This isn’t a formal ‘walk’ – rather one compiled by friends. They walked from the sea to the source of the Meon. We’re attempting it the other way round from the source to the sea!
The River Meon rises at East Meon and flows 21 miles to the Solent. It is a chalk stream, fed almost entirely by springs rather than by rain. For over half its length the river flows over the permeable chalk of the South Downs, with a visible change of character where the underlying geology changes to impermeable Reading Beds and London Clays near Wickham.
The river has been important to the community living nearby for hundreds of years. In 1086, there were already 33 mills on the river and there are the remains of water meadow systems dating back to the 1600s. The Meon is rich in biological heritage. The whole river is designated as a county Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) and the upper third is protected by the South Downs National Park. Apparently otter, bullhead, brook lamprey, water crowfoot, kingfisher and egrets can all be found on the river…we’ll keep our eyes peeled as we walk!
Embrace your inner goat 