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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Sunday 8 January 2017

Sunday Walk 2 – Picturesque mills in the Test valley

Extra Walk 53b – Whitchurch Circular
Length: 12 km (7.5 miles). Toughness: 2/10

10:15 Yeovil Junction train from Waterloo (Clapham Jct 10:24), arriving Whitchurch (Hants) at 11:20.

Return trains from Whitchurch are every two hours, at 14:52, 16:52, etc. There's also an infrequent Sunday bus service (76) from Whitchurch to Basingstoke, but unhelpfully at about the same time as the trains (14:24 & 16:54).

This short version of the Overton-Whitchurch walk never strays too far from the Test valley, where you can usually summon large numbers of hungry trout by scattering a few breadcrumbs onto the river.

You'll need to call the popular Watership Down Inn if you want to be sure of a pub lunch; if they're fully booked you might as well turn round at Bere Mill (skipping the loop out to Freefolk), then make your way to one of the hostelries in Whitchurch.

Those who just want a brisk walk and a brief stop for lunch should be able to catch the 14:52 back to London, but if you've got time to kill before the 16:52 you could visit Whitchurch's main attraction, its working Silk Mill. You can get refreshments at the mill, and there's also an independent coffee shop in the town centre as well as several pubs.

You'll need to print the directions from the Extra Walk 53 page. Clicking "Circular" on the Walk Options heading will hide the directions for the longer walk options.
T=swc.53.b

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

anyone doing this walk pls?

Anonymous said...

I am interested in doing this walk jfk However there seems to be a problem with trains to Clapham Junction and weather seems a little off putting

Ian T said...

N=5 for this walk w=cloudy-damp-but-not-really-raining Slightly muddy underfoot. A brief stop at the Watership Down Inn. No tables but we could have eaten at the bar. However we decided to press on. Reached Whitchurch in time for the 14:52