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By Richard Charles KenchingtonFootpath Secretary of the Eastleigh Ramblers

A walk across Hampshire fromPortchester to Winchester

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Version 4 January 2018

© Richard Charles Kenchington FRICS IRRV (Hons)

2 Pavilion Close, Fair Oak, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 7PS

All communications by email to eastleighrambler@aol.com

CONTENTSIntroduction

Tribute to Allan King

Stage 1 - Portchester Station to the Castle

Stage 2 - Portchester Castle to Downend

Stage 3 - Downend to Nelson’s Monument

Stage 4 - Nelson’s Monument to B2177 Roman Road

Stage 5 - B2177 Roman Road to World’s End

Stage 6 - World’s End to Soberton

Stage 7 - Soberton to Hillpound

Stage 8 - Hillpound to Bishop’s Waltham

Stage 9 - Bishop’s Waltham to Upham

Stage 10 - Upham to Cheesefoot Head

Stage Eleven - Cheesefoot Head to Tichborne

Stage 12 - Tichborne to Itchen Stoke

Stage 13 - Itchen Stoke to Itchen Abbas

Stage 14 - Itchen Abbas to Kings Worthy

Stage Fifteen - Kings Worthy to Winchester

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INTRODUCTIONIt gives me great pleasure to introduce this guide to the Allan King Way.The project to establish this walk was undertaken in the first half of thenineties by the Hampshire Area of the Ramblers’ Association and lotsof people were involved. It is now a feature of Ordnance Survey sheetsand the route is well waymarked.

The first guidebook that was published in 1995 by the Hampshire Areaof the Ramblers’ Association and Paul Cave Publications Limited. Thisnew book of the route is being made available to you free of chargeover the Internet through the Eastleigh Ramblers.

Unlike a printed booklet the Internet offers the opportunity to revise andrepublish the book as often as is necessary to keep the route descrip-tions up to date. So if you spot something that needs changing let meknow (contact details on the previous page) and make sure that you areusing the latest version by checking on the Hampshire Rights of WayImprovement Trust web site - http://www.hrowit.org.uk If the versionnumber (on previous page) changes before the decimal point it meansthere has been a route change, after the decimal point the route descrip-tion has been updated. I hope to be adding maps over the coming weekswhen time permits. If anyone has a better photograph of Allan King Iwould appreciate the opportunity to reproduce it.

The route is maintained by Hampshire County Council’s CountrysideService and the owners of the land over which it traverses and a thankyou is due to them for all their efforts in this regard.

I hope that you will take the opportunity of becoming a member of theRamblers’ Association and support the work that they do in ensuringthat we all have access to the countryside for recreation and bringingissues that affect walkers to the attention of central and local govern-ment. There are over a thousand walks organised by the Groups inHampshire every year and together with this guide book there are loadsof opportunities to get out walking, keeping fit and meeting up with oth-er walkers .Richard Kenchington

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The Allan King Way and this guidebook is dedicated to the memory ofAllan King who worked voluntarily for the Hampshire Area of the Ram-blers’ Association as Publicity Officer. His way of increasing member-ship was to embark upon a programme of establishing more Groupslocated in East Hampshire, Bishop’s Waltham, Romsey and Southsea,and Eastleigh, His sudden death at the age of 59 was a tragic loss buthis legacy is these thriving groups who have been organising walks allover the County Allan loved and beyond.

I came to know him when he approached the Southampton Group toagree to the creation of the Eastleigh Group out of their territory and Ileft the Southampton Committee to set up the Group with Allan’s guid-ance. Following his methodology we had an inaugural meeting whichhe chaired and inspired with his optimism. A Steering Committee wasformed from the initial 25 members who lived in the Borough ofEastleigh and I became the Chairman for the first ten years. Unfortu-nately he died soon after the Group was formed and we never got toformerly thank him for his efforts.

What finer tribute can there be for a Rambler than to join a select bandof walkers who have a long distance path named after you. This is myway of saying thank you to Allan by keeping that walk alive and I amsure it will not disappoint you - Richard Kenchington

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STAGE ONE - 1.28 MILES

PORTCHESTER STATION TO THE CASTLEIf you are doing this as a linear walk making the start Portchester Sta-tion avoids having to leave a car here and at the other end there is a rail-way station as well. From whichever platform you arrive you have adescent down a ramp to the same road which goes under the railway.On reaching it turn right along it going south. After 75 metres crossover the road to the footway on the other side and continue in the samedirection towards the roundabout ahead. In reaching it follow the foot-way around to the left and take the ramp down to the underpass underthe A27 and then take the ramp on the right back up again and gostraight on. You pick up Castle Street as you bend left. You pass As-sheton Court on the right and The Keep on the left. Just around a lefthand bend in Castle Street take a minor no through road called CowLane on the left opposite Castle Primary School.

Less than 100 metres of the Lane are open to vehicles, bear right alonga narrower section of the Lane at a metal barrier (not straight onthrough it) and at the very end there is a metal kissing gate. Go throughthis and you are into a footpath running between the back gardens of theproperties in Castle Street on the right and fenced off fields to the left.Follow this enclosed path for about 350 metres until after passingthrough another metal kissing gate you reach the end of a concrete road-way coming from Castle Street which is to your right to a recreationground which is to your left. Turn left at this point and immediatelyfork left (almost straight on) heading towards the sea wall visible ahead.

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On reaching it and the shoreline follow it to the right. The water onyour left is the tidal creek called Portchester Lake and Portchester Cas-tle can be seen ahead. Keep to the sea wall as it turns left and then right,the path narrows and then you arrive at the Castle walls. Follow theshoreline going clockwise around the outside of the Castle. (At a gate-way in the east wall you can access the Castle grounds and the churchinside it.) As you turn right to follow the outside of the south wall Port-smouth, Gosport and the Isle of Wight can be seen across the harbour.

STAGE TWO - 2.63 MILES (TOTAL 3.91 MILES)PORTCHESTER CASTLE TO DOWNEND

Half way along the south wall bear left away from it to keep to theshoreline. After 100 metres you need to pass to the left of a concreteblock wall and a property with frontage to the shore. The shore pathwill take you in about 80 metres to the end of Hospital Lane. [Shouldthe path be underwater at high tide return a few yards and walk to-wards the Castle walls and continue to follow them clockwise along thewest wall and just before reaching the Castle Keep you will reach aroadway leading to a gate in the west wall. Turn left along it walkingaway from the Castle. Pass Waterside Lane on the right (which leads toa car park and toilets) and at an oak tree in an island in the road turnleft down Hospital Lane until you reach the shoreline. To the left youcan see the short section you avoided here go right] Continue by follow-ing the path along the top of the sea wall which is fenced off from theroadway to the right. Pass over the entrance to a small yacht basin next

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to a castellated house and you come out into some open space with ashoreline path made of blocks.

You are now looking up another creek called Fareham Lake. At the oth-er end of the open space you again need to use a path on the seawardside of shoreline properties and it is the first 50 metres that could be un-derwater at very high tide after which the shore path is on the top of asea wall. [In the event of of high tide turn right when you reach the endof the green onto the nearby road and then turn left and then immedi-ately right along Lansdowne Avenue. At a T junction turn left and fol-low Merton Crescent crossing Merton Avenue and at a T junction turnleft along Grove Avenue and at the end of the road you will have re-turned to the shoreline only 200 metres west of where you had the hightide problem.]

