50 WALKS ROUND ANDOVER

A CHAIN OF WALKS.  ALL BETWEEN 7 T0 13KM (4.5 TO 8 MILES).

COMPILED BY GEOFF LEVY in May 2002

These walks are easy to follow but are made easier with an OS sheet as sometimes the instructions are very short. When walking with the Ramblers each leader, naturally, chooses a different walk which is not necessarily related to any of the other walks that season.  I personally found that, as a result of this patchwork walking, I knew certain areas quite well but could not link them together in my mind.  I felt that I needed a chain of walks that would give me a united view of the surrounding area.  Also when walking in a large group I tend to watch the heels of those in front, get engrossed in conversation, rely entirely on the leader and pay no attention to where I am going nor to the countryside around.

 

Also I, personally, because of my age found the 10 mile and upwards walks took too long, were rather a strain and resulted in my doing nothing else that day.  Besides, now that I am retired I cannot possibly afford all that time!  (I understand that this is not just my problem but is an international OAP problem).

 

The result was that I decided to walk a chain of shorter routes, each one linking up with one or more of the earlier walks.  The intention being to make a complete chain the whole way round Andover.  I soon found that this gave me a far better idea of the countryside.  Also, since I had to choose them myself  and sort them out on the map, I remembered them very much more clearly.  Furthermore I could get back for lunch and still be interested in other things in the afternoon!  Because the walks are intended to be morning or afternoon walks, virtually no pubs are mentioned and no pub car parks are used.

 

I hope, then, that these walks detailed here will be of use to others who are also not dedicated or very energetic walkers but would like to get to know the surroundings of Andover.  These are not a stretched out chain with the minimum possible number of walks to get round.  Rather you will find a number of walks in the same area where the routes seemed to me particularly nice.  All the way around there are, of course, many other fine footpaths not mentioned and unexplored.  I hope you will enjoy exploring them as much as I have.  Since these walks always overlap with others it is quite easy to compile longer walks from these.

 

The maps used are the Explorer No. 131, Romsey, Andover & Test Valley and No.144, Basingstoke Alton & Whitchurch both are 1:25000 scale, 4cm = 1km.  So all short distances have been stated in meters and total distances in kilometers and miles. 

Map References:  The six digit numbers in the text are map references. The first three digits are the horizontal (east/west) reference and the final three digits are the vertical (north/south) reference.

 

CONTENTS

 

(1)  Three Legged Cross - Wayfarers Walk - Faccombe - Curzon St. Farm - Crux Easton.

(2)  Doiley Bottom - Crux Easton - Ashmansworth - Curzon St. Farm

(3) Netherton Bottom - Curzon St Farm - Faccombe - Faccombe. Wood.

(4) Netherton Bottom - Faccombe - Netherton - Test Way.

(5) Pillheath  - Locks Drove - Ibthorpe - Test Way - Windmill Lane.

(6) Locke's Drove - Test Way - Upton - Rushmore Down.

(7) Hurstbourne Hill - Wildhern - Little London - Doles Wood.

(8)  Rushmore  Down - Upton - Upton Manor - Knyghts Mere  -  Well Bottom

(9) Vernham Dean - Knyghts Mere - Upton - Vernham Manor.

(10) Vernham Dean - Fosbury - Hippenscombe -Conholt Hill.

(11) Tangley - Well Bottom - Conholt Park - The Chutes.

(12) Lower Chute - Appleshaw - Biddesden House

(13) Cross Keys - Coldridge Wood - Crawlboys Farm - Honey Bottom.

(14) Scots Poor - Tidcombe - Beacon Farm - Hippenscombe.

(15) Scots Poor - Wexcombe – Brunton

(16) Scots Poor - White Lane - Cowbottom - Chantry Lane.

(17) Ludgershall - Collingbourne Wood.

(18) Ludgershall - Southey Bridge - Collingbourne Ducis

(19) Ludgershall - Little Shoddesden - Kimpton - Gt. Shoddesden.

(20) Fyfield - Kalis Corner - Kimpton

(21) Kimpton - Kimpton Down - Thruxton Aerodrome.

