Cheesefoot Head and Fawley Down

Distance: 5 miles approx
Car Park: Cheesefoot Head Car Park off the A272 (signposted)
Map: Explorer 132

Park in the car park, get out of the car and look north. Already the view is outstanding!

This is a shorter walk but it has again some staggering views of Hampshire from another excellent vantage point and some of the lower scenery is pretty. It took me about 2 hours including stoppage time for photos and views.

Go back to the car park entrance and cross over VERY CAREFULLY – THIS IS A FIENDISHLY FAST ROAD!

Turn left along the verge to the gate. Here more spectacular views hit the eye. The Isle of Wight, the chimneys of Fawley Power Station across the Solent, Southampton sparkling lower down in the distance, the New Forest rising away westward and the rise and fall of downland. As you walk downwards you are walking the King’s Way. About half way down the way goes off to the left but it loses the view and you are better off continuing down the track (Warren Lane). I also saw a "crop circle" (it was quite an intricate pattern).

Don’t forget to courteously acknowledge anyone who may drive or ride up this lane as well. As you lose the view the track bends round to the right becoming Ox Drove. Keep straight on along the grassy track ahead and through the gate into Old Down Plantation.

Ignore paths to left and right and continue over the cross-paths further down into a shade of trees. There is a right of way footpath marked off this route but this is confused by there being other paths off which are waymarked that do not appear on the map. The one I chose is to the right (the direction you need to turn to follow my route) over a stile, waymarked by a yellow Hampshire arrow. Opposite this is a marked way through a green field. The field our route follows is through a field of beans left to go over.

Walk down this right hand side of the field with trees on your right until you come to a broad green way going right to left before you. Turn right along here, pass through a gap in the trees along the bottom of another bean field left to go over, and follow the path’s natural course round to the right. Just before this you pass a footpath sign pointing its finger back across the bean field but the path itself is lost among the beans. The path you are on is called Old Down Lane and on the map follows straight on from the footpath lost in the beanfield.

The Lane comes eventually to a field entrance. It is hard to seat first but the path turns right, between the hedge that borders the field and a windbreak of trees on the left. It is a little overgrown and narrow and there are trees bending low over the path but it is negotiable and you can look out over the fields which is pleasant.

The Lane comes out at a road and immediately turns left away from the road again. You may have to look carefully for the start but the path is clear and soon widens out a little. There is a view of houses to the left through the trees although the high hedge to the right blocks the view of the field. However the Lane is pretty enough and eventually comes out at Fawley Lane.
Take note of the MOD warning notices here, however the footpath that continues on ahead has an MOD notice on it which states that the firing range does not encroach on this path. If you choose to extend your way to skirt the firing range take heed of all warnings and advice and do not wander away from the paths.

To follow my route, turn right up Fawley Lane, past cottages on the right and continue between high hedges and masking trees, and continuing MOD warning signs. Eventually the hedges and trees clear and Fawley Down stretches away before you. Take the right hand path. The left way is not for public access. There is a little lawn of green grass and purple flowers here, in summer.
Put away your map and simply follow this path up towards Cheesefoot Head. To your right is the curve of the wheatfields you went down earlier. To the left is the expanding view of north and north west Hampshire and later you will see Winchester laid out in the valley. Behind, the view also grows to the spreading vista seen before from the top of King’s Way. It is worth stopping and looking around every 50 to 100 yards to see the changing view.

Ahead, you can cross the A272 (remember to take great care with this road) and turn right along the verge back to the car park, or choose to extend your route along the South Downs Way through the gate, to Exton. Alternatively, at the top of Fawley Down you can turn left and follow the beginning of the South Downs Way back to its starting point in Winchester.