The shoreline path leads into more open space and at the end of it con-tinue on the shore path initially between the shore on the left and housesafter which there is yet more open space. Continue to follow the pathalong the shore and then the path becomes fenced off from fields to theright. On reaching a boat yard you have to leave the shore to go rightinland along a path through undergrowth and through a kissing gate intoa field. Go straight across the field to another kissing gate and once onthe other side of it turn left along another path. Keep straight on alongthis path through a kissing gate until you exit onto a minor road. (Notethere is a shoreline cafe to the left). Turn right along it to a T junctionwith another road and turn left. When the road ends go under a heightrestriction barrier into Wicor Recreation Ground and straight on passing

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to the side of a field gate. Go straight on again keeping to the left of thevegetation ahead. Keeping the vegetation to your right which contains ahedge line and ditch and the playing fields to your left you will in 500metres come back to the shoreline again. Turn right along the shore gen-erally bending left around Cams Bay until you reach in 250 metres anoutfall with railings around it. Here go right away from the shore topick up a path heading inland. It runs between a hedge on the left and afence with a field to the right. It passes to the left of a prominent highvoltage electricity power pylon and on reaching the urban boundary con-tinues straight on as a tarmac path between the backs of gardens. It endsat the A27 in Downend, to your right on the opposite side of the road isa bus stop where there are frequent bus services back to Portchester.

STAGE THREE 2.96 MILES DOWNEND TONELSON’S MONUMENT

(Totals 6.15 miles 417 feet Ascent 148 feet of descent)

This route goes left at this point along the main road towards the trafficlights ahead. Here cross over to the right and go up Down End Road.Ignore The Ridgeway on the left and East Cams Close on the right con-tinuing gradually uphill. Ignore The Thicket on the right and The Cause-way on the left as Down End Road bends right and then crosses thebridge over the railway between Portchester and Fareham. Immediatelythereafter on the left take the footpath through a metal kissing gate andthen follow the line side fence in a field. At the far south west end ofthe field, with Fareham Town Centre in view ahead, go through a kiss-ing gate onto a vehicular track called Paradise Lane. There is a bridge

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over the railway to the left but theAllan King Way is to the rightuphill along the track betweenhedges. To the left and one nar-row field away is the A27 con-necting Fareham Town Centrewith the M27. Continue uphilluntil reaching a T junction withthe remains of Military Road nowdissected by the A27 to the leftand the M27 to the right. Hereturn right along the remains ofthe former carriageway with ahedge to the left and a field to theright. You are effectively walkingaround three sides of this fieldand are now going along the thirdnorthern edge. On reaching theM27 motorway boundary fencebear right along it and the fieldedge. To your right is a viewdown across Fareham Creek toGosport with the hills of the Isleof Wight beyond.

On reaching the north east cornerof the field go through a gap inthe post and rail fencing and overa crash barrier and across theroad to the other side (Down EndRoad again but further up thehill). Turn left and follow thefootway across the bridge overthe M27 uphill around a righthand bend in the road. On the leftat the bend the Private Road isthe other end of Military Road.

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After a straight section ignore Swivelton Lane on the left and continuealong another straight section the road now being Portsdown Hill Road.As the footway runs out you have to walk in the carriageway - keep onthe right facing the oncoming traffic. Portsmouth is now visible to theright and Portchester Castle. The Royal Armouries Museum in Fort Nel-son is next on the left which has a cafe. A viewpoint and car park is tothe right. Continue to follow Portsdown Hill Road until reaching acrossroads. (When it is open you can cut across the car park to a pedes-trian gate to the right of Nelson’s Column) Ignore Nelson Lane to theright and go left along the road signposted to Boarhunt and Sobertoncalled Monument Lane which leads almost immediately to the massivecolumn erected to Lord Viscount Nelson. Study the display board.

STAGE FOUR - NELSON’S MONUMENT TOB2177 ROMAN ROAD

(2.89 miles 98 feet Ascent 294 feet of descent)(Totals 9.04 miles 98 feet Ascent 294 feet of descent)

Continue 50 metres along the Lane and after a barn and at the summitof the ridge cross a stile on the left. Once over it a square fenced under-ground reservoir is ahead, go clockwise around the outside of it. Whenon the other side and next to the rear boundary fence of Fort Nelsoncross a stile. On the other side continue in a narrow field runningaround the north side of Fort Nelson crossing a second stile, and at theother end of a horse paddock there is a stile into a large field beyond.Here with your back to Nelson’s Column go diagonally (slightly right)across the field heading for a point halfway between a bungalow and an

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electricity pylon. Coming from the south or left is Swivelton Lane andnear the bungalow it forks and the path joins the right hand fork 20 me-tres from the junction. Turn right along this narrow quieter of the twoforks heading north downhill with fine views ahead. There are no hedg-es on either side of the road, just banks constraining users to the tarmac.After 500 metres there is a T junction with Boarhunt Road. Ignore thefootpath on the right and go right down the road bending first to theright and then the left and on downhill until opposite a tarmac road onthe right and a gravel entrance road on the left. Ahead to your left is thewooden archway marking the location of the gates into the graveyard ofSt Nicholas Church. Go through them and follow the grass path as itbends left to pass to the left of the church, noting the intricate flint wall-ing on the eastern end. At the western end is the main entrance to thechurch from which there is a gravel path downhill, at the bottom rejointhe road where Manor Farm is opposite and go left.

After the farm entrance on the right there is a nice pond. 100 metres lat-er on the left at a gated vehicular track cross the stile to the left of gateand follow the roughly surfaced track downhill towards Grub Coppiceat the end of the field. The track ends just as you arrive at the southwest corner of the wood. Do not enter the woods but follow the fieldedge down its west side, keeping the woods on your right, towards thevalley ahead to the north. On reaching the bottom and the north westcorner of the wood take the footbridge over the Wallingford River.Cross the stile on the other side and follow the path ahead keeping justto the left of a side stream. In 150 metres cross a stile on the right andthen cross the bridge over the side stream. Go along the valley bottomkeeping to the hedge on the left. Keep in this long linear grassy meadow

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field and at the other end you will see Boarhunt Mill off to the right. Inthe far left corner of the field you come back to the Wallingford Riverand through a kissing gate in to the field to the north. Continue in thesame direction as before following the river. In the south east corner ofthe field go through a kissing gate next to a metal field gate and on to aroad. Cross over bearing left to go through a kissing gate next to anoth-er metal field gate. Continue in the same easterly direction followingthe river but this time the path is some 40 metres from it on the slightlyhigher and less boggy ground to the north. Aim for the right hand ofthree wooden electricity poles. Passing the pole you reach the south eastcorner of the field but do not go through the gap into the field beyond,instead turn left still in the same field to follow the eastern field bounda-ry with a side stream in the scrub to the right of you. 200 metres beforeyou reach a wood go right over a stile and a farm bridge over the sidestream into the field to the east via a stile next to a field gate. Go eastkeeping to a grassy farm track to the left of a wooden post and wirefence. The track is going to Lodge Farm ahead. You can see Nelson’sColumn and Fort Nelson to the south or right and along Portsdown Hillsome of the other fortifications that protect Portsmouth.

On reaching the farm buildings cross a stile to the left of a metal fieldgate and continue to follow the track between the farm buildings. Onreaching a wide concrete apron just before the farm house turn leftalong it and through the entrance gates onto the B2177.

STAGE FIVE - B2177 ROMAN ROAD TOWORLD’S END

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(2.34 miles 121 feet Ascent 111 feet of descent)(Totals 11.38 miles 636 feet Ascent 553 feet of descent)Cross the B2177 (beware of high speed traffic) to go through a metalfield gate signed Little Lodge Farm and immediately turn right throughanother metal field gate and along a vehicular farm track uphill withwoods to the left and a bank topped by a fence on the right. It seemsdifficult to believe but this used to be the A333 and before that a RomanRoad. The wood soon ends and the tracks is now passing between twofields.