(22) Amport - Quarley - East Cholderton.

(23) Quarley - Cholderton - Quarley Hill.

(24) Quarley - Palestine.

(25)  Palestine - Over Wallop.

(26) The Wallops.

(27) Broughton - Nether Wallop.

(28) Broughton - Clarendon Way - Broughton Down.

(29) Broughton - Houghton.

(30) Kings Somborne - Horsebridge - Houghton.

(31) Stockbridge - Danebury - Longstock.

(32) Danebury - Fullerton - Longstock.

(33) Stockbridge - Kings Somborne.

(34) Kings Somborne - Little Somborne.

(35) Chilbolton - Leckford  - Stockbridge.

(36) Chilbolton - Wherwell - Harewood  Forest.

(37) Harewood Forest.

(38) Middle Way - Longparish - Test Way.

(39) Barton Stacey -  Bransbury - Newton Stacey.

(40) Longparish - Firgo Farm. 

(41) Longparish - Whitchurch.

(42) Whitchurch - Laverstoke.

(43) Whitchurch Northwestwards.

(44) St Marybourne - Egbury – Binley

(45) St Marybourne - Egbury - Coopers In The Wood.

(46) St Marybourne - Lower Wyke

(47) Doiley Bottom - Binley - Stoke Hollow.

(48) Egbury -  Cooper’s In The Wood Farm - Binley.

(49) Wadwick - Binley – Woodcott

(50) Three Legged Cross - Woodcott - Crux Easton.

(1)  THREE LEGGED CROSS - WAYFARERS WALK - FACCOMBE - CURZON ST. FARM - CRUX EASTON.

Start: On the road near 3 Legged Cross. 431574 . Parking for 3 cars only.                    Cross over the main Newbury Andover road and go NW along the Ox Drove Track. Follow this for 2.5 Km,  go 0.5 km along a small road and branch off leftish after 500m. After a further 500m turn left, SW,  over a field before Pilot Hill, zigzag left, right to the west side of wood and follow the cart track over the ridge  to Faccombe. Turn left on the road and go through Faccombe and onto the Ashmansworth Road.  After 300m from the road junction turn left by a gate and follow the edge of the field to the wood at 394580.  Turn right into the wood and the track leads steeply down to Curzon St. Farm.  This is only consists of an open barn and a deserted house.  Leave the farm eastwards towards Robins Croft Copse, go up  through the wood and then down past Privet Copse, through  Woodhay Poor to the Ashmansworth Road. Turn left towards  Ashmansworth and after 100m turn right. through a wood to the Ashmansworth/HBT road by Steeles Farm, 414571. Go ESE down Hipple Lane track to Crux Easton.  At the crossroads,  427564, turn NNE over two fields (the path is not beaten  over the second field) to the Woodstock road and on to 3 Legged Cross.

Distance:  12.5 km. - 7.8 miles.

This is a fairly hard (the Ox Drove can be muddy) and hilly walk.

 

(1) First Reduction: Turn left at 410593 along road from Ox Drove 1.5 km back to Ashmansworth, second left down Cross Lane back  to start Total 6.8 k - 4.25 miles

 

(2) Second Reduction: On the road at 410573 go direct to Ashmansworth and back up to the Ox Drove (Wayfarers Walk) and right back along to 3 Legged Cross. Total distance 12 km - 7.5 miles.

 

(2)  DOILEY BOTTOM - CRUX EASTON - ASHMANSWORTH - CURZON ST. FARM

 

Start: Doiley Bottom Car Park, 406551. Plenty of parking space.

Go  N.  50 m along the Newbury Road.  Turn right up  a  track  to 430560.  Turn Left to Crux Easton, straight over the crossroads at C.E. on down and over the main road. Go up the field to the stile and continue straight on in the same direction, NW,over the brow of the field and down to the bottom of the dip.  The path goes over a stile, through a little wood  and round the righthand side of the field up to Ashmansworth. Turn left on the road and right after 70 yards over a stile. Follow the footpath over  the fields and down through the wood to  the  Ashmansworth- Faccombe road. Go left along the road and turn off right at the bend down to Privet Copse. With Privet Copse on the  right.  follow  the track  round N. to a wood. Turn left at the edge of the wood down the track to Curzon St Farm.  Turn S. and follow the track downhill, more or less straight across the road and down to Sidley Bottom and back past the kennels to Doiley.     10.2 Km - 6.4 miles.

