Update: Since writing this article, the Forestry Commission has closed Hut Wood to public access.
Hut Wood is one of those delightful bits of countryside that is just on our doorstep, yet few people seem to know about.
Well, there is an excuse – it’s managed by the Forestry Commission, but even their website doesn’t admit to its existence.
The wood lies to the west of the road from Asda in Eastleigh to Chilworth, just before the bridge over the M27 link road.
There is a small off-road parking area adjacent to the entrance. It is a delightful place for a walk, with well-made tracks providing access around the area. Note that although the paths are well-made, they can also be muddy in places.
Stout shoes are needed this time of the year, and walking boots are essential in the winter. And if you find that someone has cut canals between the puddles in the pathways, you’ll know that I’ve been there first!
As you enter the woods, the noise from the motorway is quite loud. But as you delve deeper, the traffic noise dies away and the birds start to sing – though as my young companion pointed out, the birds have always been singing – it’s just that now we can hear them above the background noise.
And, in actual fact, that traffic noise does turn out to have a useful purpose. There are no waymarks in the woods – the direction of the sound helps you find the way back to the car!
The woods contain a variety of trees and shrubs – mostly pine-type (sorry, I’m not good on tree identification), but also oak, beech, birch, elderflower, gorse and holly – and several others too.
Birds and butterflies dart about (usually too quick for the camera). For the artistic among you, there are some interestingly shaped trees, and some wonderful lighting effects filter through the leaves.
A wonderful place to visit on a sunny day to just sit quietly and relax. Or on a dull day, to get a bit of gentle exercise.
Great article and wonderful photos. Looks a good place to walk our dog. Thanks for bringing this to light.
WENT THERE TODAY 19.03.2017 AND THERE WERE LOADS OF SCRAMBLER BIKES RIDING UP AND DOWN THE PATHS WHICH HAVE BEEN TURNED TO MUD LOTS OF TREE CLEARING GOING ON. NOT THE PLACE THAT WE W ERE EXPECTING TO SEE !!!! NOT A PLACE FOR A GENTLE WALK !!!
The Forestry Commission has raped this wood, it has cut down well over half the trees in it and has not put anything back. THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT! Am going to raise it to the local MP.
How often do you go to the wood, and what damage have you evidenced caused by the work?
It has been carefully managed and is an operational woodland. The large cleared area has facilitated this year to the breeding on site of Nightjar and Tree Pipit which did not previously breed here.
The clearance work done to open up the rides and paths has increased the number of butterflies to 18 species now breeding include some rarities.
Yes, a large proportion of tree have been felled, but that is what happens when trees are grown as a commercial crop. I’m no apologist for the Forestry Commission but have no reason to believe that trees will not be replanted. I know nothing about growing trees, but maybe the ground needs time to recover before new trees are planted?
One other thing I noticed on my recent visit: parking restrictions in the lay-by near the entrance – double yellow lines and only a few (time-limited) parking spaces.
The cleared area has been replanted. It is now a wonderful area for rare breeding birds, lizards and snakes and provides a unique habitat.
Similarly the rides and paths host butterflies, dragonflies and many othe rlocally rare insects, escpecially ichnuemon wasps.
Park at the Chilworth Arms and walk in from the back.
The layby has been restricted to stop office workers using it all day. You have at least four hours in the bays, its never full (I go 3 times a week) and not many people visit the wood for that length of time
Sounds wonderful and I will visit there again soon.
Hi please can you tell me if this trial is easy walking for spectators Thank You Iris
I have just received a message back from the Forestry commission advising they are aware of a camp site within the woods, but also stating Hut wood is NOT open to the public!
I have walked my dogs here for years and the sign on the gate has recently changed – Reserved rights not open to public- but you can’t find out what this means, if any one knows please respond.
It is correct that Hut Wood is not open to the public and there is no access.
I have been reminded of this myself recently.
There is a conservation programme in place, and active forestry work regularly without notice and at any time.
This explains why there are no rights of way, no signs and no public access to the Wood.
A bridleway runs North / South from the Chilworth Arms to Templars Way.
There is a public footpath from Winchester Road through Velmore Farm that connects with this bridleway and runs along the northern perimeter boundary of the wood.
Moto-X is being challenged / prevented and the campsite has been removed
Reserved Rights means – I think – that FC has rights to manage the woodland in accordance with an agreed commercial programme, subject to conditions agreed with the landowners. This includes their right to restrict public access.
It is also worth bearing in mind that the boundary of jurisdiction between Eastleigh Borough Council and Test Valley Council runs along Winchester Road across the entrance to the Wood.
I am in constant touch with both bodies about flytipping at the gate.
Very unfortunate that sign has appeared – noticed that for the first time yesterday. Haven’t been in there for a while, but went there regularly in around 2009 and for the first time as long ago as 1995.
Indeed, last time I went in there, access had improved with a parking area and an unofficial but usable link to the bridleway at Chilworth. This meant that Hut Wood could be included in various circular walks in the area.
Unfortunate, but seems to be symptomatic of a gradual shutting down of some of these sorts of unofficial countryside areas in the past 5 years or so, after public access to the countryside improved from around the mid-nineties onwards. It’s not the first time I’ve seen former permissive paths or countryside areas shutting down after many years of open access.
As in a lot of places where public access had been denied, there is possibly an old ‘act’ or ‘by-law’ preventing the denial of access to the public or ‘commoners’ … maybe worth a bit of digging (a bit hard from Australia I’m afraid) …
As Martin Smith points out, not ALL is lost !!!
Keep smiling