At OS Grid Reference 6186 0974 to the left of the track and about 100metres from the wood and before some trees on either side of the trackthere should be a stile in the fence enabling you to get across into thefield to the left. Once in the field you should be able to change directionslightly to the left of your previous course and cut across the field to awooden post and rail structure (a stile without steps) to rejoin anotherpath. At the time of writing (26 February 2010) this path is obstructedso the following description applies.

Follow the track as it bends right heading south towards Portsdown Hill.Just after passing the fenced off part of the field on the left turn leftthrough 150 degrees along a waymarked path which goes along the out-side of the fence forming the eastern boundary of the field. On reachingthe aforementioned structure that should be a stile the trees on the right

give way to a long grassy field.Continue along the west or leftside still keeping the same fenceon your left. At the other end ofthe long grassy field cross s stile tothe left of a metal field gate andcross Common Lane to anotherstile on the other side.

Once in the field beyond keep tothe fence on your left. In 100 me-tres there is the wooded remains ofa quarry on the left. Immediately

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this has been passed you have to head across a cropped field in the samedirection as before going to a point just to the left of the far right handcorner of the field and to the right of some trees. The path leaves thefield to cross a wooded gully where there are two footbridges in quicksuccession and a stile leading into the next field. Once in the field fol-low the hedge on your right heading north north east over the brow of ahill. At times wires are strung across this large field to divide it up forgrazing purposes and there are some stiles to use next to the hedgewhen this occurs. As you start to descend the other side of the hillMitchelland Copse is on the right. Keep along the outside of the Copsein the same direction until you reach a wooden field gate on the rightwhere a track goes into the Copse. Here you stay in the field and changecourse slightly to the left to cross the field to a stile to the left of Beck-ford Bridge visible ahead.

Once over the stile onto Beckford Lane turn right along it over thebridge. Follow the lane as it bends to the right and then bends left, ignor-ing a minor lane off to the right. In 150 metres ignore a footpath on theright but just beyond and where Beckford Lane begins to bend righttake a footpath left through a wooden kissing gate. In the field followthe fence on your right (there may again some wire subdivisions of thefield). At the far right hand corner of the field cross a stile to the left ofa metal field gate on to a track surfaced with crushed stone and turnright along it. It is called Green Lane. Follow it through a gap in ahedge and under high voltage power lines. In 200 metres there is ahedge to the right of it. When the surfaced track ends continue in thesame direction to the left of the hedge to a stile to the right of a metal

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fields gate which takes you onto a busy road. Turn right along it andaround a right hand bend to the Chairmakers your first public housesince Portchester at what is the beginning of the settlement calledWorld’s End.

STAGE SIX - WORLD’S END TO SOBERTON(4.59 miles 385 feet Ascent 329 feet of descent)

(Totals 15.97 miles 1021 feet Ascent 882 feet of de-scent)

From the Chairmakers ignore Forest Road to the right and a footpath tothe left and keep straight on along the main road as it bends slightly tothe right and then slightly to the left and then at beginning of a longstraight turn left off the road onto a roughly surfaced concrete farm ac-cess road. In 70 metres take the right fork in the track and follow it tothe left of a farm house and straight on to a stile to left of a metal fieldgate. Once over it keep straight on following the fence on the left to thefar left hand corner of the field where there is a stile. Do not cross it butturn right and follow the north west side of the large field with a ditchto your left. In the far left north west corner of the field pass through thegap in the hedge (there has not been a stile here for a while) and contin-ue in the same direction in the next field following the fence and theditch on the left. Mill Copse appears on the left and in the far left northwest corner of the field take the stile into the wood. The path throughthe wood continues in direction slightly left of that prior to the wood. In50 metres there is a cross roads of paths, go straight on here. The path

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comes out of the woods on to Bent Lane where you pass by the remainsof a kissing gate. Turn right along the Lane.

Follow the Lane around a sharp left hand bend and then a gradual righthand bend. Then there is a short straight where you pass Shirmal Farmon the left and Hawthorns on the right. The road then bends right withThe Barn Bent Farm House on the left followed by a short straight withKingslea Bent Farm House on the left, then a left hand bend (ignore thefootpath on the right) passing Bent Farm Cottage and cross the stile tothe left of the next metal field gate on the left. In the field keep to thefence on the left to another stile in 50 metres, keep going in the samedirection, in 10 metres go through a metal field gate, in another 20 me-tres over a stile, in 40 metres over another stile, in 50 metres over anoth-er stile still in the same direction. In 100 metres pass through apedestrian gate and in another 100 metres you should have reached alarge barn and a stile next to it. Cross it and then turn immediately rightalong a path, fenced on both sides. In 150 metres cross a stile to theright of a metal field gate and turn left to follow the fence on the left inthe next field. In 50 metres cross another stile and keep to the fence onthe left. In 150 metres cross a stile onto a track. Do not continue straightahead over another stile but turn right along the track with fences onboth sides. On reaching a wood follow the track as it bends right and onrounding the corner of the wood bear left keeping to the outside of thewood with a horse training track on the right. Follow the edge of thewood to a stile onto an unsurfaced track and then turn right along it for30 metres and go left through a metal pedestrian gate and follow thehedge on the left. Just before the far left corner of the field go left overthe furthest of two stiles. Then left over another stile and down an en-closed path to a tarmac access road and turn right.

Pass to the left of the farm house at Hole Farm and the barn conversionbeyond it to a stile to the left of a wooden field gate. Cross it and contin-ue in the same direction following a fence on the left until it goes left.Here you have to strike out across the field following a projection of thefence you had been following heading for a grey roof with small win-dows in it. Go across the field to the point where the hedge comingfrom the left turns left or north and follow it still in the same direction

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into the corner of the field where a path fenced on both sides continues(at the time of writing on 1 March 2010 the stile that was at this pointhad been cleared to the side). After passing to the right of a barn andbungalow the fences path emerges onto a Lane where you need to turnleft along it.As you go along look to the left and you can see Portsdown Hill and tothe right of it seemingly joined to the mainland the hills of the Isle ofWight. At the next cross roads by Hoe Cross Farm continue straight onsignposted to Soberton and Droxford. The road passes between fieldstowards a belt of trees ahead. As you reach them a bungalow called

“Woodside” is on the left. Just beyond it turn right along a bridlewaythat keeps to the outside of the wood called Bottom Copse. The bridle-way descends slightly and then starts to steadily climb and is fenced offfrom the fields to the right. Pass a field hedge boundary going off to theright and then at the corner of the woods you join the Wayfarer’s Walkwhich comes from the right. At this point continue for 40 metres in thesame direction to a much better defined vehicular track and turn leftalong it. 100 metres later the track turns left, here go straight on along afootpath in a tree belt which is a mass of bluebells in the spring.

This idyllic path comes to an abrupt end when you reach a T junctionwith a vehicular track with a wide open field beyond. Turn right alongthe track with the field to the left and a tree belt to the right. Where thetree belt bends right there is a hedge on your left going west, follow iton the path to the right of it. When the hedge reaches a T junction withanother hedge go straight on through a gap in the hedge ahead and overa stile into a field to the west. The path bears slightly right of the previ-

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ous direction across what appears to be open down land as the view ofthe Meon Valley gradually opens up ahead. Soberton and its churchcomes into view (see photo below) and is slightly to the right of yourcourse across the field. You are in a field and you leave it in the farright right north west corner through a wooden kissing gate and downsome steps. The fenced footpath goes straight down a slope. (Ignore agate into access land on the right and a track to the left shortly after thewooden kissing gate). At the other end of the fenced path another wood-en kissing gate takes you out onto a lane and follow it down hill passinga house called “Birds Eye View” and after another lower down the lanebends sharply left and then right down to a T Junction with anotherroad called Chalk Hill.