This is a pleasant walk with not too much ascent/descent.

 

(3) NETHERTON BOTTOM - CURZON ST FARM - FACCOMBE - FACCOMBE. WOOD.

 

Start: Netherton Bottom. 385558. Park on the side of the road

Walk down the road S.E. Turn left at 387553 up footpath which goes diagonally over the  field to the corner of Cockley's Copse, up to  the  Faccombe road (or take that road earlier).  Follow the road to Kimmer Farm on the right, go down Hall Lane (track), down the dip past some barns to the road.  Go across the road up the track along Bartlett's  Down  to Curzon St Farm.

Turn left, due West, up the hill along a track to and through the wood. Turn left (due South), after the wood, and go 200 m along the edge of the field to  the road.  Turn right to Faccombe and left at the 'T' junction and go S. 0.8km.  Fork right over a stile beside a gate labeled "Private  Woodland"  by the footpath sign. Go through Faccombe Wood and down to Netherton Bottom.

Distance: 7.75km. - 5 miles.

 

(4) NETHERTON BOTTOM - FACCOMBE - NETHERTON - TEST WAY.

 

Start. Netherton Bottom, 385558.

Go NNW up the footpath along the edge of the wood which makes a slight right and left curve to the second gate that leads through Faccombe Wood to the road. Turn left towards Faccombe, after 250m turn left at a crossing of footpaths.  After 250m this track turns right,. N, to miss out the village.  At the road turn left and descend 1km down to Netherton.  At Netherton, turn right and left after 100 m along  a  track which swings to the left past the back of Netherton House.  Follow the Track past Yews & Rymers Barn to Test Way 368569.  Turn  left  along Test Way 0.8km over Grimms Dyke  and  left  ESE along Test Way.  After  1.75 km the path bends round  a barn to the left to a  tee at 383546. Turn left along the fence down to Netherton Bottom.

Distance:  10.5 km - 6.75 miles. Fairly easy walking, some roads and hills.

A pleasant and varied walk. At Netherton go a few meters left at the T-junction and see if you can see the modern sculpture in the field on the right.

(5) PILLHEATH  - LOCKS DROVE - IBTHORPE - TEST WAY - WINDMILL LANE.

 

Start at  Windmill Hill, above Hurstbourne Tarrant. 360530  Parking space on the road.

Go westwards along the road to the crossroads and then right 700m down to Locks Drove on the right.  Descend to the valley road and turn right to the Bank Tree, Ibthorpe.  Here take the track on the left that goes up past the farm.  Follow this round NW to 374544 where there is a track going up on the right.  Follow this round the field at 378555 and take the track (the Test Way) going ESE at  377557. This leads down to the Bank Tree again at Ibthorpe,  a suitable place for a coffee break.   Now go right along the road 100m and left up Windmill Lane.  Bear right near the top of the hill and the path leads you out to the starting point.

Distance:  9.5km - 5.9 miles. Fairly easy walking, the hills are gentle.

 

(6) LOCKE'S DROVE - TEST WAY - UPTON - RUSHMORE DOWN.

 

Start:  At  the end of Locks Drove, Sheep Down.  354536.  Parking limited.

Go W. down Locks Drove to Ibthorpe. Turn  left on the Ibthorpe/Upton Road 500m and right again  opposite  the pumping  station. Go past a short right and left  then left and right zigzag round a field to the Test Way.  Follow the T.W westwards and straight on down to Upton.  Take  the Andover Road 250 m then right. along the track to  Rushmore Down. This path takes you past the John Lywood memorial signpost.   Follow  this track to the road at 339536.  Go left  and  left again  down  a track ESE. Turn left up a road and a footpath leads you round  Whistler's Farm. Keep the farm on your left and the footpath goes ENE 200 m and then turns right and back to the start.

