Blendworth Fields, Horndean

Blendworth Fields Local Area

Your new home is approximately a 10-minute walk from Horndean village centre, which has amenities shown on the map below, including several places to eat, an Everetts Pharmacy, and a Nisa convenience store. The surrounding area also has Keydell Nurseries, a garden centre that is just 0.3 miles away, and a Morrisons 1.2 miles away.

Further afield, you can reach Waterlooville which offers more town centre amenities and Wellington Retail Park. You can get there via the number 8 and 37 bus services (more information below).

Benefits to walking

There are lots of benefits to walking. Not only is it free, but it also has a variety of health benefits too! These include:

• Increasing your cardiovascular fitness
• Lowering anxiety and stress
• Boosting your energy and improving your mood
• Strengthening your bones, improving your balance and boosting your muscle power

Schools you can walk to

There are also a number of schools within walking distance of Blendworth Fields, these are:

• Horndean Infant School (16-minute walk or 5-minute cycle)
• Horndean C of E Junior School (19-minute walk or 6-minute cycle)
• Horndean Technology College (22-minute walk or 7-minute cycle)

Horndean Green Trail and Heritage Network

The Horndean Green Trail & Heritage Network is a local trail that links Horndean, Catherington and Blendworth in a loop. The route includes countryside, sites of natural and heritage interest and local businesses. The full route can be found at https://horndeanpc-hants.gov.uk/green-trail-and-heritage-network/ or see the downloadable PDF attached below for the Blendworth Trail that passes Blendworth Fields.

Public Rights of Way

There are many Public Rights of Ways available for you to explore near to Blendworth Fields, see these in our map below to find your perfect walking route. You may also want to utilise Bridleway 119/25/1 to walk or cycle towards Havant!

To see more information on your local Public Rights of Way visit: https://maps.hants.gov.uk/rightsofwaydefinitivemap/

Local Walking group

You can also join your local walking group to socialise as well as follow a set route, with a variety of difficulties available. Your closest Ramblers walking group is the South East Hampshire Group who offer your first three walks for free. They regularly use paths such as the South Downs Way, the Monarch’s Way, the Wayfarer’s Way, the Serpent Trail and several more. These range from leisurely walks to more strenuous hikes. For more information visit their website at https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking/ramblers-groups/south-east-hants-group.

Local Cycling Routes

National Cycle Network Route 222 runs close to your home, through Horndean, connecting cyclists to Portsmouth to the south and Farnham to the north. For more information on cycling in Horndean you can visit: https://horndeanpc-hants.gov.uk/maps-and-cycle-routes/

Your Local Bike Shop

Your nearest Halfords is in Havant and only a 33-minute cycle or a 15-minute drive away. They offer a range of bikes, clothing and accessories, alongside a free 25-point bike check to ensure your bike is safe. These are available at: https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-maintenance/free-bike-check/free-bike-check-605064.html

The Benefits of Cycling:

As with walking, cycling has lots of benefits too! On top of the numerous health benefits, cycling can also:

• Save you money in-comparison to maintaining a car
• Help tackle air pollution by not using fuel
• Improve your mental health by exercising in the fresh air

Your Nearest Bus Stop

The nearest bus stop to Blendworth Fields is ‘Horndean Precinct’ located near the Premier Inn on Portsmouth Road (as shown on the local facilities map). The bus stop is a 10-minute walk away and is served by both the No 8 First Bus service and No 37 Stagecoach service to destinations such as Havant and Portsmouth. Services are listed below:

• First Bus 8 – Portsmouth to Clanfield – every 15 – 30 minutes Monday to Sunday
• Stagecoach 37 - Havant to Petersfield – every 1 - 1.5 hours Monday to Saturday

Further timetabling information is available on the services' respective websites, https://www.firstbus.co.uk/portsmouth-fareham-gosport/plan-journey/timetables and https://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables.

Alternatively, download the 'Stagecoach Bus' or 'First Bus' apps to get timetable and real time bus location information to your phone. Available on both iOS and Android.

Your Nearest Train Station

Rowlands Castle Railway Station (RLN) is located approximately 3.8km south-east of your home at Blendworth Fields; accessible within a 15-minute cycle.

Their facilities include:

• 4 CCTV covered cycle storage spaces
• Some step-free access
• Ticket machine
• Sheltered waiting area
• Wi-Fi

Services

Rowlands Castle Train Station is served by South Western Railways which run an hourly service between Portsmouth and London Waterloo. This service routinely stops at stations including Havant, Guildford, and Woking.

For more information head to https://www.southwesternrailway.com/.

Alternate Train Stations

For other services and better accessibility facilities you can use both Petersfield (approximately 30 minutes on the 37 service) and Havant Railway Stations (approx 40-50 minutes on the 37 service), which also have toilets, waiting rooms, step-free access to all platforms, and refreshment facilities. From Havant station, passengers can also travel across the South Coast; mainly between Southampton and Brighton but there are also services to London Gatwick and London Victoria.

Network Railcard

Purchasing a Network Railcard will give you up to a 1/3 off rail fares across the southeast (inc. London). Visit https://www.railcard.co.uk/ for more information on which railcard is best suited to you.

Getting the train with a bike

If you’re a keen cyclist and fancy getting the train, then plan your journey with the National Rail website. It’s a free resource tool with all the information you need to plan a stress-free journey, visit https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/on-the-train/train-travel-with-bicycles/.

Car Sharing

Save money by sharing costs with other people – a commuter can typically save around £1,000 a year by carsharing. Reduce stress and cut your carbon footprint at the same time.

Liftshare is a free car share scheme where passengers can request a ride and drivers announce their journeys which in turn other users can join. Liftshare is a great way to get around your local area or beyond and make new friends! Request a ride or advertise your journey for free here https://liftshare.com/uk.

My Journey Car Share

Visit https://myjourneyhampshire.com/ to plan your journeys. The website has advice on travel in Hampshire, from walking and cycling to the latest ticket offers on bus and rail.

Electric vehicles

Considering the national move towards hybrid and electric vehicles in the coming years? Now is the time to make the switch and go electric! Electric and hybrid vehicles are more affordable than you think and offer numerous benefits over petrol and diesel vehicles. Your nearest charging points are:

• Morrisons Horndean, PO8 9FB
• MFG Horndean, PO8 9FB

Zapmap also provides useful information on nearby public charging points when you're out and about. https://www.zapmap.com/

Efficient Driving Tips

Still need to drive your own car? There are many ways to help improve your fuel efficiency, which in turn saves you money on your fuel bill. Why not try some of the following techniques:

• Remove unnecessary weight from your car such as roof racks or boxes
• Avoid breaking and accelerating hard by driving smoothly
• Limit the use of your air conditioning
• Check your tyres are fully inflated
• Stick to the speed limit – speeding often leads to higher fuel consumption