Go straight across (the Wayfarers Walk goes right down Chalk Hill)and up some steps and then along a level fenced path. In 100 metres itturns right and goes downhill onto West Street.

STAGE SEVENSOBERTON TO HILLPOUND

(2.31 miles 168 feet Ascent 187 feet of descent)(Totals 18.28 miles 1189 feet Ascent 1069 feet of de-

scent)If you turn right and go left at the next crossroads it is five minutes walkto the White Lion Public House in Soberton. The Allan King Way goesleft along West Street. In 200 metres at a three way road junction turnright down a no-through road. After passing a pumping station on the

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right the tarmac road ends and ahead is a bridge that used to carry theMeon Valley Railway. Continue straight on underneath the bridge andfollow the path downstream along the banks of the River Meon for 100metres and cross the river via a footbridge. Continue straight on with atributary on the right to cross a stile into the next cropped field. Nowhead for the other side of the field in a direction slightly left of your pre-vious direction. Head for an electricity pole that is in the hedge lineahead where there is a gap through on to the A32. Cross with great careand go through a gap in the hedge on the other side to start up a pathwhich goes up steeply out of the Meon Valley again slightly to the leftof the previous direction. Near the top the path joins an unsurfacedtrack which is a road called Green Lane. According to the DefinitiveMap of Rights of Way you should have to go left for 20 metres to pick-up the continuation of the previous path westward but physically on theground the paths join up. Set out across the cropped field graduallymoving away from the electricity lines you have been following to your

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right. Once over the top of the hill a small wood is 300 metres aheadwith an isolated tree to the right of it. Again there is a difference be-tween the route of the right of way on the Definitive Map and that onthe ground. On the map the footpath goes to near the isolated tree andthen forks left to the woods and the Allan King Way forks to the right.On the ground at the time of writing (8 March 2010) the path goes to astile in the boundary fence of the wood and then forks, the left fork intothe woods and the right fork is the Allan King Way. Whether followingthe route on the map or that on the grounds stop and cast your eyesalong the previously mentioned electricity line going west to somewoods. Where it meets the woods look 100 metres to the left of thatpoint and you should see a marker post and that is where you should beheading. At the marker post follow the path into the woods (ignore apermissive path which follows the field edge outside the wood). Initial-ly whilst in the wood the path keep close to the edge of the wood on theleft and you can see the field that you were just in beyond. It passes tothe left of an overgrown quarry and then you enter an orchard. Followthe path keeping to the left of all the fruit trees following a hedge onyour left. Keep to the hedge as it bends to the left. In the far left cornerof the orchard continue straight on through a belt of trees and out intoanother orchard. Here the path continues straight on between the fruittrees until on the other side of the orchard you will find a lane calledCott Street. Do not descend to it but turn to your right staying in thefield but following Cott Street. In 20 metres cross and ignore a trackthat exits onto the lane staying in the Orchard. In 200 metres look for ametal footpath sign on the left where there is a house on the oppositeside of Cott Street and descend through a gap onto the lane and turnright along it. Just beyond the grounds of the house on the left side ofthe lane take a footpath between a beech hedge and a fence going southwest. If you continue along the lane for another 400 metres you willcome to the Hunters Inn, Swanmore. Further down the path bends lefton reaching the other end of the grounds of the house and then after 40metres goes right again to continue in the same south west direction be-tween fences. The fenced path ends as you enter a field ahead, keep tothe field edge on your left continuing in the same direction. On reachingthe far left or south east corner of the field turn right to follow the lefthand or south side of the field with a ditch and a tree belt on the left.

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Just after the tree belt ends in 200 metres look for a route to the left asthe path goes between hedges in almost the same direction. The pathbecomes a vehicular track which leads in 200 metres to Holywell Road.Here turn right along the road using the footway on the right to the Hill-pound crossroads ahead.

STAGE EIGHTHILLPOUND TO BISHOP’S WALTHAM

(2.62 miles 130 feet Ascent 164 feet of descent)(Totals 20.90 miles 1319 feet Ascent 1233 feet of de-

scent)If you go right you will find the Rising Sun public house. At Hillpoundcrossroads turn left down Hill Pound using the footway on the right. Onreaching Flint Cottage in just over 300 metres on the left hand side ofthe road and just before a 40 mph limit sign take a rough gravel roadon the right called but not signed “The Lakes”. Ignore paths and tracksto the left and right and keep straight on along it, keeping straight on ata staggered junction outside Belmont Farm after which the track has arough tarmac surface. On reaching New Road there is Swanmore Col-lege of Technology to the right which is on a bus route. Go straightacross New Road and through a wooden kissing gate and straight onwith a stream on your right (it may be dry in the summer months). Passto the right of a large electricity pylon. Keep following the stream untilyou find a footbridge over it but do not cross it, instead go left follow-ing a footpath leading away from it towards the south west. This leadsto the start of a road called Ludwell’s Lane outside Ludwell House. Fol-low the road around to the right and go straight on along it until you

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reach the T-junction with Lower Chase Road. Here turn left and keep tothe right hand side of the road, passing Evelyn Close on the left untilyou reach the crossroads with the B2177.

At the crossroads turn right along the B 2177 Winchester Road usingthe footway on the right. After passing the road called Clewers Hill onthe left and going under overhead power lines you will see the ChaseInn on the right. Cross over to the vehicular entrance on the left handside of the road and to a stile to the right of a pair of large metal gates.You have now joined the Pilgrims Trail. After the stile follow the ditchand hedge on the right north west, it bends slightly to the right shortlyafter. Pass through a gap into the next field and continue with the ditchand hedge on the right. At the far right hand corner of the field follow atrack into undergrowth and over a footbridge. In the next field continuein the same north north west direction some 40 metres away from thestream on your left until you reach another footbridge over anothermore vigorous watercourse coming from the springs at The Moors aquarter of a mile to the east of here. Continue roughly in the same direc-tion as before through a metal squeeze stile into the next field and fol-low the hedge on the right with initially Chase Mill visible through thetrees on the right. Follow the hedge and its course can be clearly seengoing uphill. As the inclination increases pass through a gap in a hedgeinto the next field and keep straight on following the hedge on the right.The slight bank on your right is called the Park Lug. On reaching the farright north east corner of the field you are near the top of the ridge.There is a gap in the hedge next to another metal squeeze stile. Onceinto the next field follow the hedge on the right with industrial build-ings below and then a house beyond the hedge. In the far right northeast corner the path emerges onto the B3035 Botley Road through a gap

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in the hedge. Take care to avoid speeding traffic and bear left to takethe lane opposite down hill. At the bottom follow the lane around to theright. The land to the left is destined to become a superstore. On arriv-ing at a road junction Station Road is ahead and Bishop’s Lane to theleft. To the right is the remains of Bishop’s Waltham Palace.

STAGE NINEBISHOP’S WALTHAM TO UPHAM

( 3.74 miles, 327 feet Ascent, 147 feet of descent)(Totals 24.64 miles 1646 feet Ascent 1380 feet of de-

scent)The Allan King Way does not enable you to see much of Bishop’sWaltham. If you go straight ahead you will at the end of the shortstraight come to a main road. Cross it to the other side and then turnright and in 200 metres you will find the town centre with all the usualfacilities including bus links to Winchester, Petersfield and Fareham.To continue with this walk turn left along Bishop’s Lane and using thefootway on the right hand side with the lake to the right of it continueuntil you reach a roundabout. Just before it there is on the right a chanceto inspect the lake shore and to admire the size of the fish and feed theducks. At the roundabout turn left to a set of old railway crossing gates,the start of the next section to Upham. Just before and to the left of thegates is a small plaque at ground level - a modest memorial to AllanKing. The route ahead is both the Allan King Way and the PilgrimsWay.

