Length: 18.7km (11.6 miles) or 13.8km (8.6 miles)** T=swc.97
The first five miles of this walk are packed with interest. There is the mysterious source of the Test River and just beyond that, Ashe House, where Jane Austen did or did not have a youthful infatuation with Tom Lefroy (discuss, using both sides of the paper). Beyond that there is Deane House, surely the prototype for Elizabeth Bennet's home in Pride and Prejudice, and the field corner where the (now vanished) childhood home of Jane Austen stood. Just up the road is the tiny rural Steventon Church where her father was the vicar.
Also at this time of year, there are usually good displays of snowdrops - particularly near Deane House - and aconites (little yellow flowers with leafy ruffs). Throughout the walk you are on the upland fields of Hampshire downland: no promises here, but usually less muddy than other soils, being on chalk.
There is an out and back route to the lunch stop, the very pleasant Fox in North Waltham, 6.1 miles into the walk. I have made a booking for six in the bar for 1.30pm. A much earlier option is the (untried) Palm Brasserie on the site of the former Deangate Inn, 2.5 miles into the walk.
** Sandwich eaters can picnic in Steventon Churchyard and skip the walk to the Fox altogether: this is the 8.6 mile version of the walk. This option is also available if you lunch in the Palm Brasserie. If you keep to the 11.6 mile main walk, there is a Budgens in North Waltham selling sandwiches, and benches by a duckpond where you can eat them.
Tea in Overton is best had at the White Hart Hotel (an inn), which does tea in pots as well as puddings. The Overton Gallery is open till 5pm, but its kitchen (and presumably tea room) shuts at 4pm: sandwich eaters who do the short walk might just get there in time, I suppose
Trains back from Overton are at 20 past the hour. Allow 20 minutes to walk the 1.4km from the White Hart to the station. You do not want to just miss a train, as there is minimal shelter and nothing to do in the station vicinity
2 comments:
A whopping n=30 on this walk: I am still a bit stunned to have attracted so many. Two were recruited on the train: they heard us talking about going on a walk and decided to join us. We were late leaving Waterloo due to a signal failure, but despite some slow running only got to Overton 20 minutes late. We were greeted by w=grey-skies.
As often with such a group, we got a bit strung out. I persuaded a sizeable gaggle to take the short diversion to Ashe House, where Jane Austen flirted, but then fell in with two hares who streaked ahead, so my literary guiding duties fell by the wayside. I hope any others interested did not miss the site of JA’s childhood home. A few of us did go to Steventon Church: one picnicked there. (I hope she remembered to turn off the lights…)
Most of the rest of us rushed on to North Waltham and the Fox, concerned to get there in time for our bookings. Following my lead two others had reserved tables in the bar, which rather surprised the two locals there. Their comments when one of our number asked if there was a vegan option (no, basically) were apparently straight out of central casting. But in general this was a better choice than the (otherwise very nice) restaurant, enabling us to order quicker. The pub dealt uncomplainingly with the sudden rush of business, though food came a bit slowly for some.
The afternoon passed uneventfully until we came to one field entrance that had been churned up by a tractor and probably cattle too. Mud had not thus far been an issue on walk but we now faced 80 metres or so that was like the Battle of the Somme (minus machine gun fire - Ed). One of our newbies got into serious difficulty here, nearly losing a shoe. We did a very un-SWC thing here and all waited for her to extricate herself. One praiseworthy soul even waded back into the gloop to help her out.
Getting to Overton at 4.50, a few went for the 5.20 train. The rest of us crowded into the very cosy White Hart. For the first time in months some modest supplies were procured for the train. We walked in the impressive darkness up the lane to get the 6.20. It was packed, being a niggardly three carriages, but we squeezed a couple of tables and some other seats, and set the world to rights on the way back to Waterloo.
If anyone was disappointed by the sparseness of snowdrops on this walk I can recommend a trip to Kew Gardens where there are MASSES of the large petal variety interspersed with crocuses and other wild flowers. Just launched this weekend are the orchids from Peru included in the ticket or membership entry but you need to book and the queue is still 100 metres in length to gain entry to the Princess of Wales glass house. Social visit organisers may be considering this option??
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