Caveat: Parts of this walk are not suitable for children or dogs, and great care must be taken with the two fast roads encountered
Distance: 7 1/2 miles approx
Parking: National Trust Car Park The Lions Den (free)
Map: Explorer 131 - Romsey, Andover & Test Valley
Map ref for car park: SU357347
Today, I headed for Stockbridge in the Test Valley, overlooked by Stockbridge Down to the East and leading, via part of the Test Way and a well-maintained Restricted Byway, to Danebury Hill, or Danebury Ring, the remains of an Iron Age Settlement.
I parked in the National Trust car park called The Lions Den and accessed via a very narrow country lane which runs parallel with the A3057 from Kings Somborne.
Two gates lead on to a Common popular with dog walkers and marked on the map as access land. Between the two gates runs the Test Way. My way turned right from the gate towards Stockbridge.
There are some peculiarities with this walk. Part of the Test Way runs along the verge beside the A3057 after the roundabout at Stockbridge. On the map, it shows the Way going through the roundabout. I think this inadvisable; probably best to do what I did – go left, cross at the island and follow the way safely along the verge from there.
Other oddities of this walk will be revealed, as in every good tale, as I come across them.
Eventually, the Test Way goes off on its safer course parallel to the road but separated from it on a proper footpath.
I’m heading for the lane that heads west to Longstock. As I walk along, I see an interesting path cutting up to the left. I pass it, though wondering where it goes. And a few yards further on I see a large green bridge affair passing over the path ahead. Now I know where that other path leads. The large green bridge affair is the road I’m after. The Test Way runs under it. To get up on to it I have to go back and up the other path.
This road is bordered by lots of streams all gushing, bubbling and trickling, and woodlands of birch trees and nettles. There is no way through those woods. As the lane continues it becomes more and more charming with little fishing huts, and a small weir and the river running alongside the road.
And then into Longstock itself. Hampshire can pride itself on its little villages and hamlets and Longstock is a very pretty example with its thatched cottages, lovely old church set on its own little hill and The Peat Spade Inn which designates itself as a “rooming house”.
After stopping to take photos, my way lies up Church Lane which eventually leaves tarmac behind becoming a restricted byway. Some of it lies between hedges which can become a little tedious, although the way is clear and firm underfoot. I amused myself, as I was heading for Danebury Hill, imagining I was some Iron Age traveller wayfaring to trade with Danebury. At the top of a rise, beside what are designated on the map “new buildings” and really aren’t! there is an open area with views out on three sides. Eventually, the byway ends at the junction of two undesignated roads.
Here is another peculiarity of this walk, and a not very pleasant one. Eventually the way lies across the road along the continuation of the byway; but if you want to get to Danebury Hill, there is no provision for walkers except this very fast road, on the road. The verges are overgrown, and never meant to be footways as far as I can tell. I did it, there and back again, because my goal for my lunchbreak was Danebury and having been there before (albeit by car) I was looking forward to being there again.
There is a public convenience, which is clean and well-maintained but rather strange. It is in the form of a roundhouse, although brick and tile, rather than wattle and daub. The ladies, at least, is a white quarter circle chamber with a high window, one toilet and washbasin. There is a notice on the door that warns “Do not lock the door, it doesn’t unlock.” I used my rucksack to hold it closed.
Lunch on the ramparts was pleasant, as the sun came out. Helicopters were flying back and forth out from Middle Wallop Airfield just over the way to the northwest. I had a wander around the Fort, taking in the atmosphere, and as a cold wind began to come up I departed to play with the traffic and start the return journey.
The second part of the walk continues along a byway on the south side of the road. This was muddy at the start today, but soon became dry underfoot, if a little rutted for some way. It runs between hedges as before but with gaps to left and right so you get views of Danebury to the right, and an arable field bordered today by a mass of scarlet poppies. The ruttedness soon calms down and becomes a clear track.
At the corner, where the byway becomes a lane, there is a footpath marker with a yellow Hampshire County Council tag over a stile. This is the path to follow. I must say the farmer has done a better job of keeping his bit of the path clear than HCC have their bit, but for all that it is perfectly passable – just don’t wear shorts.
The views begin to expand again until you turn southeast to follow the footpath along the edge of the now resting cropfields. Into the second field, the path begins to lose some of its clarity but it is still passable. The view drops away as you drop downhill but there is a treat in store.
Not immediately, though.
The footpath goes through the corner of a hedge, hard to spot but it is there – you just have to trust me! DO NOT RUSH THROUGH! The hedge is right on the edge of the A30. No verge, no pavement, nothing but fast traffic to play with. I rather enjoyed the idea that as people roared past they caught a glimpse of someone standing in the hedge.
In a break in the traffic (it does happen) get across the road and over the stile on to an indistinguishable footpath. Just keep the hedge on your left.
There is one further stile and on the other side the most beautiful green greenway I have yet encountered. It is tidy and quite a lovely place to walk. There are nettles on both sides but not overgrown, and enormous dock leaves. Someone other than nature has gone to a lot of trouble here. And soon Stockbridge is just visible between the trees ahead as the path descends. The byway comes out on to a road by a school. From here, it is a simple matter of following the road down and round to the right and along the main street of Stockbridge.
This is an old stamping ground of mine – I should say “singing” ground. I used to sing in concerts in St Peters Church some years ago with a small group of enthusiastic amateurs called Opera Dever. As I had not done so before, I took photos of the Church both outside and inside.
Continuing on towards my reward of tea and chocolate, I went back along the road by the roundabout I came along towards the beginning of the walk and met a small, black, hairy friend; a very friendly cat that seemed to think the middle of the road was a good place for a fuss. With laughing from onlookers, I eventually managed to coax the cat off the road so the oncoming car could get going again, and it was pleased to be fussed over for a few minutes. I had to leave my little friend and continued back along the few yards of the Test Way back to the gate and the car park, where I had tea waiting in a thermos flask, and a small bar of chocolate.
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