Itchen Navigation

Must walk the Itchen Navigation in Hampshire while I am still of an age to enjoy it.

I made a fleeting visit today and was overwhelmed by the presence of so many feathered friends - swans, gulls, ducks and indeed, crows.

The Navigation is over ten miles in length, connecting the ancient capital of Winchester with the open sea at Southampton, and today still bears traces of its role as a navigable canal which follows the route of the River Itchen, and in times gone by was an important trade route, particularly for agricultural produce. But it all fell into disuse as a canal when th railways came and ceased to be used as a canal in 1869.

It’s now best known for its recreational use as a long distance walk of the Itchen Way alongside the waterway as a heritage trail.

I am told the route provides habitat for a diverse range of flora and fauna . . . and certainly on this section as it nears the seas, a host of our feathered friends.