Distance: 12.75km - 8 miles. Mostly easy walking.

 

You can cut off about a mile by walking up the road from Upton to Sheep Down but it is not a nice road to walk.

 

(7) HURSTBOURNE HILL - WILDHERN - LITTLE LONDON - DOLES WOOD.

 

Start:  At the top of Hurstbourne Hill, 374525. Restricted  parking.

Go  SW  through  the wood and over the field to  Doles  Farm  and straight on to Wildhern. Turn left on the road 200m and left onto the footpath past Plough Farm  to  Five Ways. Follow the Smannell Road  (Green  Drove)  to Little  London.  Turn  left up the road and on up  the  track  through Frenches  Farm  to Doles Copse. Go right along the copse  until  you come  to the gate into the wood. Follow the path back to the  top of the hill.

 

Distance; 10km - 6.25 miles. Easy varied walking, particularly recommended at bluebell time..

 

(8)  RUSHMORE  DOWN - UPTON - UPTON MANOR - KNYGHTS MERE  -  WELL BOTTOM

 

Start: 335536. Restricted parking  (4 cars approx.) on the edge of the road.

Go E. along the road and follow the track over Rushmore Down to Upton. Go virtually straight on, N,  up the Linkenholt Road and turn left into the footpath just  before Upton  Manor.  Follow this down and across valley road and due W.  up to  Knyghts Mere, Conholt Lane.  Go W. along the lane 150m  and  turn left  off  the lane to Lower Conholt Farm. Just before the farm the path  goes left and  follows  the left  side of the field and along below the farm.  Follow the path 400m and turn left down to  Well Bottom and then up the steep climb on the opposite side of the valley.  The path picks up a track through the last wood, and along the edge of a field to the start.

Distance: 8.4 km - 5.25 miles. Some very steep climbing.

Start: Vernham Dean. Restricted parking. 9) VERNHAM DEAN - KNYGHTS MERE - UPTON - VERNHAM MANOR.

Go S. up the footpath to Knyghts Mere, don’t drift to the right and land up at the top of Conholt Hill. At Knyghts Mere turn left down Conholt Lane 200m and right down the fields to the Upton Road. Take the footpath opposite the gate to Upton Manor.  At the manor turn left up the road to Vernham Manor and  straight on 500m up Church Lane straight ahead into Church Lane (Track). Turn left before Box  Farm down Hatch Lane and back to Vernham Dean.

Distance: 9km - 5.5 miles. Easy walking.

(11) TANGLEY - WELL BOTTOM - CONHOLT PARK - THE CHUTES.

 

Start: End of Clarks Lane (Track), 329536. Restricted parking.

Go  500m  NW up the road to footpath on the right along the edge of  the field  to  the track at the end.  Turn left through the  wood  and left, right, with the signs, to the steep descent to Well Bottom.  At the other side of the valley clearing go up through the wood  and follow  the track right round the edge of the field and up to Knyghts Mere. Turn left, W, along Conholt Lane to the start of the Causeway.  At the corner the stile leads over the fields, SSW, over Conholt  Park  to the left of the wood to Chute Cadley.  Follow the road straight on to the "T" junction near the Hatchet Inn and turn left.  There is a footpath on the right behind the houses. It leads across  the fields (either up through the wood or along the  edge of the wood) and on to Lodge Lane. Go right, NE  along  the  lane 700m to  the  Chute/Hatherden  Road  and straight  on NE over the fields to the road at  324527.  Here you should be able to see the remains of Tangley House, if it has not yet been repaired.  Turn  left then right onto  the  Tangley road (Tangley Bottom).  Swing  left  round  the Cricketers and up Clarke's Lane back to the start.

Distance:  10km  : 6.25 miles. Steep descent, don't walk  in  the wet.

 

(12) LOWER CHUTE - APPLESHAW - BIDDESDEN HOUSE

 

Start Lower Chute Community Centre, 307539. Plenty of parking.

