Otter Trail and Hawksley Memorial Garden via Itchen

6km walk , about 2hours .
Park on the Pitmore Road SO504LX and let’s meet outside entrance to Allbrook Meadow.
The Otter Trail was created by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and takes you along part of the Itchen Navigation Path and through Otterbourne Park
Woods.
You will pass several old locks and enjoy long stretches of riverside paths as well as beautiful sections of woodland. There is a chance to see llamas along the way, as well as Hawksley Memorial Garden.
Start this trail from the roadside parking on Pitmore Road and follow the road to Allbrook Lock, where you join the towpath along the Itchen Navigation, heading northward.
Enjoy the lovely scenery along the waterside all the way to Hawksley Memorial garden by Otterbourne
Lock.
Head south through the woodland, passing underneath the South Western Main railway line. This will take you through the churchyard of the old church of St. Matthew. The church was demolished in 1971, but the graveyard remains.
Enter Otterbourne Park and continue following the signs for the Otter Trail through the woodland and back to the Allbrook.
The path follows the course of the river for much of its length, so is generally flat. The only real hill is a gradual incline across a field which takes you up to Otterbourne Park Woods.
You will need to negotiate several stiles and kissing gates, all of which are fairly dog-friendly. The paths along the river are towpaths, so are in a good state of repair, although some are narrow, and you have to walk in a single file.
Otterbourne Park Woods can get a bit muddy. Stout walking boots or shoes are recommended (wellies are probably not necessary except after heavy rain). The paths can get very overgrown in summer, so long trousers are advised. You will not be sharing any of the paths with livestock, so leads are advised if you bring your dog.

We plan to finish with the lunch in close by gardening centre .