Pass through the gap between the pair of crossing gates and start walk-ing down the former track bed of the Bishop’s Waltham to BotleyBranch Railway. After an easy half a mile you arrive after passingthrough a kissing gate onto a surfaced farm road. Bear right along itpassing a bungalow on your left. Just beyond take another farm trackdown to the right which descends to a vehicular road bridge over astream. Follow the track as it bends around to the left. Go over a stilenext to field gate and turn left along the track passing to the right of anelectricity pylon. After it follow the fence on the left as it descends to acorner where the stream down to your left. Here bend right followingthe fence on your left where you have another stream down to your left.

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Pass through a wooden kissing gate and 40 metres later take a stile onthe left and another immediately after down into a meadow throughwhich the stream runs and turn right without crossing the stream. As thefield widens out keep following the stream. Pass by another electricitypylon located on the other side of the stream. Still following the streampass through a gap in the remains of a hedge. Leave the other end of thefield via a wooden kissing gate to the left of a metal field gate onto afarm road and turn left along it. After crossing the stream go through awooden kissing gate on the right off the farm road. Once in the fieldhead diagonally across it north west by west to a stile. Do not cross thestile but bear right following the hedge keeping it to your left. After 100metres bear down right to cross a footbridge over the stream and turnleft to follow the stream. On reaching the next field boundary use thedouble stile 20 metres from the stream. In the next field continue in thesame direction with the stream off to your left to another stile in thenext field boundary 30 metres from the stream. There are now green-houses off to your right. Keep straight on getting gradually closer to thefence on the left. In the far left corner of the field cross over a stile andthen a footbridge and keep straight on with the stream still off to yourleft. Pass through a gap in a hedge and then head diagonally across aboggy field to use a stile to the right of a metal field gate in the far righthand corner.

Cross over Winters Hill Road to take the minor road opposite straighton (signed to Winters Hill Farm). This is a Roman Road. Thirty metresbefore the farm itself take a footpath on the right over a footbridge andthrough a wooden kissing gate and then turn left to follow the hedge onthe left. Ignore a metal field gate on the left and continue to the end of

27

the field as it narrows down and take a wooden kissing gate back on tothe site of the Roman Road now a track and turn right along it. Keepgoing along it until you reach the Winchester Road the B2177 again.

Cross straight over (taking care as the road carries fast traffic) to take aStakes Lane directly opposite and continuing in the same direction asbefore. Pass the house “The Limmers” on the right and “The Triangle”on the left and at a T junction with yet another part of Stakes Lane dostraight on through a pedestrian gate into a a very large field. Look backand project the lane across the field and you should be able to make outa stile on the other side. So cross the large field and then the stile andcontinue in the same direction by following the fence on the right. Halfway along the east side of this field cross over a stile on the right andthen cross the field ahead towards the right hand end of a wood. Onreaching the corner of the wood turn left following the waymarks forthe Pilgrims Trail along a path between the old part of the wood on theright and newer planting on the left. Keep going north along this path inthe wood until after 300 metres you reach a metal field gate and justbeyond a vehicular farm track. (You may hear light aircraft landing andtaking off in the is area as there is a private airfield off to the left as youreach the aforementioned gate.)

One on the track turn right following the Pilgrims Way along it downhill for 50 metres and at a right hand bend in the track there are twofield gates. Ignore the one on the left and go straight ahead through theother into a field. The path continues in the same direction as before andcuts across the corner of the field that is on your right to a stile visible200 metres ahead where you return to the vehicular track that you wereone before and turn left along it. It is fenced on both sides and after hav-ing fields on both sides to start with there is a short section with a woodon the left and then the track continues with fields on both sides again.Where the track goes through a metal field gate and into a field with oth-er gates to the left and right of it cross a stile to the left of the track. Anarrow footpath continues in the same direction after the stile with ahedge on the right and a fence on the left. When the fields on the leftend pass through a metal kissing gate and then you have on the left afence surrounding a Winchester City Council private sewage works and

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after that on the left the grounds of a semi- detached house - Number 3Oak Close, Upham. The path then joins a footway adjacent to OakClose and continues in the same direction until you get to the junctionof Oak Close with Upham Street. Turn right here along the road untilyou get to a three way road junction. Do not take Church Road on theright but go left along the continuation of Upham Street.

STAGE TENUPHAM to CHEESEFOOT HEAD

( 6.04 miles 837 feet Ascent 591 feet of descent)(Totals 30.68 miles 2483 feet Ascent 1971 feet of de-

scent)After only 100 metres along Upham Street nrxt to a field gate it bearsright, here take a footpath on the left over a stile and into a small field.(For the Brushmakers Arms follow the road and take the next road onthe right and follow it (see photo below). Cross the field diagonally to astile at the other end in the north western boundary. Cross over it into alarge field and turn left following the fence on your left. Follow thefield edge as it bends right at a corner in the field with a post and wirefence on your left. When the fence reaches a mature hedge ignore thefootpath back to the left and continue in the same direction followingthe hedge and still in the large field. As a corner in the large field isreached follow the path into a section between the hedge on the left anda post and wire fence on the right. The path descends with a wood onthe right and a hedge on the left. Ignore a path off to the right goingthrough the woods and continue to descend. Go through a wooden kiss-ing gate and out into a field sloping down ahead. Follow the fence onthe right down to the bottom where there is a wooden kissing gate. Pass

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through it and a narrow belt of trees running along the valley bottomand over a stile into the next field. Continue in the same direction acrossit to a stile in the far left north west corner of the field. Once over thestile you are on Rowhay Lane turn right here.

Rowhay Lane is no more than a grass strip along a field edge. Havingturned right follow the hedge on your right as it bends gradually rightand then gradually left until you reach a corner of the field. Here passthrough a metal field gate and into a narrow belt of trees and after 30metres (beginning of 2013 diversion) turn right through a gap into alarge field. Turn left and follow the hedge on the left gradually uphill asit goes right, then left and then right. In another 40 metres go leftthrough a gap into the next field and continue to follow the hedge onthe left with a horse running track on the right.

After passing a small corrugated iron shed ignore a footpath to the rightand private tracks to the left and continue ahead towards the corner ofthe field. At the corner turn left on a tarmac roadway leading towardsWoodlock’s Down Farm and then immediately right (ignoring a path toimmediately to the left) (end of 2013 diversion) along a grassy vehicu-lar track through trees gradually uphill with a hedge on the right.

When you reach a cross roads of tracks go left steeply downhill follow-ing a hedge on the right along a grassy vehicular track. Cross over atrack at the valley bottom and continue in the same direction gradually

30

ascending out of the valley still with the hedge still on the right as thetrack enters woods.

Keep straight on until you emerge out of the wood into a large field.Bear slightly right and follow the hedge on the right with fine views tothe left down over Southampton in the distance. On arriving at a chalkvehicular track called Greenhill Lane turn right along it. It is enclosedon both sides by hedges. Keep following it uphill for 500 metres untilafter passing the buildings at Green Hill you reach a tarmac road calledBaybridge Lane.

Bear right across the road to a stile to the left of a wooden field gate andcross it into a field where there is a lovely view (see photo on the previ-ous page) to the north along the route that the Allan King Way willnow take to Cheesefoot Head.On you right is an electricity pole andwires running down the hill ahead. Keeping just to the left of them godownhill to a stile in a post and wire fence. Cross it and continue down-hill passing to the right of the next electricity pole and down to crossanother stile in a post and wire fence. Then head down to cross anotherstile in a post and wire fence and on to a gravel vehicular track. Turnleft along it with Green Lane Cottage initially on your right. Keep to thetrack (ignoring a footpath off to the left) with trees overhanging theroute from both sides as it goes gradually uphill. On arriving at a junc-tion of tracks outside Lower Whiteflood Farm fork right (almoststraight on) continuing along the valley bottom. The tree lined track nar-rows and is actually a stream bed in heavy rain. Keep straight on wherea footpath crosses the track.

