Enjoying the countryside Using local paths Maintaining rights of way

Hampshire boasts an extremely rich and diverse Many rights of way cross private land and we ask you
countryside and an extensive network of public paths to bear this in mind by keeping to the path and being
which provide a range of opportunities for enjoying the responsible when using them. There are four types, please Hampshire County Council:
great outdoors. Rights of way are linear routes, often check which paths you are entitled to use (for example,
ancient trackways through deep countryside; there are cyclists cannot use footpaths). Wheelchairs, pushchairs s %NSURESTHATRIGHTSOFWAYARENOTOBSTRUCTED
over 3,000 miles of these in Hampshire. The map in this ANDDOGSAREALLOWEDONALLTYPESOFRIGHTOFWAY!NY s -AINTAINSTHESURFACEINAlTCONDITIONFORITS
leaet may also show access to other areas of land, such as permissive paths or areas marked are not rights of way, intended use
commons, woodland, recreation grounds or conservation but the landowner has given permission for the public to
areas, and your Town Council may know of guided walks use them. s -AINTAINSSOMEBRIDGES
(including certain bulls) on paths
or events. Many people can reach the countryside within a s 3IGNPOSTSANDWAYMARKSPATHS
3HOULDNOTKEEPDANGEROUSANIMALS s To ensure that the countryside is protected for future
few hundred yards of home and the plants, trees and views
generations be sure to: s !UTHORISESSTILESANDGATES
along the same paths often change dramatically through
3HOULDNOTPLOUGHPATHSATlELDEDGES s
the seasons. We hope that this leaet will encourage you s "ESAFEnWEARSUITABLECLOTHINGANDSHOESAND s +EEPSTHEDElNITIVEMAPUP TO DATE
deter use of them take care when crossing roads
to explore and enjoy your local countryside.
3HOULDNOTOBSTRUCTPATHSOR s
s 0LANAHEADANDFOLLOWANYSIGNS
-AINTAINMOSTSTILESANDGATES s
s ,EAVEGATESANDPROPERTYASYOUlNDTHEMAND
#ONSIDEROTHERPEOPLE s
Landowners:
or planting crops take your litter home
2EINSTATEPATHSACROSSlELDSAFTERPLOUGHING s +EEPDOGSUNDERCLOSECONTROL s s +EEPBACKSIDEGROWTHAND
s 0ROTECTPLANTSANDANIMALS overhanging vegetation
overhanging vegetation 0ROTECTPLANTSANDANIMALS s
+EEPBACKSIDEGROWTHAND s s +EEPDOGSUNDERCLOSECONTROL s 2EINSTATEPATHSACROSSlELDSAFTERPLOUGHING
take your litter home or planting crops
s #ONSIDEROTHERPEOPLE
Landowners: ,EAVEGATESANDPROPERTYASYOUlNDTHEMAND s
s -AINTAINMOSTSTILESANDGATES
0LANAHEADANDFOLLOWANYSIGNS s
s 3HOULDNOTOBSTRUCTPATHSOR
take care when crossing roads to explore and enjoy your local countryside.
+EEPSTHEDElNITIVEMAPUP TO DATE s deter use of them
"ESAFEnWEARSUITABLECLOTHINGANDSHOESAND s the seasons. We hope that this leaet will encourage you
!UTHORISESSTILESANDGATES s s 3HOULDNOTPLOUGHPATHSATlELDEDGES
along the same paths often change dramatically through
generations be sure to:
few hundred yards of home and the plants, trees and views
3IGNPOSTSANDWAYMARKSPATHS s To ensure that the countryside is protected for future s 3HOULDNOTKEEPDANGEROUSANIMALS
or events. Many people can reach the countryside within a
(including certain bulls) on paths
-AINTAINSSOMEBRIDGES s use them. areas, and your Town Council may know of guided walks
but the landowner has given permission for the public to commons, woodland, recreation grounds or conservation
intended use permissive paths or areas marked are not rights of way, leaet may also show access to other areas of land, such as
-AINTAINSTHESURFACEINAlTCONDITIONFORITS s ANDDOGSAREALLOWEDONALLTYPESOFRIGHTOFWAY!NY over 3,000 miles of these in Hampshire. The map in this
%NSURESTHATRIGHTSOFWAYARENOTOBSTRUCTED s cyclists cannot use footpaths). Wheelchairs, pushchairs ancient trackways through deep countryside; there are
check which paths you are entitled to use (for example, great outdoors. Rights of way are linear routes, often
Hampshire County Council: responsible when using them. There are four types, please which provide a range of opportunities for enjoying the
to bear this in mind by keeping to the path and being countryside and an extensive network of public paths
Many rights of way cross private land and we ask you Hampshire boasts an extremely rich and diverse

