T=2.11
Length: 16.6km (10.3 miles)
Difficulty: 5 out
of 10
Train: Take the 10.00 Portsmouth Harbour from Waterloo (10.25 Woking) to arrive in Petersfield at 11.11. Return trains from Liss are at xx:02 and xx:23.
Buy a return to Petersfield.
Much of this walk follows the Hangers Way, a long distance
path which lies within an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The walk passes
through unspoilt countryside which remains as it was several hundred years ago.
Lunch: The suggested lunch stop is the Hawkley Inn (tel 01730 827205), 6.6km into the walk. The pub has a garden and serves food 12 - 2pm, bar open until 3pm.
Tea: In Liss the tea stop formerly suggested has been replaced by the Turtle Bean Cafe, 41Station Road (tel 01730 890419. It closes at 3pm. Alternatively, the Whistle Stop pub (tel 01730 890464) is at the bottom of Hill Brow Road, 150m past the station.
4 comments:
It is many a moon since I last tackled this walk, but I do recall the ascent of Shoulder of Mutton Hill shortly after walk start is very step and a lot more than 5 out of 10 in toughness (but it is the only hill on the walk). Also, this walk is a pig when it comes to stiles. Whilst several in the afternoon have been replaced with kissing gates, there are still many stiles on this walk, and not all are in good condition. This is not a walk for those with mobility issues.
There is the option of a gentler ascent of the Shoulder of Mutton hill and the possibility of shortening the walk by looping back to Petersfield. I hadn't realised there were so many stiles on this walk. Apologies to those who may be put off by this.
No problem, Wanderer - the stiles will not be problem for our younger walkers - they are just an unwelcome challenge for oldies like me !
On the other side of the balance sheet, the Hangers Way today should be mud free (it is a mud-fest in winter) and views today along the route, especially in the afternoon, should be magnificent. The lunch time pub might have changed hands a few times since I last dined there, but on that occasion both the food and drink were very good.
N=10 turned out on a w=hot-muggy-day to tackle the dreaded hill and the obstacle course of stiles of which we had been warned. However, the drought of recent weeks had baked the mud and we had no trouble getting up the hill other than the oppressive heat. Thankfully there were intervals of shade along the way. Two had lunch at the Hawkley Inn, eight picnicked on benches under the shade of ancient trees outside the church which conveniently had a tap to top up our drinking water. The afternoon had more meadows, fields of crops and leafy lanes. Paths were generally well maintained and stiles were not a major feature. Some may have been replaced by kissing gates and some had gates next to them which we were able to use instead. Most reached Liss at 4pm. 2 caught the train at 4.02, 7 went to the Whistle Stop pub for refreshments and caught the 5.03 train back to London.
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