Sunday Walk: Overton Circular

Main walk :18.4km 11.6 miles with pub lunch
Shorter walk: 13.8km 8.6 miles (picnic lunch)
Difficulty 4/10

 A Hampshire walk passing several quaint churches, country houses and the source of the River Test. Some locations are associated with Jane Austen. Water buffalo don't feature strongly in her works but you are likely to see some at Laverstock Park Farm. .(between points 57 and 61).
Trains:
Get the 09:35 Weymouth train from Waterloo (Clapham Jct. 9:45) and change at Basingstoke for the Salisbury train (arr. 10.28 dep. 10:33 plat 1) arriving Overton at 10:42 .
Trains return to Waterloo at xx:17. Those earlier than 17:17 require a change at Basingstoke, later ones are direct. After 19:17, there’s a gap till the 20:54.
Lunch.
Steventon churchyard, where Pa Austen was vicar, makes an ideal picnic location on the shorter walk.
The full walk takes you to the Fox in North Waltham 01256 397 288   or, straying further, the Wheatsheaf  01256 398 282. After lunch, you can either retrace your steps back to Steventon or, for variety, return along a quiet road.
Both versions also pass what used to be the lunch pub. It closed for a long while but reopened as the Palm Brasserie, possibly an option but more restaurant than pub. You would most likely need to book. 01256 518160
Tea:  The White Hart 01256 771 431 in Overton does tea. Allow 20 mins to reach the station from Overton. The deceptively named Station Road is 1.2 km long.
Directions: available here 
T=SWC.97