Simples.

If you look at an OS map it will show a couple of small bridleways but the remainder is footpath.

Simples. 🙂

WCA will know, he lives that way and rides Lordswood a lot (so quite close by)

Check your OS (as said)

you can ride pretty much all of it, however, not a great deal of it is fun to ride.
i used to ride the Eastleigh to Winchester section daily as my commute (better than the roads).
The Winchester part is nice, well maintained – plenty of gates to open and close tho, the Eastleigh section is quite overgrown unless they have cut it (approx twice a year) beyond Eastleigh down to the coast it goes under the M3 round the back of the airport a bit dull, and overgrown, it is not a great ride to be honest.

IMHO it is a much nicer walk from Winchester down to the pub in Shawford a pint/lunch and back again.
or as a good commutting route as it is flat and quick.
if it has been raining some parts do flood.

not when it’s hot like this; too busy.

Night time only!

The bit from Eastleigh to Southampton is fun at pace with a couple of mates.

Cheers folks. The main reason I’m asking is I live north of Upham by a few miles and most of my friends live in Southampton. Its a good run along the south down way to Winchester, so thought I would pick up the Itchen way there and head down to theirs.

I’ve had my fair share of tuts and huffs in the area (i only ride the bridle ways between Winchester and East meon), and was not wanting some git to have a go for being on the path. I’m close to giving up the polite apologetic stance and blowing my top.

Had a belter of a circular route today though instead. Milburys pub, south downs west bound then popped down to cheriton. Bridleways all the way to Warnford then up old winchester hill. Pick up the south downs way westbound back to the milburys. Well worth it!!!!

The footpath is tight and narrow towards the Southampton end. Night Time its ace, daytimes its mega busy with walkers and to be fair to them it is a footpath. If it was wider then fair game but it is a case of getting off and walking sometimes just to get past.