River Meon

The River Meon is a chalk stream in Hampshire that begins near East Meon and flows 34 kilometres south to the Solent at Hill Head. It passes through the South Downs National Park above Wickham and winds through villages such as West Meon, Warnford, Exton, Corhampton and Meonstoke. The river’s course follows a shepherd’s-crook shape, descending through Droxford, Wickham and Titchfield before reaching the sea. Near Titchfield it spreads into an estuary over two miles wide, crossing the marshes of the Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve. The valley’s straight stretches are interrupted by small bends, giving the stream its characteristic wobbles. The river has never been navigable above the estuary, though Titchfield Haven once served as a minor harbour. In the 17th century the Earl of Southampton built a sluice to drain the marshes, creating the Titchfield Canal. The wetlands were later restored and now form the Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve. The Environment Agency rates the river’s ecological status by measuring biological and chemical conditions. In 2019 its overall ecological status was moderate, based on invertebrates, plants and fish as well as chemical safety. Visitors walk beside the river through the villages and along the South Downs National Park. The chalk stream supports a variety of wildlife in its clear waters and surrounding marshes. At Titchfield Haven the reserve offers views across the wide estuary and out to the Solent. The gentle valley path follows the shepherd’s-crook curve of the Meon, passing water meadows and old bridges.