Andover Down to Whitchurch Via Longparish & the River Test

BUS WALK Andover Down to Whitchurch via 12 Meet a lane opposite Longparish Upper Mill (plaque WHITCHURCH Longparish and the River Test SU440447 on wall); turn right along lane. WALKERS ARE 2.8 miles 1 6 miles 13 There is a small gravelled area on the left-hand side of WELCOME No. 76 bus From Whitchurch towards Andover – ask for SU443448 the lane; to the left there is a small wooden bridge then 6 MILES 3.1 miles a large one crossing the River Test; it’s worth stopping Andover Down Fox Farm Stop (7 minutes from centre of Whitchurch) here to look at the view from the bridge. Then return to lane and continue. 14 Where the lane bends to the right, take the footpath on Waypoint Directions SU445448 the left so as to cut the corner (finger post) and continue Grid Ref 3.2 miles alongside river. Distance 15 Join lane opposite a large house called Britwell Priors; 1 Alight on roadside at Fox Farm bus stop. Cut through gap SU448451 turn to the left and continue. BUS SU414465 in hedgerow, or over stile, into field to the left (south). 3.4 miles 0.0 mile s You will follow a section of the Test Way path from 16 Just after Britwell Priors Garden Cottage, take the gravel here to Longparish. SU449453 track to the right. Walk straight ahead along Flock Bottom; path goes 3.6 miles around the eastern edge of Harewood Forest. 17 The track goes under a bridge, then immediately take WALK 2 Bear left at fork (the right fork is not a public right of way); SU450452 the footpath sloping up to the left (Reg Cox finger post). Andover Down to SU417454 continue straight ahead. 3.7 miles Continue on this path. 0.7 miles 18 The path bears to the right and then immediately left Whitchurch 3 The path meets a track, coming from the right; join it and SU451456 around a farm building. SU418451 immediately take the right-hand fork 3.9 miles At the far corner of the next field there is a marked gap via Longparish 0.9 miles through the hedge, slightly to the right of the corner. 6 miles 4 Track crosses bridge above dismantled railway 19 The path continues, with a hedge to the left, taking a SU418450 (Longparish Branch of the L&SWR Sprat & Winkle line). SU454459 sharp left turn after a short distance to continue 1.0 miles 4.1 miles following the hedge line. 5 A little further on, fork left onto metalled track through 20 Emerge through a kissing gate at a fork in a lane. Cross SU418449 woodland, which bends to the left. (There is a B road SU453462 the lane and take the path up the embankment on the 1.1 miles nearby which runs due south here.) 4.4 miles opposite side and through a kissing gate. 6 Just after emerging from woods, turn right onto an unmade Follow path to the left and around the edge of the field. SU423446 lane towards Longparish. (A fingerpost on left-hand side 21 Path exits onto a lane at Tufton. Turn right and then left 1.5 miles of track points across to the lane, a restricted byway.) SU454468 after 50 metres to take the footbridge across the River 7 As you reach some houses at the far end of this lane, 4.9 miles Test. Turn to the left and under the viaduct. SU427442 Middleton, turn onto the footpath to left, opposite a large 22 Follow path to the right, along the edge of some 1.8 miles red brick house (there is a fingerpost and kissing gate). SU454469 woodland and over a very small footbridge into the You have now left the Test Way path . 5.0 miles next field; continue straight ahead through three kissing 8 Pass Lower Farm, go through a kissing gate, and alongside gates until you reach a stile and footpath to the right. SU429444 a wooded field on the right, then right through another 23 Cross stile and walk gently uphill on left hand side of 2.0 miles kissing gate. Carry on straight ahead. SU455472 field. The path levels and then goes gently downhill. Stagecoach South Bus Route 76 9 Reach road (B3048) and turn left to walk alongside road. 5.2 miles Cross two further stiles. SU431443 24 The path comes out alongside the B3400. Turn to the Basingstoke – Whitchurch – Andover 2.1 miles SU457476 right and under the A34 flyover. Cross the road, Always check bus times in advance 10 At the junction, turn right into Mill Lane. 5.5 miles continue along Church Street past the cemetery, under SU431444 *If you wish to visit the village shop or the Cricketers Inn, the disused railway bridge, past All Hallows Church www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables 2.2 miles which welcomes walkers (01264 720335), continue and back into the centre of town. further along the road for a few minutes.* 25 Arrive in centre of Whitchurch. Just after the first house in Mill Lane, turn left onto a SU462480 footpath (finger post). Follow this path as it crosses an 6.0 miles open field, through a kissing gate, and then another large field, passing behind Longparish House (on left). ª 11 Cross a wooden footbridge over the River Test and Walk description is as accurate as possible, but Whitchurch Walkers are ª SU437447 continue through another kissing gate and later across two Welcome does not accept responsibility for any errors. 2.6 miles small wooden footbridges. Produced by and © Whitchurch Association and Walkers are Welcome, September 2017. www.whitchurchwalks.net BUS WALK Andover Down to Whitchurch via Longparish and the River Test – 6 miles No. 76 bus From Whitchurch towards Andover – ask for Andover Down Fox Farm Stop (7 minutes from centre of Whitchurch) 1 6 MILES 25 Harewood Forest was part of one of the Royal Forests in late Saxon times and is now Hampshire’s largest remaining area of ancient woodland outside of the New Forest. Today the forest is carefully managed and is home to a 24 WHITCHURCH large native deer population. Within the forest there are the remains of a railway line which operated between 1885 and 1956 and concrete roads laid during WWII, 23 when the forest was used to store munitions.

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3 13 15 4 13 14 5 Shop The Cricketers 6 12 11 8 10 15 4 7 9 LONGPARISH