Old Winchester Hill and Garden Hill Lane

Jarrold's Pathfinder Guide No. 12 Hampshire and New Forest (Walk 25)

This walk begins and ends with Old Winchester Hill, an Iron Age Hillfort. It is one of many excellent viewpoints in Hampshire, with 360-degree panoramic views over the county out as far as the Isle of Wight. In the immediate foreground to the west rises Beacon Hill above Exton over which passes part of the 101 mile-long South Downs Way.

If you are lucky you may see some smaller birds of prey hovering over the hillside.

The walk passes down through a narrow tunnel of trees, around the edges of cropfields and along an ancient route called Garden Hill Lane. This is extremely narrow and runs beside a stream of the Meon River. It can be very muddy in places, and becomes quite overgrown in the latter stages before you reach the bridge.

The Meon River is shallow and clear at this point as you come to the village of Exton.

The walk takes in pretty churches and country lanes and passes a pub in Exton called the Shoe Inn.

The second half of the walk (assuming the half way point as the pub) has a lo - ot of stiles and all heading uphill. Some of the fields are quite steep so at least one walking pole may be adviseable if you're not as fit as you'd like to be. As the way now climbs consistently it's a good idea to take it steadily. Eventually you leave paddocks and stiles behind and follow New Road to the top of this bit. It bends forms a crossroads with Watton Lane and there are more lovely views to be had as you climb and at the top. The walk goes over another stile and follows the edge of a large wheatfield heading down. Here you can see 2km across the valley to the steep slope of Old Winchester Hill. Across Stocks Lane is a path that becomes a bridle way further up through a gate. On the day I walked this, the farmer had put up information about the crops grown and how bread flour wheat is different from cake flour wheat, which I thought a charming thing to do!

And the walk climbs out of the bridle path. As the guidebook has it, the path "claws its way up the chalk hillside". Walking poles are of benefit here!

Eventually it reaches sensible ground and you turn right back towards the car park. There are benches placed at strategic points for rest, water and enjoyment of the beautiful views.