Outside Farnborough station, turn right and follow the road to the traffic lights at Prospect Road and turn left. When you reach the end of the tennis courts turn right into Holly Road. When you reach Highfield Road, take the footpath directly in front of you to the right of the house. Continue to the very end of the next road and turn right.

You will cross a bridge over Cove Brook. Immediately after the bridge, cross to the other side and turn left along the footpath along the brook. Keep left at the first junction. When the ground recovers from the Southampton to London oil pipeline and new path creation it should be very interesting for insects and birdlife. Keep left on the path into the woodland.  Reach a concrete bridge with railings over Cove Brook. Turn right immediately before this. This path with grassland and trees on either side will lead you towards Southwood Country Park. You will reach the edge of a playing field, turn left past newly planted trees onto a slightly raised path and keep to the left-hand side of the row of tall trees in the middle of the grass area. Walk along this path with the lower wooded ground to your left. When you reach more dense woodland on your right-hand side turn sharp right keeping the woodland on your left and the path will lead you down to the Country Park Visitor Centre café.

Cross the road into Southwood Country Park West and turn right. Follow this path as it winds through meadows on your left where there is a row of older dead or dying trees providing homes for insects and birds that feed on them. A little further on this path you will pass stands of Lime and Alder trees much loved by Siskin and Lesser Redpoll in the winter time. Stay on this meandering path, passing a pond amongst the trees on your left. Keep going and you will soon have Southwood Woodlands on your right. Look for and cross a small wooden footbridge on the right leading into the Woodlands. Follow this fairly obvious path into the trees, bear to the left at the first junction. You soon meet  another junction so go left, then turn right onto another strong path. The open area you reach should be good in summer for butterflies, dragonflies, flowers and in spring, birdsong. Continue after this on the same path passing some big oak trees on your left hand side.

Reach a T junction with a bench in front of you and turn left and then left again on a strong made-up path. This mixed woodland is well used and has many paths and tracks, but remain on the main path in front of you. On your left through the trees, you may see another area of fairly open ground worth a little exploration to look for wildlife. Keep your bearings and return to the main path still going in the same direction. In November, there’s plenty of fungus to search for. You’ll pass a colourful signboard with suggestions of some of the nature you may find through the woodland. Continue on this path until a second signboard on your right-hand side. Continue around the left-hand bend and you will soon see a path on your right marked by various Silverbirch logs which exits the woodland. Reach the tarmac path and turn right, stay on the same tarmac and skirt the roundabout taking the road to the right. After, just a few yards, on your left, you’ll find a path alongside metal gates, leading into Hartland Country Park. The noticeboard tells you of some of its nature attractions. I recommend sticking to the main footpath through the park. At the main footpath junction turn right towards Butterfly Bank avoiding Hartland Village. After a nice wooded section with some heather, you soon see the pond area and stands of reed over to the right and the area is set out as a picnic place and worth a visit. I understand it is very good for dragonflies in this area. The butterfly bank has been created the other side of the pond. Returning to the main path follow it with the noticeboard on your right-hand side all the way to the car park.

Cross the road to the white gates and follow the long straight track behind them. You will have woodland on your left and some heathland on your right. When the track bends around to the left, continue on it. Continue past the cattle grid on the main track. Eventually you meet a wooden bridge on your right-hand side, turn sharp right and follow the path with blue marker posts alongside the stream. When you reach another wooden bridge don’t cross and turn left then left again. Follow this path, stopping at viewing points to see the birds as it takes you around Fleet Pond and leads you to Fleet Station. With the station and station car park directly in front of you turn left, cross the wooden footbridge and after a short walk turn right into the Fleet station forecourt.

Trains to Farnborough leave from platform 1.