Go 50m SW along the road to bridle way on the left this leads  to the E side of the church to Lodge Lane. Go left along Lodge  Lane and  then   right, S, along Cadley Bottom/Sopers Bottom.  At  317499 turn  right  up the track to the  road.  Follow the  road  through  to Biddeseden  Cross Roads, turn right and after 400m right. into  'Private Drive'  which  is marked as a Bridle Way.   Follow  through  Long Bottom  to  Forest House.

 WARNING: The path goes to the  West  (left) of Forest  House,  NOT through the garden. Turn right up  the  road  to Lower Chute.

Distance 8.5km - 5.3 miles

Extra loop; instead of turning right at 317499 follow straight on down Sopers Bottom past the dump to Appleshaw, right past the abattoir and right into New House Lane. Rather a lot  of road walking. Extra  2.4km. - 1.5 miles.

 

(13) CROSS KEYS - COLDRIDGE WOOD - CRAWLBOYS FARM - HONEY BOTTOM.

 

Start. Cross Keys Upper Chute. Plenty of parking

Go  down  the lane opposite the C.K., and straight on to the bottom, go  left  and immediately right up through Coldridge Wood. When you come to a track and clearing, keep Sawpit Copse and Oxdown Copse on  your  right and follow the path through to Crawlboys  Farm.  Turn left onto the road, after 300m take the footpath to the left across the fields to Coldridge  Bottom.  At the “T” turn right 400m and turn left  at  the disused  pit up over Coldridge Down beside Coldridge End and down into the valley.  Turn  left along Honey Bottom and right after 1.5km by the cottage up to the C.K.

Distance  9km. - 5.6 miles.

 

(14) SCOTS POOR - TIDCOMBE - BEACON FARM - HIPPENSCOMBE.

 

Start: Scots Poor, 286562.  Plenty of parking.

Go N.W. from the road footpath sign over the field to the W end of  the wood on the other side of the field. Follow the track through the wood and up to the Water Tower.  Turn  right over the stile and aim for the right-hand edge of the clump  of trees and on to the gate and stile and on down into Tidcombe. Take  the footpath to the right just before the church, turn left  on  the road  and immediately right through the hedge along the edge  of  the fields  to the road by Beacon Farm.  The track winds  left  round the farm, through the wood  and straight on the Slay (309569) and Hippenscombe Farm. Turn right in the combe and follow along  the valley and up to Scots Poor.

Distance 10 km. - 6.25 miles. Fairly easy walking.

 

(15) SCOTS POOR - WEXCOMBE – BRUNTON

 

Start: Scots Poor. 286562. Plenty of parking.

Go N.W. from the road footpath sign over the field to the W end of  the wood on the other side of the field. Follow the track through the wood and on 2.7km  over  Wexcombe Down and down to the village of Wexcombe. Before you get into the village there  is  a stile and a footpath on the left marked with a sign on the  opposite  side of the road.  The path, not well used, leads  up  round the  backs of the houses and up to a stile in the left corner  of the  field.   The track then leads round to the  right  over  the field  to a small domed building (reservoir)  beside  the  road.  Follow  the left hand of the two tracks, 2km, in a  SW  direction to the farm buildings on the right at the foot of the escarpment  on the left. Turn left, ESE, up the track to the road, 50 meters right along  the  road to another track on the east side of  the  road.  After  50 meters fork right down to Rag Copse.  When you come out  of the wood along the edge of a field, turn left onto the large track to Scots Poor.

Distance: 11 km - 6.8 miles. Easy walking, one climb.

 

(16) SCOTS POOR - WHITE LANE - COWBOTTOM - CHANTRY LANE.

 

Start: Scots Poor, 286562. Plenty of parking.

Go S.W. past the cross paths to White Lane and straight  on down  to Grubground Copse and Cowcommon Bottom - about 4 km.  Turn left  along Cowcommon Bottom and straight on through Coldridge Wood to  Honey Bottom.  Turn left along Chantry  Lane  to  the Causeway. Straight over the road and down into Hippenscombe. Turn left and back along the combe and up to Scots Poor.

Distance:  10  km.  - 6.25 miles.  Nice woodland walking,  but can  be  wet underfoot.