Maintaining rights of way Using local paths Enjoying the countryside

A brief history
of the walks around Alton

!LONGTHE(OLYBOURNEWALKYOUWILLENCOUNTERA
number of timber framed houses dating from the
Useful Contacts
!LTON4OWN#OUNCILANDFURTHERCOPIESOFTHISLEAmET
4OWN(ALL-ARKET3QUARE
!LTON'5($
www.alton.gov.uk
01420 83986
Exploring Alton
TH#ENTURY!TTHISTIMETHEh!LTON-ACHINEvSTAGE
coach drawn by six horses may have passed en route Public Transport
FOR,ONDONOR3OUTHAMPTON.EATHAMISINCLUDEDIN Traveline 0871 200 22 33
THE$OMESDAY"OOKANDAPPEARSTOHAVEBEENMORE CODE
IMPORTANTTHAN!LTONHAVINGITSOWNMARKET0RIORTO 3TAGECOACH 0871 200 22 33
this there was the Roman settlement,Vindomis, and
EARLIERSTILLEVIDENCEOFA-IDDLE0ALAEOLITHICSITE Countryside Information
"# 
!LTON4OURIST
The Flood Meadows walk takes you alongside the River Information Centre 01420 88448
7EYWATERCRESSBEDS4HEREISEVIDENCEOF3AXONAND Hampshire County Council
Roman settlements here. Indeed one derivation of the Information Centre 0845 603 5636
NAMEh!LTONvCOMESFROMTHE3AXONEA
WAL
TONhTHE
PLACEOFTHEBEAUTIFULSPRINGSv)TWASIN&LOOD-EADOWS
THATTHEBRUTALMURDEROFAYOUNGGIRL3WEET&ANNY For further information on access to the countryside
!DAMSTOOKPLACEINANDHERWELLTENDEDGRAVE
is in the old cemetery. Further along you will see the
VALLEYINWHICHTHE0ARLIAMENTARIANFORCESSURPRISEDAND
DEFEATEDTHEDEFENDING2OYALISTARMYINWHENTHEY
STORMED3T,AWRENCE#HURCH
The walk around Windmill Hill gives extensive views
of the surrounding countryside, much of which would
LINEWWWHANTSGOVUKROW
HAVEBEENCOVEREDWITHFORESTWHERE+INGSWOULDHAVE
hunted wild boar, wolves and deer. The railway line was
please contact Hampshire County Council on the
above number or visit www.hants.gov.uk/countryside
This leaet was produced with the assistance of the
!LTONS0ARISH0ATH&OOTPATH7ARDENS
77927 PRINTED BY HAMPSHIRE PRINTING SERVICES 01962 870099
Walking in Hampshire www.hants.gov.uk/walking
Cycling in Hampshire: www.hants.gov.uk/cycling
2IGHTSOF7AY-APSON
Thr
ee circular walks
/3%XPLORERMAPNOCOVERSTHISAREA
LAIDINCONNECTING!LTONTO7INCHESTEREXTENDED
LATERTO'OSPORT"ASINGSTOKEANDTHE,ONDON,INE
4HEWATERWORKSWERECONSTRUCTEDINWITHA
FTWELL
#OVERPAINTINGBY0AM0ELL
0HOTOGRAPHYBY3TEVE#OOKSEYSTEVECOOKSEY SKYCOM
(MWGPEMQIV4YFPMWLIHF]%PXSR8S[R'SYRGMPERH,EQTWLMVI'SYRX]'SYRGMPXLVSYKLXLI7QEPP
+VERXW7GLIQI8LIVSYXIWHIWGVMFIHLEZIFIIRTYXJSV[EVHF]XLI8S[R'SYRGMP;LMPWXXLI'SYRX]
'SYRGMPIRHIEZSYVWXSQEMRXEMREPPVMKLXWSJ[E]XSELMKLWXERHEVHEHHMXMSREPVIWSYVGIWEVIRSX
EPPSGEXIHXSVSYXIWTVSQSXIHMRXLMWPIEIX;LMPWXIZIV]GEVILEWFIIRXEOIRMRXLITVITEVEXMSR
SJXLMWPIEIX,EQTWLMVI'SYRX]'SYRGMPMWYREFPIXSEGGITXER]VIWTSRWMFMPMX]JSVEGGMHIRXSVPSWW
VIWYPXMRKJVSQXLIMRJSVQEXMSR[MXLMRXLMWPIEIX
Alton Town Council
 Circular Walks
Circular Walks
Footpath
Footpath .................................
Bridleway ...............................
Windmill Hill Walk
Bridleway
Byway open
Byway opentotoallalltraffic
trafc (Allow 11/4 hours)
Roads
Roads .....................................

