A walk around Longham Lakes, Dorset

Over the last few weeks we have been busy finding new walks to do as close to home as possible.

My kids are all involved in scouts and one of the Beaver’s Leaders told me to try Longham Lakes, which is set just off Ringwood Road in Longham, East Dorset.

I decided to walk it from home, which is a little tricky now that the roads are back to normal as there are no set pedestrian crossings to use and it is a busy main road. If going with the kids, I would suggest taking the car and parking in the pay and display car park provided.

It is worth noting that the toilets are not currently open, however there is Haskins and two lovely country pubs; The Kings Arms and The Bridge House a short walk away, which are all open for business.

There are few different ways to get to the lakes, but most (excluding the car park) involve walking down narrow pathways and climbing over stiles. I used the path that is opposite the Bridge House Hotel next to the Water Treatment Works.

Once alongside the lakes, the paths are wide and mostly flat, perfect for walking, cycling and prams / pushchairs or wheelchairs.

There are plenty of places to stop and sit, to watch the wildlife. During my walk I spotted ducks, swans, geese and reed warblers as well as plenty of butterflies and dragonflies.

The lakes are also surrounded by rushes and reeds with wild flowers in abundance.

There are two lakes to walk around, which total around 1.5 miles in total. Lake one is specifically for fishing, whilst lake two is used by local clubs for canoeing, model yachts and model planes.

I saw a few fisherman dotted around as I walked as Longham Lake is a great mixed fishery, with a reputation as one of Dorset’s great coarse fisheries with a variety of species including Carp, Pike, Tench and Bream.

All in all it is a lovely walk for all abilities and I will be taking the kids over the summer holidays.

Have you visited Longham Lakes?

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• family walk
• ferndown
• fishery
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• walking