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On reaching Belmore Lane (a tarmac road) go straight across onto an-other bridleway which almost immediately turns left to run parallel toBelmore Lane where you will catch a glimpse of Whiteflood Farm-house off to the left. The bridleway then bends right to start going awayfrom Belmore Lane uphill in a gully. As a field appears on the left ig-nore a footpath on the right going through the hedge on the right andkeep straight on. When the hedge on the right goes right the bridlewaygoes across a cropped field in the same direction as before downhill tocross the Owslebury to Cheriton Road just to the right of a yellow pipeline marker on a post (see below on previous page). A tree lined bridle-way continues on the other side of the road downhill for 900 metres un-til just after passing under high voltage electricity wires you arrive at across roads with another bridleway called Honeyman Lane. Here turnright along it still flanked on both side by trees. After 400 metres a stag-gered cross roads of tracks is reached, go right and then immediatelyleft through Bushy Copse following a valley bottom on a vehiculartrack. In 300 metres take the signposted first slightly less substantialtrack off to the left. An electricity pylon can be seen in the field aheadand in 50 metres the bridleway path bends slightly left to avoid goinginto the field in which the pylon is located to continue even less substan-tially in a wood. In another 100 metres the bridleway emerges into afield and then bears right to follow the valley bottom towards the lefthand (west) side of a clump of trees called Oakclose Plantation. Passalong the outside of the left (west) side of the plantation to where thereis a junction with another track. Do not go right but bear slightly left ona track gradually uphill in a north west direction towards the left handend of another plantation on the skyline. On reaching it take the leftfork (straight on) along the outside of the left hand or west side of the

32

plantation. The bridleway continues to climb gradually and then bendsslightly right and levels out still with bushes and trees on the right. Atthe end of the straight when the trees on the right come to an end and afield is ahead of you turn left along a track uphill until in 200 metres asubstantial chalk vehicular track is reached at a T junction. Ahead is aview down valleys leading to the lower section of the River Itchen. (seephoto on previous page).

Turn right along the vehicular track gradually uphill. 50 metres beforereaching the A272 turn left on to another vehicular track going downhill.When the fence on the right goes right go right with it and pass throughthe fence where there is a gap and pass to the right of a yellow pipe linemarker on a post. Follow the path with a field on the right and busheson the left , then a field on the left and bushes on the right until a cross-roads of bridle ways is reached. Turn right to join the South DownsWay along the bridleway that crosses a cropped field towards the A272.A fine view north opens over the valley of the upper River Itchen justbefore you get to the road. Cross straight over the road (taking care be-cause it is a very busy road) to the continuation of the bridleway on theother side. Cheesefoot Head Car Park is 50 metres to your right alongthe A272.

STAGE ELEVENCHEESEFOOT HEAD TO TICHBORNE

(4,25 miles 262 feet Ascent 556 feet of descent)(Totals 34.93 miles 2745 feet Ascent 2527 feet of de-

scent)

The bridleway has been surfaced with stone chippings and there is a bri-dle gate set back from the A272. The bridleway continues along levelground with a fence on the left and a hedge on the right and a bowl inthe hills down to the left. In the far distance is the North HampshireDowns south of Newbury. The bridleway becomes unsurfaced as it runsalong the outside of Great Clump Woods on the right. When the woodscome to an end there is a bridle gate and then a more substantial vehicu-lar track is reached. Continue straight on along it down a gradual de-

33

scent with fields on both sides. Further down the hill keep straight onalong this substantial track when it enters woods. A static home calledFanfare then appears on the right where you pass through a barrier gateand then Keepers Cottage is on the right and just after a farm yard onthe left. Fifty metres further on take the first vehicular track on theright, still following the same route as the South Downs Way. It de-scends with fields and hedges on both sides into a valley bottom. Con-tinue straight on at a cross roads of tracks. At first the track is level thenit descends a little and then climbs uphill across a chalk ridge. At thecross roads of tracks at the top go straight on descending into a shallowvalley and through a side gate next to a field gate and then graduallyuphill for 100 metres and then gradually down again to a shallow valleybottom. There is a slight up to get to the crossroads with the surfacedRodfield Lane.

Continue across the Lane to take the track on the other side and to passthrough a bridle gate to the right of a double set of field gates. Thetrack between hedges goes uphill over a ridge and when you get to ahay barn on the right the Allan King Way and the South Downs Waydiverge. Turn left north east down a similar chalk vehicular track with ahedge on the right and cropped field on the left. This is the beginning ofa gradual descent to the valley of the upper River Itchen. There is afield to the right over the hedge - watch out for when it come to an end.On reaching this point go right into the next field used for grazing via abridle gate to the left of a double set of field gates. Follow the fence onthe right east, note how the track is in an indent in the field. After 150metres the fence moves away to the right of the indented track. Follow

34

the track for another 100 metres and take another indented track up tothe left towards a hedge and fence line. When you get there continue inthe same direction with the hedge on your left. A view down to valleyof the Itchen appears and you should be able to see the brown squaretower of the church peeking above the trees that surround it (see photoon the previous page).

Following the hedge will take you to the corner of a field where the bri-dleway exits via a bridle gate to the right of a double set of field gateson to a substantial unsurfaced vehicular track. Continue in the same di-rection between hedges. A hay barn is passed on the right and as awood draws near there is another to the left. The track passes to theright of the wood keeping along the outside of it. With the woods be-hind you there is another hay barn on the right and then an animal shedon the left. Twenty metres later leave the track and go over a stile on theleft into a cropped field. A footpath goes diagonally uphill to the rightto another stile in the hedge on the upper side of the field. Once overthat stile turn right to follow the hedge on the right along the edge ofanother cropped field. Keep the hedge on your right as the route joins afarm track going northeast. When the farm track goes through the hedgeon the right down to the farm below keep straight on in a sunken bywaystill with the hedge on the right. The route becomes enclosed on bothsides and in the shade of trees and exits on to a minor road that leads upfrom the village of Tichborne to the church. Turn left up the road to theturning area outside the church. With the church to your left go straightahead along a grassy path which in 20 metres bears right to descend be-tween hedges to a gravel track at the bottom.

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STAGE TWELVETICHBORNE TO ITCHEN STOKE

(1.96 miles 206 feet Ascent 245 feet of descent)(Totals 36.87 miles 2951 feet Ascent 2772 feet of de-

scent)

If you go right to the road and then left you will find the TichborneArms in 100 metres (see photo below on the previous page). The AllanKing Way goes left along the gravel track which turns to a chalk farmtrack after having passed a couple of dwellings. The track descends into a slight valley and then climbs. Keep straight on where there is atrack to the right and straight on again when there is one to the left stillgoing uphill following the hedge on your right. After a beech tree leavethe track and go right into the field to the east and turn left with thehedge now on the left (there used to be a stile at this point). At the cor-ner of the field bear right where a track goes through a gap in the hedgeand then follow the outside edge of Trodds Copse on the left. You havenow joined the author’s Itchen Way and Alresford can be seen in thevalley down to your right. At the corner of the field you approach theA31. Pass to the left of a wooden barrier where there used to be a fieldgate and descend to the dual carriageway (watch out there is 70+ mphtraffic). Cross over via the central reservation and go down the road op-posite that is the now bypassed old road. Bear left with the road and fol-low it until immediately before a house on the right there is a footpath

36

off to the right. Go down it following the fence associated with thehouse’s garden and then on down through a wood with a hedge on yourright across which you will get a fine view of the Itchen valley (see pho-to on the previous page). Once in a field keep straight on, do not go into the field on your right, keeping a hedge on your right and a field toyour left. One hundred metres later where there is a double metal fieldgate on the right go left keeping to the edge of the field now with awood on your right. At the corner of the wood where there is an electric-ity pole go right to continue to follow the edge of the field with thewood still on your right. Follow the field edge as it goes left and thenright with the garden of a nice house on the other side of the hedge. Atthe corner of the field go left 5 metres and you will locate a gap in thehedge which will take you down to a road.