Track orPrivate
PrivateRoad
Road ...........
A delightful, undulating walk, with ne views to the South. Some long grass but rarely muddy.
Track or

Railways
Railways ............................ 3TARTFROMTHELAY BYATTHEBEGINNINGOF3ALISBURY#LOSE4AKETHETARMAC +EMPTON#LOSEANDAFTERYARDSTAKElRSTTARMACPATHTOTHERIGHTJUSTASTHE
PATHUPHILLANDTHROUGHKISSINGGATEATTOP)MMEDIATELYLEAVETHElELDCORNER road bears left. Go down the path and straight across Goodwood Close into
THROUGHLIFT STILEONLEFT'OALONGTHEEDGEOFCOPSETHROUGHTHEREMAINSOF THEINCONSPICUOUSTARMACFOOTPATHAHEADBETWEEN.OSAND &OLLOWTHE
AKISSINGGATEANDSTRAIGHTAHEADJOININGATARMACDRIVE!TTHEENDTURNRIGHT FOOTPATHWHICHBECOMESGRAVELTOEND4URNRIGHTUPROAD-OUNT0LEASANT
across two entrances and through a gate/stile to footpath along right hand edge ANDCONTINUEPAST.EW"ARN,ANETOEND
OFlELDWITHVIEWSTO3OUTH7HENHEDGEDIVERGESTOTHERIGHTCARRYSTRAIGHTON !TTHREEWAYlNGERPOSTTAKEPATHSTRAIGHTONTHROUGHTREESWITH
DOWNlELDTOKISSINGGATEAHEADATHEDGECORNER'OTHROUGHANDDOWNSTEPS VEHICLE BARRIERSATEACHENDTOROAD)GNOREFOOTPATHYOUCANSEEONFARSIDE
then bear right, along hedge to the end. Follow hedge right and uphill to the BUTTURNLEFTALONGROAD2IDGEWAY 9OURSTARTINGPOINTIN3ALISBURY#LOSEISTHE
corner.(Ignore path on through kissing gate) turn left again along contour above next turn after Wincanton Close.
LAVENDERlELD4URNRIGHTAGAINWHENYOUREACHTHEENDANDGOSTEEPLYUPHILLTO
THECORNERANDATHREEWAYlNGERPOST3EE3HORT CUT 3HORT CUT3TRAIGHTONUNDERTREESTOROAD2IDGEWAY 4URNRIGHTANDTHEN
4URNLEFTGENTLYDOWNHILLALONGHEDGETHENSTRAIGHTONACROSSlELDTOlNGER RIGHTAGAININTO3ALISBURY#LOSE
POSTATMETALLEDROAD"OROVERE,ANE &OLLOWLANEPASSINGCONVERTEDFARM
3HORT CUT4URNRIGHTSTRAIGHTALONGROAD2IDGEWAY ANDRIGHTAGAININTO
BUILDINGSONRIGHT!SLANEBEARSLEFTTAKENARROWSIGN POSTEDFOOTPATHSTRAIGHT
3ALISBURY#LOSE
on between hedges. In a few yards, at the junction with the corner of the
tarmac path, turn right, keeping the houses on your left. Follow on along
h
Windmill Hill Walk tarmac path, curving left around the houses, and on down past green space
hurc
TOTHEROAD2IDGEWAY 3EE3HORT CUT 4AKECARECROSSINGTHEROADINTO C

