Winchester green spaces

[sandcastlesandseasalt]

We're looking at moving to Fulflood in Winchester. We've been and explored and it is a beautiful city with lots going on. The issue is that we have children who are energetic and outdoorsy. Where we currently live we tend to go to the park at least once a day and I'm not sure that there are that many green spaces on that side of Winchester. I know that you can go into town and out the other side to go to the nature reserve, or St Catherine's Hill, but those all involve pretty serious hills for small legs so I can't quite imagine us spontaneously popping to the park very much. I think I'm spoilt with our current green space, but Oram's Arbour isn't much of a park!

My question is whether there are any hidden walks out of the Weeke end of Winchester that you could walk to from Fulflood? Any advice about living there with small and active children is much appreciated!

Out towards kings worthy there’s a big playing field with good park and woody area which is great for kids. My 2.5 year old walked up St Catherine’s hill virtually every day during lockdown so it’s fine for kids! The water meadows are also nice. Can’t really think of any big spaces walkable to fulfil of though.
As someone who grew up there I would say Winchester is ok for small kids and adults but painfully boring for teens. Hopefully by the time yours get older things will have improved though! It’s a safe feeling city although does lack diversity and is a bit of a MC bubble. My parents often insinuate they are on the poorer end of their friendship group and have a 2 million pound house and are minted…!

You could walk to the golf course the other side of chilbolten avenue or it's not far to river park and winnall moors, or along the river towards kingsworthy, or or around Barton farm - if you are willing to walk a fair bit there's plenty of green space

I adore that nature reserve at the bottom of town. And the walks by the river.

Everywhere is Winchester is walkable (pretty much!), but it is a bit of a pain to have to walk in order to have a walk, I get it. But does it have to be Fulfood? If access to open spaces and walks is high on your criteria, there are other nice areas you could move to.

There is a decent play area with swings etc in the old YMCA field opposite Waitrose - around 15 mins walk from Fulflood. But probably smaller than Oram’s Arbour! The longer walks are through the water meadows, through the golf course or out to Farley Mount/Crab Wood.

Yes indeed you can get to top of Dean Lane corner woods take you across to Sparsholt.Butterfly Farm off the Arlesford Road and South Downs way. Farley Mount, cycle to Easton path at the top of Tescos.