Working for a round harbour trail Home Background Route Progress Contacts Links Local History Walks - Linear Walks - Circular Cycling

Walk5

Temporary Walk

We have called our temporary walk Walk 5b, to complete the Poole Harbour Trail pending our preferred option, see our online leaflet.

Preferred Walk 5

Unfortunately current rights of way and roads take you rather a long way away from the harbour. We have called the missing part of the trail the "Lytchett Gap". Our preferred option would be to confirm the right of way along the route of the old railway line that was used by the cordite factory at Holton Heath, which, if we are successful, we will call the "Cordite Way". This would lead to a new bridge crossing the mouth of Lytchett Bay to Hamworthy.

The map on the right and this leaflet are our idea of what such a walk would look like.

Confirming the Right of Way

The track mentioned above is well used, but not currently legally confirmed as a public right of way. You can find it to the south of Holton Heath Nature Reserve, starting at about SY 953 909 just off the roundabout and going alongside the main railway line, eventually crossing over the railway and continuing as far as Rockley Jetty. If this could be made a public right of way, it would help to start to close the Lytchett Gap, leaving only crossing Lytchett Bay itself to complete an excellent trail around Poole Harbour.

This path happens to be enjoyed by many local people who have not even heard of our aspirations for a National Trail, but they cannot walk it at the moment as a large gate and a spoil heap have been placed across its access. If you are one of those people, it would be great if you could help us to claim the path as a public right of way.

Please help! To claim the track as a public right of way, we had to collect witness statements from people who have used it. We already have a number of witness statements and have started the claim process, but more statements would always be useful. Have you used this path at any time or do you know of anyone who has? If so we’d be grateful if you would complete a witness statement. Download one from here and send it to us.

Wherever you walk, always follow the Countryside Code

Page updated 2nd October 2015.