Timsbury to Mottisfont Circular

24 September 2008

Distance: 8 miles
Parking: Hunt's Farm Sports Ground, or parking at the side of the A3057 heading south to Romsey
Map: Explorer 131 - Romsey, Andover & Test Valley
Map ref for car park: SU347251

(I am indebted to Test Valley Borough Council for the original directions for this walk.)

This is a pleasant walk from start to finish, as the paths are clear and well-kept and usually a comfortable width. The only domestic animals I encountered today were sheep at the Church at Michelmersh and they were in the graveyard keeping the grass down. Much better than a lawnmower.

This walk starts from Hunt's Farm Sports Ground in Timsbury, entrance off the A3057, but the parking area mentioned above may be more convenient.

From the Sports Ground car park, return to the entrance and turn left on to a grass verge, or cross the road (it is fast and can be busy) to the pavement opposite. On the left side of the road turn up Heron Lane (this does not have a road nameplate at the moment) just before the parking area at the side of the road. The village hall is tucked behind a hedge to the right at the start of this lane.

The lane soon becomes a bridlepath. Keep following this round past houses and Hunt's Farm on a new tarmac road to a Y-junction. Take the left hand fork on to the road. Follow this road with care into the village of Michelmersh. On reaching a crossroads and a roadsign turn right and then left on to a track after the houses. This track goes up between fences, through two gates and passes to the left of a reservoir. Come to a gate and cross the small field ahead to the Churchyard. Go through the churchyard past the entrance of this lovely church and out through the gate to the road.

Turn right and cross the road to a footpath heading down beside fields until a footpath sign pointing in all directions. Go right here, uphill towards a copse. Take a few pauses to enjoy the unfolding view across the Test Valley.

Go through the copse with farm buildings to the right and out the other side to another field. Pass through the gap in the electric fence and head diagonally across the field to a sprung gate into woodland. The path downward is quite steep. There is a handrail for a little way but it continues steeply after the handrail finishes. Keep following the path down to a stile into a field. A hill rises steeply to the right. Continue down to the road beyond another stile.

Cross the road with care and pass through the fence-gap and over a bridge with lovely views along the Test River on both sides. Keep along the tarmac path to a stile beside a gate into the flat field beyond. There is a sign on the post advising walkers to follow the white posts. This path leads across to another bridge, which has a step-over rail.

Turn left after the bridge along a gravel drive past pretty cottages. Pass over another bridge. Look for a kissing gate on the left in the hedge. This leads into the Mottisfont Estate which the Test Way continues through. Today, there were notices of a diversion of the Way; however, it appears from the map on the gate that this may be a permanent change as it is the same as the Explorer map route. Cut diagonally across the field through a break of trees and continue towards a footpath sign in the middle of the field next to some more trees. Turn a little right again and head slightly uphill to the gate to the road. On the left across the field is Mottisfont Abbey.

Turn left along the road, past the walls of the Mottisfont Estate and keep left as the road bears. Choose to continue along the road, past Hazel Cottage on the left and the 12th Century St Andrews Church on the right to visit Mottisfont, and return to the Church after the visit.

To continue the walk, turn up the road right with the Church on the left. The lane soon becomes a long path. Follow this to a stile into a conservation area. Dogs are requested to be kept under close control here. Cross the field along a well-defined grass track to a bridge over the River Dun. The view to the right is pretty.

Continue through the gate on the other side of the bridge. The path climbs steeply between fencing and woodland to another tall gate. Go through this and over the railway bridge. Follow the path along until it reaches a crossroads. Turn left here and descend gently to the road.

Turn left over the level crossing into the village of Kimbridge. Kimbridge Farm Shop is on the left. The shop sells, among other things, miniature bottles of flavoured wines which also come in normal sized bottles as well. There is a tea shop called Annie's within the building. There is a lovely wooden, covered bridge over an ornamental pond to the entrance, and a huge willow tree stands before the building. It is all very picturesque.

From the Farm Shop continue along the road through Kimbridge. This road is surprisingly busy for a minor road and there are verges to step onto out of the way of the traffic. Follow the road all the way along until it reaches the A3057.

On the other side of the road is The Bear and Ragged Staff pub. The walk continues, when you are ready, up the lane which passes to the right of the pub. Just before a crossroads on the outskirts of Michelmersh, turn right along a footpath which runs alongside a house. There are two gates to pass through, the intervening space is the garden to the house, so please be respectful of this space.

Through the second gate, the path skirts the edge of a cornfield over a stile and continues right. Keep following the path along. It goes over an entrance to the claypits and on the other side of this track follows the edge of the claypits/brickworks and down to the brickworks yard. Turn right to pass buildings out into the road and turn left.

On the right side of the road is a footpath sign. There is a gap in the hedge but the stile is no longer there. Pass down through the field and into woodland; there is a stile but no fence. Follow the path down to the tarmac road and turn right down to the main road. Turn left and follow the road back to the Sports Ground and car park.