number of benches provide excellent vantage points and a small picnic site is located at the base of the Mound. From here you may see some unusual animals high up in the trees. The site is ideal for quiet recreational activities such as walking, cycling, bird watching, painting, kite flying, picnicking horseriding etc.

Most of the Park can be enjoyed by everyone on well surfaced paths. Westwood was protected from development in the past partly due to the fact that it has a steep wooded stream valley with deep medieval ditches running alongside. It also has hills created artificially by restoring the old landfill sites. This means that most paths have slopes and bridges. We have created a circular route which runs from Weston Shore car park and which is accessible to people in wheelchairs accompanied by helpers. This route is marked with blue arrows.

All entrances to Westwood have kissing gates to restrict access to illegal motorcylists. If you are experiencing difficulty getting into the park then please call the ranger service tel 02380 456 48

Dogs are welcome however, in some areas dogs should be kept on leads during the breeding season to protect ground nesting birds like the Skylark. Dog bins are also located around the site. There is a permit scheme for horseriders.

Guided walks and events
Most activities at Westwood are not suitable for people using wheelchairs, but sometimes we can adjust walks if we are contacted in advance. We can organise events for local groups.

Contact us
The Westwood Office, The Park Centre, Netley Abbey, Southampton, Hampshire SO31 5GA
email areasouth.countryside@hants.gov.uk
tel 023 8045 6484