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You are here: Home / Community / A Walk in the Park

A Walk in the Park

April 23, 2017 By chippy minton 7 Comments

We’re at the time of year when the evenings are light enough for a short walk after work or after dinner.  But where to go?  Somewhere that’s not too far away, doesn’t need a map to navigate around, and is more interesting than wandering round a housing estate.

How about Fleming Park?

Fleming Park?  Really?

To many people, Fleming Park is synonymous with the sports centre; it’s where you go to swim, play badminton or squash (I don’t do any of those).  But the building (and its under-construction replacement) cover only a small area of the site.  Fleming Park stretches the entire length of Passfield Avenue and includes all-weather playing surfaces, football pitches, a cricket square, and a children’s play area and paddling pool.

But unless you are a runner or dog-walker, you may not have ventured beyond the line of beech trees, over the Monks Brook, and discovered the scenery of the  old golf course.

Monks Brook at Fleming Park

Bridge over Monks Brook

Avenue of trees at Fleming Park

Fleming Park Old Golf Course

This area is maintained as a semi-wild parkland and provides a scenic and tranquil venue for a stroll.  There are wildflowers to see, such as these cowslips.

Cowslips at Fleming Park

The grass is mown to a longer length than the sports side part of the park, and a mile-long path winding round the perimeter provides a dry walkway in all weathers.

Cycle path at Fleming park

There are still remnants of the park’s previous life, such as raised teeing-off areas and the occasional notice …

Remnants of old gold course - golf tee

Remnants of old gold course - golfers only sign

… but in recent months Eastleigh Borough Council has removed many of the non-indigenous trees that screened the parallel fairways, giving the park a more natural look.

Fleming Park Old Golf Course

 

Fleming Park Old Golf Course

And now is a good time to enjoy these trees in their spring beauty.

Tree Blossom at Fleming Park

Tree Blossom at Fleming Park

And if you go there during the day, you can visit the Blackbird Café for a drink or light snack.  I can recommend the bacon baps.  And, something that is beyond the capability of CostaBucksNero#1 – recyclable takeaway cups!

Recyclable Coffee Cup from Blackbird Cafe

All photos were taken by the author and are © Chandler’s Ford Today.

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Tags: coffee shop, Fleming Park, local interest, nature, walks

About chippy minton

I've lived in Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh for most of my working life, with interspersed with a few years in north-west Hampshire (though remaining a regular visitor to the area).

I work in IT, and my hobbies include bell ringing, walking and cycling. I am also a self-confessed “born-again runner” having discovered parkrun in 2015.

I enjoy live theatre and music, and try to watch many of the shows that are performed in the Eastleigh area.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Janet Williams says

    April 23, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    The next Chandler’s Ford Today meeting will be held at Blackbird Café!

    Thanks for introducing Fleming Park to us. I have never known these secret places!

    Reply
    • chippy says

      April 24, 2017 at 9:29 pm

      I went there again yesterday. I didn’t put in my post that there are also plenty of benches on which you can sit and watch the world go by. Unfortunatley, as it was Sunday, the Blackbird Cafe was closed.

      Reply
      • Janet Williams says

        April 24, 2017 at 10:08 pm

        May I suggest that elction hustings are held there? More relaxing that way.

        Reply
    • chippy says

      April 24, 2017 at 9:34 pm

      Were it not for parkrun, I wouldn’t have discovered it either!

      Reply
  2. Hazel Bateman says

    April 24, 2017 at 3:48 pm

    Wow – brilliant – another place for a dog walk! And with convenient parking too!

    Reply
    • chippy says

      April 24, 2017 at 9:33 pm

      Yes, when I went there yesterday afternoon I think we were the only people without a dog. As I am close enough to walk there, I didn’t think of mentioning parking in my post, but you are right, there is plenty. Either at Fleming Park or by the Pavilion on the Park in Magpie Lane. There may also be limited parking in the road running between the leisure centre and the site of the old civic offices. Or you could park in Falkland Road and walk down the path – a path to the old golf course branches off just after the subway.

      Reply
      • chippy says

        April 24, 2017 at 9:35 pm

        And full credit to the dog walkers of Eastleigh and Chandler’s Ford – I’ve never seen any dog mess.

        Reply

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