Follow the road to the right (not through the private entrance) with abrick and flint wall on the right. The road bends right and then left toenter Ovington. Pass St Peter’s Church on the right and descendthrough the village. Keep straight on where Lovington Lane is off to theleft. [The St Swithun’s Way comes along this Lane and joins the AllanKing Way and the Itchen Way to descend the rest of the hill.] At thebottom of the hill the road crosses a stream and then goes right. [The StSwithun’s Way follows the road to the right.] Off to your left is theBush Inn. Go straight ahead along a footpath. The path leads to a verypicturesque spot, a footbridge over the River Itchen a clear chalk riverwith plenty of trout visible between the water weed. The path then goesleft on a route between the river on the left and a side stream on theright (see photo below). Eventually you have to leave this idyllic spot

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and cross a footbridge over the side stream to the right. This leads to theminor tarmac surfaced Water Lane which you follow it into the hamletof Itchen Stoke. (Part the way along on the left you will see the start ofa permissive footpath which goes through a field west to pick up the Al-lan King Way and Itchen Way a bit later on - this avoids a bit of mainroad walking.} When you reach the main road the B3047 turn left alongit.

STAGE THIRTEENITCHEN STOKE TO ITCHEN ABBAS

(2.10 miles 172 feet Ascent 210 feet of descent)(Totals 38.97 miles 3123 feet Ascent 2982 feet of de-scent)

Keep going along the main road until after passing Forge Cottage on theleft turn down a track on the left just after passing Rivers Keep, athatched cottage. Pass another thatched cottage and to the right of GilesBarn through a field gate and then over a stile to the left of a secondfield gate. (If you diverted earlier this is where you will rejoin theroute.) Bear right across the grass field to a bridge over a stream andthen bear slightly left to go straight on thereafter through what can be aboggy field in winter to a footbridge over the River Itchen. Once overthe bridge turn right and then left on a footpath and across a footbridgeover a side stream of the Itchen. Then keep straight on for 50 metresand then leave this path by turning right over a stile.

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Once in the field follow the fence on the right until you can see BlackFarm ahead and visually on the same alignment before it is a stile, headtowards this to leave the field. Once in the next field, the one before thehouse itself bear left to go slightly uphill diagonally to reach a woodenkissing gate in the south west corner (far left) of the field. Twenty me-tres later there is another wooden kissing gate, once through it bearright downhill following the hedge on the left, on the other side ofwhich is Lovington Lane. At the bottom of the field go through a wood-en kissing gate onto the Lane and then continue west in the same direc-tion as before along it. You immediately pass the entrance to BlackFarm on the right and then Yavington Farm buildings are on the left andthe pretty Yavington Farm Cottage on the right. Look out for a stile 200metres after that on the left up some steps. Once over the stile go steep-ly uphill with a fence on your right to another stile to the left of a metalfield gate. On the way you get the view in the picture on the previouspage. Cross over the stile and then go left with a fence and then a hedgeon the left. Off to your right is a hill top clump of trees. When youreach the same elevation as the trees turn right along a path towardsthem and then through them on a well trod path with plenty of tree roots.When you emerge on the other side of the trees continue in the samedirection to the left of an oak tree and then there is a fence on your right.Stay in the same field and continue straight on west along a farm trackwith a view over the Itchen Valley to the right. At the bottom of a shal-low valley there is a cross roads of farm tracks. Keep straight on herealong a more substantial track with a hedge to the right and Park GolfCourse now beyond it and a fence to the left with a cropped field be-yond that. After passing a golf course car park on the left the track turns

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right gets wider and descends towards a T junction with a road (thesame one you left near Yavington Farm). On the way down you get agood view of Avington House off to the left - see the picture on the pre-vious page.

Turn left on reaching the road and then almost immediately right on toanother one. On your left is Avington House with an avenue of treeslining the roadway from the entrance gates. Keep to the road over ahump backed bridge with a side stream off the Itchen beneath it. Furtheron once you have crossed the River Itchen there is Itchen Abbas churchon the left and Mill House on the right. Immediately beyond the arch-way entrance to the churchyard there is a gravel track on the left andthat is the route. The Trout Inn is only 200 metres away - if you contin-ue along the road and turn right at a T junction you will find it on theleft.

STAGE FOURTEENITCHEN ABBAS TO KINGS WORTHY

(2.94 miles 115 feet Ascent 134 feet of descent)(Totals 41.91 miles 3238 feet Ascent 3116 feet of de-scent)

Follow the gravel track passing a couple of houses and then where itends continue straight on up a track towards a wooden field gate. Passto the right of it through a small wooden pedestrian gate. From here

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there is a path fenced on the left and with hedges on the right at the endof gardens of nice houses further to the right. When the field on the leftends the enclosed path reaches an avenue of trees. Go through a wood-en kissing gate onto the avenue and then straight across to anotherwooden kissing gate on the other side which takes you into a field.Keep to the top side of the field following the fence on your right. TheRiver Itchen is at the bottom of the field to your left - see the photo onthe previous page. Pass through a metal kissing gate into the next fieldand continue with the fence on your right slightly downhill. Graduallythe path gets closer to the River Itchen. When the fence on your rightends continue in the same direction to go through a wooden kissing gateonto a gravel path with a fence to the right and a hedge to the left. Theenclosed path path comes to an end down a set of steps onto a lane atChilland.

Bear left across the road to pick up another enclosed gravel path. Thereis here a small field to the left and gardens to the right. On reaching awooden kissing gate go through it into the next field. Continue by keep-ing to the fence on the left. At the far left corner of the field go througha wooden kissing gate into the next field and this time continue by keep-ing to the fence on the right. At the far right end of the field go througha metal kissing gate into the next field and continue keeping to thehedge on the right. Keep going in the same direction when the hedgecomes to an end across a field on a track heading in the direction of thetop of the spire of the church at Martyr Worthy. Leave the field via a

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metal kissing gate onto a gravel track and keep going in the same direc-tion. On reaching a road with the church in front of you turn left.

In 20 metres turn right over a stile next to a wooden field gate (entranceto “Rivermead”) and continue next to the churchyard wall. On reachinga second wooden field gate take the path passing to the right of it. Thereis a fence to the left and a hedge to the right. When the fence on the leftgoes left go left with it along the edge of a field. On reaching the far leftcorner of the field turn right along a path which follows the south sideof the same field. At the other end of the field the route is down a pathenclosed between hedges. Pass through a wooden kissing gate and con-tinue along a gravel path fenced on both sides. The route emerges ontoEaston Lane where there is a house on the right.

Go straight across through a metal kissing gate and then keep to thefence on the right. In 200 metres cross a stile and continue in the samedirection this time with the fence on your left. Beyond the trees ahead isthe M3 and on reaching its boundary fence go left over a stile and ontoan enclosed path. On reaching the River Itchen turn right still on theenclosed path through a pedestrian underpass under the M3. On the oth-er side cross a stile to the left of a wooden field gate and continuestraight on along the edge of a field with trees to the left - see the photoon previous page is the view looking back to the underpass. The pathexits onto the B3047 via a stile to the left of a double set of woodenfield gates.

