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Walking Hampshire's Test Way
The long-distance trail and 15 day walks
ISBN
9781852849535
Availability
Published
Published
12 Jul 2018
Reprinted
10 Feb 2025
Edition
First
Pages
160
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.00cm
Weight
190g
Delivery & Returns
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...
Guidebook to walking the 71km (44 mile) Test Way in Hampshire from high on the chalk downs of Inkpen Beacon to the Eling Tide Mill near Southampton Water. Following the beautiful, crystal clear River Test, it passes picturesque villages and fascinating historic sites. Also includes 15 day walks to explore this lovely part of pastoral England.
Seasons
All yearCentres
Beginning at Inkpen Beacon, the Test Way passes close to or through St Mary Bourne, Whitchurch, Stockbridge, King's Somborne, Broughton, Mottisfont, Romsey and ends at Eling Totton.Difficulty
All abilities are catered for. Several of the walks and the first half of the Test Way are perhaps more of a challenge. The second half is fairly flat as are the majority of the walks. No special equipment required.Must See
Inkpen Beacon; Whitchurch Silk Mill; Chilbolton Common; Longstock Park Water Garden; Danebury Iron Age hill fort; Stockbridge Down; Mottisfont Abbey; Romsey Abbey, Romsey Signal Box - restored - formerly part of the dismantled 'Sprat and Winkle' railway; Broadlands House Romsey; Lower Test Nature Reserve; Eling Tide Mill TottonISBN
9781852849535
Availability
Published
Published
12 Jul 2018
Reprinted
10 Feb 2025
Edition
First
Pages
160
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.00cm
Weight
190g
Delivery & Returns
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...
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Overview
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A guidebook to walking the Test Way between Inkpen Beacon in the North Wessex Downs and Eling Tide Mill near Southampton Water. Covering 71km (44 miles), this riverside route makes a gentle 8-day walk, though stages can be combined into a shorter 2–3 day overall journey. Also included are 15 circular day walks exploring the chalk downs and rolling countryside in and around the Test valley.
The Test Way is described in 8 stages of 5–14km (3–9 miles) in length, while the day walks range from 6–14km (4–9 miles). All the described routes can be walked year-round and are suitable for walkers of all abilities, taking between 2 and 4 hours to complete.
- 1:50,000 OS maps included for each walk
- GPX files available to download
- Refreshment and public transport options are given for each walk
- Information on local history, geology and wildlife
- Easy access from Newbury, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton
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Table of Contents
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CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Introduction
Brief history of the Test Valley
The Andover and Redbridge canal and the ‘Sprat and Winkle’ railway
Geology and landscape
Plants and wildlife
Where to stay
Getting to and around the Test Way and to the walks
Walking the Test Way
Cycling – the National Cycle Network and parts of the Test Way
Maps
Waymarking, access and rights of way
Protecting the countryside
Using this guide
The Test Way
Stage 1 Inkpen Beacon to Hurstbourne Tarrant
Stage 2 Hurstbourne Tarrant to St Mary Bourne
Stage 3 St Mary Bourne to Longparish
Stage 4 Longparish to Wherwell
Stage 5 Wherwell to Stockbridge
Stage 6 Stockbridge to Mottisfont
Stage 7 Mottisfont to Romsey
Stage 8 Romsey to Eling Wharf Totton
Walks between Inkpen Beacon and Wherwell
Walk 1 Hurstbourne Tarrant and Ibthorpe
Walk 2 Whitchurch, Laverstoke and Freefolk
Walk 3 Longparish, Forton, Harewood Forest and Deadman’s Plack
Walk 4 Barton Stacey and Bransbury
Walk 5 Wherwell and Goodworth Clatford
Walks between Chilbolton and Stockbridge
Walk 6 Chilbolton, Fullerton, Goodworth Clatford and Upper Clatford
Walk 7 Chilbolton Observatory and Chilbolton Common
Walk 8 Danebury Iron Age hill fort and Longstock
Walk 9 Stockbridge and Marsh Court
Walk 10 Stockbridge Down and Little Somborne
Walks between Houghton and Totton
Walk 11 Houghton and Broughton
Walk 12 Houghton, King’s Somborne and Horsebridge
Walk 13 Stonymarsh, Mottisfont, Kimbridge and Michelmersh
Walk 14 Lockerley, Mottisfont and Dunbridge
Walk 15 Romsey, Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve and Greatbridge
Appendix A Route summary tables
Appendix B Itinerary planner
Appendix C Accommodation near the Test Way
Appendix D Useful contacts
Appendix E Further reading
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Updates
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March 2025
March updates
Updates, with thanks to Chris Rayers
Page 34 (top)
The stile by the tennis court has been replaced by a kissing gate
Page 34 (bottom)
The two redundant stiles have been replaced by three functioning stiles
Page 39 (bottom)
The track leading to Faulkners Down Farm has now been resurfaced
Author updates
Page 20 (top left hand column)
Line three delete ‘no’ and insert ‘limited’
Line six after ‘Wherwell’ insert ‘once The White Lion Inn has fully re-opened following its extensive refurbishment’
Page 56
The Test Way direction post at Horsebridge has been replaced with a single finger post denoting the Monarch’s Way that also shares the route with the Test Way
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Downloads
By Malcolm Leatherdale
Malcolm Leatherdale has lived for the past 20 years just a stone's throw away from the River Test the world-renowned iconic chalk stream. He has spent much of his life in Hampshire, particularly Winchester, both as a former student at Peter Symonds College and later as a solicitor. Malcolm is an active cyclist and has also run many marathons including the London Marathon six times. He has written several books and has published other articles on various topics.
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