d o
Ro
Holy
Holybourne Walk
(3.5 miles. Allow 2 hours)
Market Square 3TARTATTHE0AVILIONCHANGINGROOMSIN!NSTEY0ARKANDCROSSPLAYINGlELDS 4URNLEFTINTO,OWER.EATHAM-ILL
Public Gardens BETWEENRUGBYPITCHESKEEPING!NSTEY2OADTOTHERIGHT!THEDGETURNTO ,ANEANDDOWNHILLUNTILYOUNEARLY
the left along the hedge until reaching a gap. Go through this gap and turn REACHTHE!LTONBYPASS4URNRIGHT
LEFT/NREACHINGTHECORNEROFTHEFENCEDSCHOOLPLAYINGlELDTURNRIGHTAND just before the bypass through kissing
CONTINUEALONGPATHUNTILREACHINGAROAD(OWARDS,ANE 4URNLEFTANDFOLLOW GATEBYAMETALGATEANDCROSSTHElELD
THEROADASITBENDSRIGHTPASSINGACHURCH.ORMANNAVEANDTOWERANDTH on gravel track keeping to the right, pastt a
##HANCEL !TENDOFLANECROSS#HURCH,ANEANDTAKEFENCEDTRACKAHEAD small brick pumping house to another kissing
0ROCEEDUNTILYOUREACHAGAPINAHEDGEATTHEENDOFTHElRSTlELD)NSTEAD gate. Cross the wooden bridge over the River Wey
of continuing along wide track ahead, turn left (slightly uphill) keeping to the and continue with the river on your left towards a row of brick houses.
EASTERNEDGEOFTHISSAMElELDANDTHENTHROUGHAHEDGEINTOANOTHERlELDAND /NREACHING5PPER.EATHAM-ILL,ANETURNLEFT!FTERABOUTMETRESGO
turn left. Continue uphill with the hedge on your left (note the lovely landscape THROUGHAGATEANDPASSING5PPER.EATHAM-ILL&ARMONYOURRIGHTTURNRIGHTAT
on your right); over the rise and downhill until you reach a bridleway. the Old Forge (timber clad building). Continue along grass path under concrete
BRIDGEBEARLEFTUPSTEEPPATH"%7!2%STEEPDROPTORIVER KEEPINGTHERIVER
Turn right and follow this sunken path down to the next junction and turn right
to your right. Descend to tarmac road and turn right along estate road to
Holybourne Walk TOWARDSTHEMAINROAD!TTHEJUNCTIONWITHTHEMAINROADOBSERVETHESIGN
INDICATINGTHE#UCKOOS#ORNER2OMAN3ITE OPPOSITE6INDOMIS#LOSETURNRIGHT
-ILL,ANE4AKECARECROSSING-ILL,ANEANDGOTHROUGHCONCRETEBOLLARDSINTO
LOWERENDOF!NSTEY-ILL,ANE.OTETHERUINSOF!NSTEY-ILLTH#WHICHSTILL
ANDFOLLOWTHEMAINROADTOWARDS(OLYBOURNEWITHACHILDRENSPLAY
RETAINSITSCASTIRONWATERWHEEL#ONTINUEACROSSTHEESTATEROADWITH-ALBYS
AREAONTHERIGHT#ONTINUEONPAST(OLYBOURNE&ORGETH#7HICHISNOW
ONYOURRIGHTANDAGAINTHROUGHBOLLARDSINTOTHECONTINUATIONOF!NSTEY-ILL
obscured by a tall hedge.
,ANEPASSINGUNDERRAILWAYBRIDGETOREACH!NSTEY2OAD4AKECARECROSSING
ROADANDRETURNTOYOURDEPARTUREPOINTIN!NSTEY0ARK

