St Mary & All Saints in Ellingham dates from the 13th century; nearby Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve is used by thousands of birds year-round. The Huff Duff offers a different historical perspective on radio direction finding during the Second World War. This gives you different interests to consider when planning your trip: church and religious history, nature, and the history of technology.
St Mary & All Saints: Church and Churchyard
The grave of Alice Lisle is in the churchyard of St Mary & All Saints. Along with the church’s age, this provides a specific cultural focus: you can combine a visit to the church with architectural history and a grave belonging to a named person. The church is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm; as opening hours may change, check the information before your visit.
Church services are also part of the place’s character: they are rooted in the Book of Common Prayer, and there are services for families. Alongside the historic building, this offers a religious tradition and another way to experience the church. Opening hours set the time frame for a visit, while the tradition of services describes its religious character.
The Huff Duff and Its History
The Huff Duff was a radio direction-finding station during the Second World War. The air-raid shelter associated with it was built for the crew of the nearby radio direction-finding station. Unlike the church, the historical focus here is on wartime radio technology and protecting the station’s crew. The walking route to the Huff Duff is off Ellingham Drove or Highwood Lane near Rockford in Hampshire.
Blashford Lakes: Birds and Paths
Blashford Lakes is in the area around Ellingham and is used by thousands of birds year-round, including kingfishers, lapwings, and oystercatchers. Their presence throughout the year makes birdlife a nature interest beyond a single season. For travellers particularly interested in birds, the large numbers and named species provide specific points of reference for the nature part of the trip.
The nature reserve has 8 km of surfaced gravel paths that are suitable for wheelchairs and electric buggies. Their length, surface, and suitability can help you assess the paths against your own planning needs. The reserve’s main car park is on the north side of Ellingham Drove. As access information may change, check the latest details before your visit.
Plan Visits Around Your Interests
For practical planning, the priorities differ: at the church, the daily opening hours matter; at Blashford Lakes, the path features and location of the main car park are useful details. If you would like to combine culture and nature, consider the two sets of visiting information separately and check the latest details for each.
Discover more destinations: Fleet, Micheldever, Heckfield, Hamble-Le-Rice, Breamore, Cadnam, Lyndhurst, Houghton
For the broader travel overview: Hampshire.