 

(17) LUDGERSHALL - COLLINGBOURNE WOOD.

 

Start: Ludgershall car park.

Go  N.  up  the street beside the car park and  across  the  main Marlborough Road. footpath goes along the edge of the field beside  the castle.  At Blackmore Down turn left and immediately right along the  SW edge of Herons Copse.  Follow round this until the path leaves  in a  due  N direction. (Take care here, it is easy  to  go wrong. There is a path coming out of the wood a this point.)  After  1km, turn left at "T" onto the  bridleway  which leads down the escarpment.   At the foot turn sharp right and go along the  bottom  of the slope, through Prancley Wood to White Lane (track). Turn right  and  go 200m and fork right again down the track through Collingbourne Wood to 272528.  (It is possible to follow Water Lane by mistake, if so, then turn right and do  2  sides of the triangle.) This joins  Blackmore  Lane  which leads straight back to Ludgershall.

Distance 10 km - 6.25 miles. Easy walking.

 

(18) LUDGERSHALL - SOUTHEY BRIDGE - COLLINGBOURNE DUCIS

 

Start:-  Ludgershall car park.

Go  N.  up the small road beside the car park and over  the  main road to Heron's Copse.  Turn left before the copse and go  2.5 km over the road junction and past Windmill Down to Southey Bridge. Turn sharp right up the  track before  the  river Bourne.  Go 2 km up the track  over  the  hill, round  to the right of the farm, over two roads and onto the road which  leads  over the old railway. 500m after the railway turn left up the edge  of the field towards Collingbourne Ducis.  Keep the hedge on your right.  At Mill Lane Track, 200 m from Collingbourne turn right.  Go 1.25 km along  the  track, passing the zigzag by the road to  Wick  Down. Turn  right and then bear right over the fields to Heaven Corner where a path goes through the wood.  Enter the  wood  and straight through to Woods Farm and back to Ludgershall.

Distance:  12km. - 7.5 miles. Easy walking.

(19) LUDGERSHALL - LITTLE SHODDESDEN - KIMPTON - GT. SHODDESDEN.

 

Start;  Ludgershall Car Park.  Plenty of parking space.

Go along the Andover Road and  take the  footpath  over the railway just  after  Sommerfields  Supermarket.  Turn  left onto the Crescent and follow on along the edge of  the first  field beside the railway.  Turn right along the hedge to  the end  of that field and take the track on the left. This  leads  to Andover Lane. Go straight across the road and over the stile and the footpath  leads over a couple of fields to Shoddesden Lane.  Half way along this section there is a  stile, nearly hidden, at 279495 near to where the pylons cross the  footpath.

Follow  Shoddesden Lane, S, down to the  road  and  turn left. After 3/400 meters there is a footpath through the thick hedge on the  right.  Follow this 300m past the wood  and turn right over the hill (High View) and down to Kimpton.  Turn left  100m, down to the fork and then sharp right up  Cow  Lane.  At 274478 there is a footpath on the right along the edge of the field.  After 500m  turn left into the next field. Follow the southern edge  of this  field half way along there should be a footpath across it to Great  Shoddesden. (I have never found this footpath and have gone right round the western  edge and back up to the east side of the grange to  pick  up the  path  again.  The stile at Shoddesden  Grange  is  virtually impassable.)   Turn left on the road and follow the Andover  Lane back  to the point where the track crosses it as above.  Take  the track and go back on the same route to Somerfields.

Distance  10.25  km - 6.4 Miles. Easy walking  but  difficult  to follow the route sometimes.

 

(20) FYFIELD - KALIS CORNER - KIMPTON

 

Start: Privet Lane, Fyfield, 296468.  Restricted parking beside the road.

Go N along the lane to 50 m before the railway bridge,  there is a hole in the hedge with a footpath sign on the other side of the  thick hedge.   Follow the path round the field to Kalis  Corner. Go through the hedge but don't follow  the hedge line, there is a path going  diagonally  across the field SW and over the hill to Kimpton.  Turn left along the road through  Kimpton, There  is a footpath on the left behind the houses just after the  open space in the village, this leads over the fields to Fyfield at a bend in the road. On the left there are two tracks, take the one going NE.  This leads up behind Fyfield house and comes out  at Privet Lane.