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Turn left down the main road keeping to the left hand side. Immediatelybeyond the fancy brick and flint wall of “The Worthys” there is a stileinto the field beyond. Take the path leading diagonally across the fieldbetween trees in a south westerly direction. Pass to the left of a woodenbarn and continue above the River Itchen down to the left. At the farleft corner of the field the path exits through a metal field gate onto theend of a lane in Abbots Worthy. Go straight across following the StSwithun’s Way (the Itchen Way goes left) onto another path with a met-al railing fence on the left and in winter a small stream on the right. In200 metres the path crosses the stream via a footbridge and then contin-ues in the same direction as before. The marshland of the River Itchenis off the the left and fences on the right and the path is through trees.The path exits onto the A33. Go straight across via the central reserva-tion of this dual carriageway to the start of another path on the otherside. Go through a wooden pedestrian gate and along a path with Evers-ley Cottage on the right. On reaching the gravel drive leading to the Cot-tage continue west along it. It emerges onto a road outside the church atKings Worthy. Walk towards the church and follow the path passing tothe right of it.

If you go onto the nearby main road and turn right in 100 metres youwill find a post office and store on the right and the Cart and HorsesPublic House on the left.

STAGE FIFTEENKINGS WORTHY TO WINCHESTER

( 2.63 miles 40 feet Ascent 77 feet of descent)

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(Totals 44.54 miles 3278 feet Ascent 3193 feet of de-scent)

The path leads under the tower of the church where the route goes left tofollow a path surfaced with paving slabs down through the cemetery.See the photo on the previous page. It leaves the cemetery at the bottomand becomes a tarmac surfaced path with a village green to the rightand houses to the left. Ignore the path up steps to the right and continueon towards offices in the distance. Pass through a wooden kissing gateas you approach them and keep straight on between the offices of ‘PPD’and Bacardi Brown Forman House. At the top of the wooded slopeahead is the A34. Leave the office complex and its associated car parksvia another wooden kissing gate and turn left down a path following thebase of the A34 embankment now on the right. The path bends rightand goes into a pedestrian underpass under the southbound carriagewayand then another under the northbound carriageway. The gravel paththen goes left (south) with the A34 to the left and a fence and hedge tothe right. On reaching a stream the path goes right south west followingthe stream with marshes to the right. It crosses another stream via a foot-bridge next to a pipe. There are now fields to the right and water mead-ows to the left of the enclosed path. The River Itchen is way off to theleft on the other side. Two thirds of a mile from the A34 the path cross-es the stream that has been running to the left for a while. On the otherside is a vehicular track, turn right to follow it now with the stream tothe right of you. In one third of a mile the vehicular track crosses thestream to the right. Do not cross the stream but continue straight onalong a footpath with the stream still to your right. When you reach a

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road called Hillier Way leading to theground of Winchester Football Club off tothe left go straight across the road to contin-ue to follow the stream. The path is nowtarmac and well defined. At the next roadcalled Nuns Road cross over to continuestraight on along Nuns Walk which is vehic-ular track still with the stream on the right.The track narrows to a path and continues toexit onto Monks Road with the King AlfredPublic House on the right. Cross over thestream towards the Public House and thenturn left into Saxon Road and continue inthe same southerly direction as before nowwith the stream on the left. At a T Junctionwith King Alfred Place the ruins of HydeAbbey (see photo on page 43) are off to theright.

Bear right towards it to pick up a path stillwith the stream on the left. Follow the pathover the stream via a footbridge and ontothe end of King Alfred Terrace. Continuestraight on down the Terrace at the end ofwhich the Winchester Leisure Centre comesinto view. Follow the Terrace around to theright and then turn left into the entrance tothe Leisure Centre Car Park and then imme-

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diately bear right to pass to the right of the Centre. Pass through somebollards and continue along a wide path with playgrounds on both sides.After crossing one of Winchester’s many Brooks bear right to pick upthe end of Park Avenue. Go along it using the footway on the right witheducational establishments on both sides of the road. At the junctionwith North Walls go straight across using the pedestrian crossing ontoMiddle Brook Street. Cross over to the left hand side of the Street andcontinue until just after passing a car park on the left use a pedestriancrossing to cross Friarsgate and continue in the same direction along apedestrianised part of Middle Brook Street.

The Brook Shopping Centre is on the right and keep straight on whenyou pass the main entrance and meet a cross roads still on MiddleBrook Street. Sainsburys is on the left and you can just see the top ofthe Cathedral over the top of Debenhams. When you reach that storeturn left down the High Street which becomes the Broadway as youpass the Guildhall on the right with its associated Tourist Office.Ahead of you is the statue of King Alfred, pass to the right of it to aroundabout and continue straight on down High Street and using thefootway on the right hand side cross Colebrook Street and immediatelyafter the Bishop on the Bridge Public House and immediately before thebridge over the River Itchen turn right down a path to follow the river -See photo on previous page. Follow the river side keeping an eye outfor a private footbridge over the river. At this point the riverside pathdivides, keep to the right hand one and on the right next to the wall ofWolvesley Castle (see the photo on the previous page) you will find thefinishing post telling you that you are 44 miles from Portchester (see thePhoto on the previous page).

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HAMPSHIRE RIGHTS OF WAYIMPROVEMENT TRUST LIMITED (HROWIT)

AND THE ALLAN KING WAY IMPROVEMENTPROJECT

However long this period of austerity is going to last it will have a sig-nificant effect on how much the public purse can afford to fund. This isespecially true in areas where expenditure is optional and although de-sirable is ranked as a lower priority than essential services. That is theunpleasant truth for those of us who love accessing the countryside andwould want more public money spent on our recreational aspirations.

We need to accept that we need to put more back into what we get outof enjoying our diverse landscapes by whatever mode of access we use.All over the country there are people who do just that in many practicalways – preserving, protecting, enhancing – some in a small way otherswith hours devoted to the subject. There comes a point however whenwhatever you do you need to join with others to get better organised,achieve the bigger tasks, overcome the obstacles that beset an individu-al and above all to raise the money needed to translate aspirations intoreality. Working to improve rights of way is like that, you reach a pointwhere if you want to move from repairing the odd stile and clearing asection of overgrown path you need a different way of working toachieve the bigger tasks. That is the rationale behind HROWIT.

It is company limited by guarantee formed by two members of the Brit-ish Horse Society – Brenda King and Bob Milton and three Ramblers –Alan Marlow (Winchester Group), Patric Curwen (Alton Group) andRichard Kenchington (Eastleigh Group). It has been set up in a way thatit can be run in a similar way to the national organisations on charitablelines but is nevertheless legally a completely separate organisation anddesigned to serve objectives that are related to Hampshire. You can join

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as a member, be a Trustee or Director and take part in implementingprojects the company aspires to promote. Above all it gives a legalframework for participants and supporters to work together with theobject of improving rights of way in Hampshire.

There is no shortage of ideas on what we would like to do. The prepara-tion by the County Council of the Countryside Access Plans supportedby all the amenity organisations has come up with a huge list of thingsthat could be done. We have had to decide where to start and have de-cided that we should try and make the best of a project that the Ram-blers in Hampshire promoted – the Allan King Way.

As an initial proposal we are seeking to convert all the stiles to kissinggates to facilitate easy access and already you can download a freeguide book and other information from the web sitehttp://www.hrowit.org.uk/

We are hoping that you would be willing to empower us to make an ear-ly start by agreeing to become a member and pledge £20 per annum tothe cause. If we had just 1000 members we would have enough moneyto complete the task in two years even if we were not able to raise mon-ey from other sources. Please consider how you might support thisproject and do more to put back something into the rights of way net-work we use.

The Hampshire Area of the Ramblers have endorsed our efforts - pleasedownload the form on the website and make a contribution so that wetogether can work to do more improvements. ALAN, BOB, BRENDA,PATRIC AND RICHARD