Flood Meadows Walk

(Approx 3 miles. Allow 1 to 11/2 hours to include variations)
Market Square with the historic Town Hall is the ideal place to begin a varied walk with ne views of Alton and the countryside.

!MERY3TREETISOPPOSITELEADINGTOh#UT0OUNDvANDTHE2IVER7EYTHEN +ILN,ANEBACKWITHTHEBARNONTHERIGHT%NJOYTHESPLENDIDVIEWSOF!LTON

LEFTINTO4ANHOUSE,ANEAND&LOOD-EADOWSPAUSETONOTETHEINFORMATION ANDTHEOPENCOUNTRY4HEHEDGELINED,ANEGENTLYDESCENDSANDBECOMES
boards. Follow the left path adjacent to the old watercress beds. TARMACED7ALKAFURTHERMETRESTURNLEFTUPSOMESTEPSTHROUGHAGAP
!TTHEPATHhCROSS ROADSvCONTINUEONTHEINCLINEFORMETRESTAKETHE INTHEHEDGE4HEPATHFOLLOWSDIAGONALLYACROSSTWOlELDSTO.EW/DIHAM
right fork alongside a brick wall and into Wentworth Gardens which joins 2OAD!NALTERNATIVEISTOCONTINUEDOWNTHE,ANETURNLEFTINTO"ASINGSTOKE
'REENlELDS!VENUEOPPOSITEISABUSSHELTER 7ALKSTRAIGHTAHEADUPA 2OADTHENLEFTINTO.EW/DIHAM2OADWHICHYOUNEEDTOCROSSFORBOTH
BROADANDRISINGTARMACPATHTOACHILDRENSPLAYGROUND#ONTINUEONTHE ROUTES 4AKETHENARROWPATHBETWEENNUMBERSANDINTO&LOOD
GRASSPATHWITHHEDGEONTHELEFT4HEADJACENTlELDSONTHERIGHTBELONGTO Meadows. Follow the tarmac path, houses on the left; turn right down hill
the Town Council and afford views of the town. over grass towards a bridge over the River Wey. The path alongside the Wey
Go through a kissing gate; continue on the downward slope to Greenmount GOESTO4ANHOUSE,ANE
Alt
e
rna

&ARMANDTWOWOODENGATESATTHEEDGEOF.EW/DIHAM2OAD"EWAREOF
tive

%NJOYTHECHOICEOFREFRESHMENTSINONEOF!LTONSMANYEXCELLENTCAFESAND
FASTTRAFlCCOMINGAROUNDABEND#ONTINUEUP3OUTHWOOD2OADNOTETHAT
pa

PUBLICHOUSESORRELAXINTHEDELIGHTFUL0UBLIC'ARDENS
th

THISISASTEEPCLIMBFORMETRESTOASIGNPOST4URNLEFTANDFOLLOW"RICK

Flood Meadows Walk