Want an attractive and easy walk with plenty to see?

Then this one from Portchester to Fareham fits the bill because it is flat with no stiles with views over creeks that are called lakes.

  • The start is a car park next to Portchester Castle off Waterside Lane where parking charges apply at £1.10 per hour. Allow at least 4 hours or more if you intend to visit the cafe or the pub. There are opportunities to park before you get there in Castle Street.
  • Take the path between the toilets and the north side of the Castle walls, part of Waterside Lane.
  • Proceed clockwise around the outside of the Castle.
  • As you go down the east side there are fine views across Paulsgrove Lake.
  • At a gateway in the east wall you can see into the Castle grounds. If it is open you can go inside and visit St. Mary’s Church. You have to pay to visit the Castle buildings in the NW corner of the walled enclosure.
  • As you round the corner to the south side of the Castle the vast expanse of Portsmouth Harbour is ahead with the City in the distance.
  • Half way along the south wall bear left away from it to keep to the shoreline.
  • After 100 metres you need to pass to the left of a concrete block wall and a property with frontage to the shore. (0.35 miles) The shore path will take you in about 80 metres to the end of Hospital Lane.
  • Should the path be underwater at high tide, return a few yards and walk towards the Castle walls and continue to follow them clockwise along the west wall and just before reaching the Castle Keep you will reach a roadway leading to a gate in the west wall.
  • Turn left along it walking away from the Castle. Pass Waterside Lane again and at an oak tree in an island in the road turn left down Hospital Lane until you reach the shoreline.
  • To the left you can see the short section you avoided here, go right.
  • Continue by following the path along the top of the sea wall which is fenced off from a roadway to the right.
  • Pass over the entrance to a small yacht basin next to a castellated house and you come out into some open space with a shoreline path made of blocks. You are now looking up another creek called Fareham Lake.
  • At the other end of the open space, you again need to use a path on the seaward side of shoreline properties (0.86 miles) and it is the first 50 metres that could be underwater at very high tide after which the shore path is on the top of a sea wall.
  • In the event of high tide turn right when you reach the end of the green onto the nearby road and then turn left and then immediately right along Lansdowne Avenue.
  • At a T junction turn left and follow Merton Crescent crossing Merton Avenue and at a T junction turn left along Grove Avenue and at the end of the road you will have returned to the shoreline only 200 metres west of where you had the high tide problem.
  • The shoreline path leads into more open space and at the end of it continue on the shore path, initially between the shore on the left and houses on the right, after which there is yet more open space.
  • Continue to follow the path along the shore and then the path becomes fenced off from fields to the right.
  • Just before reaching a boat yard there is a signposted junction of paths.
  • For the Salt Cafe go straight on along the England Coast Path.
  • For this walk leave the shore to go right inland along a path through undergrowth and through a kissing gate into a field.
  • Go straight across the field to another kissing gate and once on the other side of it turn left along another path.
  • Keep straight on along this path through a kissing gate until you exit onto a minor road. (1.93 miles) 
  • Turn right along the minor road to a T junction with another road and turn left.
  • When the road ends enter Wicor Recreation Ground and turn left through the car park to the shoreline.
  • Other than at high tide you can get here along the shore from the cafe.
  • Now you need to just keep following the coast.
  • Initially the sport pitches are off to the right as you wend your way through trees and bushes.
  • Then it is out around a lovely bay with views over Great Cams Lake.
  • Next at 1.92 miles you have Cams Lake on the left and a golf course on the right.
  • When you reach the point where the shoreline path has been reconstructed  as a Mobility Trail (3.67 miles), Salterns Lake is to the left.
  • The Mobility Trail comes out onto the access road (4.73 miles) to the Cams Hall Estate; follow it ahead to the A27 (5 miles). There is a path off the access road to the Cams Mill Pub.
  • Cross the A27 via the central reservation to the bus stop. Get the 3 or X4 bus going east to Portchester Precinct near a large roundabout.
  • Take Castle Street going south from the roundabout.
  • Look out for the narrow and short Cow Lane on the left (0.25 miles), go down it and when it ends as a road continue straight on along a path which will lead to the sea wall along Paulsgrove Lake (0.47 miles).
  • Follow the sea wall to the right until reaching Waterside Lane and the Castle (0.91 miles) turn right along the Lane back to the start (1 mile).
  • If you have the time now pay a visit to the Castle – go anti-clockwise around the walls to the Castle Street entrance.

To find your local group of the Ramblers go to hampshireramblers.org.uk