Distance: 5km - 3.125 m. Easy Walking.

 

(21) KIMPTON - KIMPTON DOWN - THRUXTON AERODROME.

 

Start:  Kimpton, on the green at 282467. Plenty of parking space.

Go E along the Kimpton Down road to the last house on the right.  Take the footpath on the right that goes over the fields to the north part of Kimpton.  Now go NW up Cow Lane approx. 1km to a left turn down  Ox  Drove.  After  900m  take a footpath on the right opposite Down Road.  Turn  left  again after 50m and go along the training course, follow this round to  257468 and  continue straight on (not half right) past Kimpton Gorse  to the wood at 243468. Turn due South down the track 1km to the  Old Coach  Road.  Turn left along the old road 2.5km until you reach the Snoddington Road.

Do not try and take the footpath that is alleged to go off left after 300m on the Old Coach Road going up through Markway Firs and Pickford Hill.  It is a figment of the map’s imagination.  Turn left on the Snoddington road and left again after 300m up the Training Course.  Watch out for horses.  After about 700m there is a stile on the right nearly hidden in the overgrowth.  Go over this past some farm buildings and down the avenue of aspen trees back to Kimpton.

Distance: 10.25 km. - 6.4m.

 

 

 (22) AMPORT - QUARLEY - EAST CHOLDERTON.

 

Start: Amport 303444, by the recreation ground. Ample parking.

Take Furzdown Lane, WSW, to Hay Down Lane. Turn left and after 300m turn right  onto the footpath leading to the N. of Amport Woods. Turn right, N, at the end of the wood  and immediately left, WSW, to Quarley.  Turn right, N, through the village and right again onto the footpath just before Lains Farm. Follow this, then a short section of road and straight on to East Cholderton, about 2 km.  At London Lodge, 292447, (not shown on the map) go straight on to the N. of the lodge and along the edge of the field , down past the barns onto a lane.   This lane to turns right.  Follow this although the footpath actually goes straight on through the 5 bar gate and apparently through someone’s front drive.  At the end of the lane go right down the road, over the bridge and take the track on the left just before the white thatched cottage with a beech hedge.  This track leads up the hill and turns right to Sarsen Close, Amport.  Turn right out of the close and left at the road at the foot of the hill.  Take the footbridge over the river on the right after 50m . There is a path on the right 50m after the footbridge that leads round the backs of the houses to the recreation ground.

Distance: 8.5km - 5.3 miles.

Note this walk could be shortened by taking the footpath 298450 direct to the church & back to the start.

 

(23) QUARLEY - CHOLDERTON - QUARLEY HILL.

 

Start: Quarley, near Quarley Manor Farm, 275427. Limited parking.

Take the footpath up beside the farm to the south of Quarley Wood.  This takes you up along the edge of the field and there is supposed to be a footpath across the sown field .  I followed the edge of the field round to a barred section of the fence that pretends to be a stile.  This leads along a track to the south of Quarley Hill to a small reservoir which is denoted by a small hut about 400m north of Manor Farm Dairy.  A stile marks the start of a footpath going due west over the field to the B3084  but it is easier to follow the track more or less straight on to join the road over a similar wooden fence/stile.

Virtually straight ahead is the footpath which leads, 2km, to Long Walk Plantation.  Here turn right, NNW, and take the rather overgrown footpath which leads down to Grateley Lodge.  (You could go straight on and round three sides of an irregular rectangle to arrive at Grateley Lodge).  About 200m after the lodge there is a road on the right, follow that  NE & then ENE back to the B3084.  Turn right on the road and then take the footpath on the left after 300m.  This leads directly back to Quarley past the church and down to Quarley Manor Farm.  This is a bit of a long drag and it is more interesting to take the stile on the right at 261431 and go diagonally across a field to a parallel path that leads to the south of Quarley village.  Turn right on the road back to the start.

Distance: 13km - 8.25 miles.

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