Fleet Pond, Hampshire

The Pond is to the north of Fleet, just south of the railway line. It’s accessed from various roads in the Pondtail area of Fleet, the station car park (charges apply) and Southwood Lane off Cove Road.

Fleet Pond is the largest freshwater lake in Hampshire. The nature reserve has 141 acres (57ha) of varied habitats including heathland, woodland, reedbed and marsh, and is home for many species of birds, butterflies, dragonflies and wild flowers.

The recommended walks around Fleet Pond are marked by colour-coded posts and introduce a selection of wildlife habitats. Please keep to the well-used paths. There are 3 routes on the map.

The Short Walk (Red Markers) 1km

The Red Route will take you past The Dry Heath, one of the two open heathland areas, along wood-land paths. The Route visits Boathouse Corner with its fishing jetty designed for wheelchair use and the Picnic Site with a good view of the lake, the fringing reedbed and the open marsh. Please note that the section of path between Boathouse Corner and the Picnic Site is a woodland walk with many tree roots to trip the unwary.

Medium Walk (Yellow Markers) 3km

This route takes a full circuit of the lake. The northern and western footpaths are suitable for wheelchairs and children carriers in all but the wettest weather. Excellent views of the lake can be had from the northern and north-western footpaths and from Chestnut Grove landing stage. The path crosses Brookly Stream, one of the two feeder streams into the lake. The oldest section of Fleet Pond’s woodlands, at Sandhills, has good specimens of oak and Scots pine. A carpet of bluebells appears in early spring. Coldstream Glade attracts butterflies, bees and other insects and Sandy Bay is a popular spot for people, with informal seats and good views. At Sandy Bay, the Gelvert Stream, enters the lake. Near Westover Road access point, you will pass through an open glade and, on a warm sunny day, smell the pungent aroma of bog myrtle.

Long Route (Blue Markers) 4km

This follows the Yellow Route but extends to include Brookly Wood and Wood Lane Heath. Brookly Wood was once a private garden and contains some of the Reserve’s best beech trees. There are also “exotics” here: bamboo, rhododendron and laurels. The footpath through Brookly Wood is narrow and can be very muddy in winter. Wood Lane Heath is a moist heath. Late July and August are the best times to see the heather in flower. The footpath skirts the heath and is informal but firm.