Shipwrights Way - Liphook to Liss
A short history of The Shipwrights Way
The Shipwrights Way is a long-distance route linking villages and towns in east Hampshire through some beautiful countryside. Starting at Alice Holt Forest near Farnham across the South Downs to Portsmouth. The route is open to walkers and cyclists and, where possible, horse-riders and people with disabilities.
Relevant information for this leg of the Way
Around two miles from Liphook is the Deers Hut pub, which offers refreshments and meals. The end at Liss, offers cafés, pubs, shops and car parking. Both Liphook and Liss have railway stations. The journey between them is only 6 minutes, departing approximately hourly in either direction
Key
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- Route
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- Temporarily closed
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- Restricted use
Directions
This section is just over 7 miles long; you can return along the same route or other rights of way or use the train.
The route forms a spur off the main Bordon to Liss route and is recommended for the scenery, the varieties of heathland, pine woods and sunken lanes.
Starting at Liphook railway station the Way leaves the road at the Links Tavern. The route travels along the edge of Liphook golf course and through the Foley Estate. It passes the equestrian statue of Lord Strathnairn and beautiful lakes with swans and water lilies.
This leads to a woodland track, emerging briefly at the Deers Hut Public House at Griggs Green before turning southwards along another track. This track rises gently to a high point with views of the Surrey Hills to the north and the South Downs to the south.
The sandy track continues downhill along the edge of some heathland managed by the MOD. It then passes through pines to reach small country lanes at a bridge over the railway line. These lanes lead through to a disused military railway. The railway is now a large path with oak bridges winding through mature trees alongside the River Rother and emerging right in the centre of Liss.
This section is open to walkers (and dogs), cyclists and horse-riders, and provides a fair to good route for pushchairs and mobility vehicles. Horse-riders may wish to avoid the centre of Liphook and Liss.
Most of this section is off-road, on undulating tracks which are sandy, earthen, stone or tarmacked. However the sections just before and after Weavers Down may be muddy after prolonged rain. There are three bridle gates, which each open to around 5ft wide.
Partnership working between East Hampshire District Council, Hampshire County Council, the Forestry Commission and the South Downs National Park Authority provided the route.