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River Hamble Country Park

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River Hamble

Including Manor Farm

Just off of the M27 junction 8, River Hamble Country Park is a great place to visit for the whole family.

Run by Hampshire County Council, River Hamble Country Park is set in acres of land that you are free to explore and enjoy.

If you are looking for more things to do in Southampton then have a look at:

The Ultimate Guide to Things to do in Southampton With Kids – This is our full list of things to do in Southampton for the whole family. We have covered everything from cruise ship spotting to country parks to indoor activities.

11 Fun Things to do in Eastleigh for the Whole Family – Not far from Southampton, Eastleigh has a huge amount to do regardless of how old your family is.

Things to do in Romsey with Kids – Romsey is a great town to explore! Make sure you visit the famous cathedral followed by the huge park which has a gorgeous bandstand.

Things to do in Hampshire Guide

Wondering what to do today? Then our guide for ALL things Hampshire is for you!

If you are looking for things to do in Hampshire with kids then this guide is for you. We have over 200+ ideas that you can use to keep your whole family amused while exploring everything Hampshire has to offer!

View our Hampshire spreadsheet here and start exploring everything that Hampshire has to offer.

This is an up to date spreadsheet, in activity order, that you can use when you have no clue what to do. We’ve included everything from country parks, to splash pools, lakes, castles, days out, playgrounds and walks.

Planning your visit to River Hamble Country Park

Make sure you get the very best out of your day at River Hamble Country Park.

How to get to River Hamble Country Park

Just off of junction 8 of the M27. River Hamble Country Park is sat in what looks like a residential estate.

You are looking for Pylands Lane which has the postcode SO31 1BH. Once you go through the automatic barriers, you follow the sing track road to the car park of your choice.

River Hamble Country Park opening times

Nov to Feb: 8:30am to 5pm
Mar to Apr: 8:30am to 7:30pm
May to Aug: 8:30am to 8:30pm Sept to Oct: 8:30am to 7:30pm

How much does it cost to park at River Hamble Country Park?

Up to 1 hour: £2.50
Up to 2 hours: £4.50
Up to 4 hours: £6
Full day: £7

River Hamble Country Park has 6 car parks that cover the whole country park. Barnfield and Topland car parks are the biggest and the main car parks. They have the toilets and parking meters. They do only take card payments.

Bottom Copse car park, Hoemoor Copse car park, and Sandpit Copse car park are further away but are great if you plan to explore the river or the forest.

Manor farm car park is the furthest up and right by the farm.

Things to do at River Hamble Country Park

There is so much to do at River Hamble Country Park. This includes:

The playground – Right by the Barnfield car park, The Grace Dieu shipwreck playground is a great place for the kids to play. It has two ships, one for younger children and one for older kids. It has slides, climbing equipment, and holes to hide in.

There are plenty of benches here and a huge field which is a great place to have a picnic or to play some garden games.

Walks and trails – With over 400 acres of woodland, River Hamble Country Park has loads of different trails and forests you can walk through and enjoy. If you are looking to get closer to the river, then follow the trail near the playground. It will take you directly to the river.

Remember your wellies though as it can get muddy and a slippy at times.

Dogs are welcome at River Hamble Country Park but owners are asked to put dogs on leads around the playground and around The Barn. Dog bins are available.

HMS Cricket – HMS Cricket was built in 1943 and used to have 120 buildings to its name. While you are out walking, you may be lucky to see some of the remnants of HMS Cricket still today.

The wreck of the Grace Dieu – Once the flagship of King Henry V, the Grace Dieu burnt and sank during medieval times. Now, what remains of this amazing ship sits at the bottom of the River Hamble. You can see where it sunk from the pontoon at the bottom of the trail. It is marked with a big yellow cross.

Watersports – Being right on the River Hamble means that you can bring your own kayak or canoe and enjoy one of the most beautiful stretches of shoreline in Hampshire.

Food at River Hamble Country Park

There are loads of food options at River Hamble Country Park. The Barn at Barnfield is a great place to eat with the whole family. They offer vegan and locally sourced food that is perfect for whatever time you are visiting the park. The cafe is open from 10am to 4pm daily.

The Barn has benches outside to sit on and is very close to the playground and toilets. It’s a great place to stop for a snack or ice cream.

If you continue up the road, then you will come across Manor Farm’s cafe. They have a cafe just outside the farm entrance which serves a huge range of hot and cold food. There is seating inside.

Inside the farm they have the cafe at the Soft Play Barn. There are also benches here for you to enjoy your picnic on.

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Manor Farm Country Park

A great place to take the kids in the school holidays, Manor Farm is a great place to visit for the whole family. You will find family-friendly farm animals, soft play, and playgrounds that are great for younger kids.

Parking is right by the farm entrance. You don’t need to pay when you arrive but, if you are not a member then you do need to pay on your way out.

You do not need to buy tickets before you go. You can buy them on the day at the entrance. It is open all year round and also holds loads of events and activities.

They currently cost £9.50 for an adult. £8.50 for over 60s. £6.50 for kids aged 3 years to 16 years. Free entry for under 3s.

You can also buy a season ticket which includes unlimited visits to the farm throughout the year and free parking at the farm. This currently costs £70 for one person who can bring in 4 children or a family membership which is £90 for 2 adults and 4 children.

There is so much to do at Manor Farm. it is great for all ages of kids. It normally takes us about four to five hours to get around the farm but you could easily spend longer.

Read more about what to do at Manor Farm here.

Laura x 

If you enjoyed this post and would like some more ideas on things to do in Hampshire then head over to the Things To Do section here on Things To Do In Hampshire With Kids where you’ll find over 50 day out ideas in Hampshire that the whole family will enjoy. You could also pop over and follow our Facebook page here or our Hampshire days out Pinterest boards for lots more ideas on what you can do as a family in Hampshire; Days Out For The Kids in Hampshire and Cheap and Free Days Out in Hampshire.

River Hamble Country Park has so much to offer the whole family including a playground, wildlife and loads of walking trails by Laura at Things to do in Hampshire with kids

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