Forrom two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Forrom here.

This is a check of the Fordingbridge to Nomansland section of this route.

It is generally a good route (with the exception of the main road out of Fordingbridge) mainly using paths through open heathland, then paths through Bramshaw Wood. It is reasonably direct.

The route follows the main B3078 Southampton Road out of Fordingbridge, cuts off through a footpath through Sandy Balls holiday park, rejoins the B3078 for a short stretch to Godshill, then crosses open forest, then heads up through the woods to Nomansland.

The only problematic section of the route is the stretch out of Fordingbridge. The route leaves Fordingbridge along the main B3078 Southampton Road across the bridge. For the latter part of this first mile there is no pavement on this busy road, and the verges are narrow. However, there are clearly worn paths along the verges, suggesting this is a well-used route. I could not find a good nearby alternative route out of Fordingbridge, hence the 3 stars. The solution may be to take a southern route through Stuckton, and join up with this route just before Ashley Range (the WW2 bomb target), but I haven’t checked this.
A minor correction is required where the route follows the boundary of Apsley Copse up to Pipers Wait. The stretch round Apsley Cross is very boggy, and it would be better to stay on the B3078 for approx. 400m more (the verges are wide), then join the footpath through the woods to Pipers Wait.
Another minor correction would be to avoid the road from Piper’s Wait to Nomansland, which can be busy with narrow verges in places, by taking a path through Bramshaw Wood (this is a popular walking area, and there are many paths), either to the pub at Nomansland, or cutting the corner to cross the B3079 and join Furzley Road.

I will submit an update of this route to make these changes, and those suggested by Nickw4426.

Generally a nice route, @Pter's modification being a good way to avoid the private land and busy roads to the west of Romsey.

Further west, I would recommend modifying the route to use less road walking, of which there is more than there needs to be. North of West Wellow you can use Wellow FP 24 to avoid the dogleg to the east on Foxes Lane. South of the A36 at West Wellow you can access the heathland directly from the A36. Various routes through Bramshaw Wood can avoid the road walking round Nomansland, Finally, footpaths in the Sandy Balls area, north of the B3079, can lessen the amount of road walking going into Fordingbridge.

Three stars, but five to Pter for finding the best route out of Romsey given the circumstances.

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