Clarendon Way: King's Somborne to Middle Winterslow

Notes

General Data

The Clarendon Way climbs steeply out of King's Somborne before dropping down into the Test Valley, crossing the Test Way and a couple of streams of the river on footbridges. On the western side of the valley it skirts past Houghton and climbing back up onto the downs.

A messy pieces of path takes you behind houses in Broughton before entering the village. A steep ascent leads you back up onto the hills before angling towards the course of the Roman Road that led between Winchester and Old Sarum. Initially this is a road, but the surfacing soon ends and a track leads on into Middle Winterslow.

Refreshments are available at the start and end points, as well as at Broughton.

Distance		8.5 miles
Ascent		1001 feet
Descent		650 feet
Est. time		3 hours 39 minutes
Difficulty		medium

Map of the leg

Maps courtesy of Google Maps. Route for indicative purposes only, and may have been plotted after the walk. Please let me have comments on what you think of this new format.

Directions

This leg starts off at the A3057 in King's Somborne at SU360310. Carefully cross this road and turn right for a few yards, before turning left to head north up Cow Drove Hill. After the last house on the left, turn left to join a footpath heads off to the left onto the other side of the hedge. Turn right to head north with the hedge and road on the right. At the top of the hill the footpath meets a track; here turn left and start following this track westwards. When the main track curves to the right continue on along another track. This heads westwards, descending steeply to cross the Test Way at SU350315.

Cross the Test Way and continue on another track westwards. This soon reaches a bridge over a stream of the River Test and continues on southwestwards on the other side, soon curving to the right to head northwestwards. At Blacklake Farm the track curves onto a westerly course to reach a ford over another stream of the River Test. Cross the footbridge beside the ford and follow a track west; this soon ends at a road in Houghton.

Turn left to head southwestwards along the road for a hundred yards, and then take the first road to the right, Faithfulls Drove. Initially this is surfaced as it climbs, before becoming an unsurfaced track. It is easy to follow as it curves in a westerly and west-northwesterly direction for 1.5 miles; it becomes indistinct for a period near a clump of trees. It reaches a track at SU317325; turn right along this track for a couple of yards before turning to the left to join a footpath that heads west-northwestwards with the back gardens of houses on the left. At SU312327 turn to the left and immediately right to join a track that heads north-northwestwards; after a quarter of a mile at SU311331 turn left to join a track. This squeezes beside a wall before joining Rectory Lane; this climbs uphill to meet the High Street in Broughton.

In Broughton, turn left and then immediately right to start heading southwestwards up Queenswood Road. When this road forks, take the right-hand fork to join the B3084 road. Head northwestwards along this road for a few yards, before turning left to join Buckholt Road. Follow this uphill to the southwest; when a complex junction is reached at SU300325 take the second path to the right. This starts to climb steeply uphill in a west-northwesterly direction; it enters some trees and then curves to the left before reaching the top of the hill.

At SU296325 take a track that leads off to the right, heading slightly south of westwards and soon passing a covered reservoir on the left. It crosses another track at SU287322 and winds around, falling and climbing once more to approach Buckholt Farm. Just before the farm is reached, turn left along another track, and then after about fifty yards turn right to pass a barn and reach a bend in a road at SU276321. Follow this road in a slightly north of westerly direction; when it ends after 0.6 miles at a T-junction, continue straight on along a track. After a mile this track becomes a road, which in turn soon ends at a road on the eastern outskirts of Middle Winterslow. Turn left down this road for a few yards and then turn right along Gunville Hill road.

After a short distance this road curves to the left; continue straight on along The Flashlett. When this ends, continue straight on along a footpath that heads westwards across a field, passing near to an electricity pole on the way. The path skirts a hedge on the left until the field ends, and then turn left and immediately right to join a track. Follow this track west-northwestwards; it becomes a road called The Causeway that ends at a junction with Middleton Road at SU240330.

Places of interest

King's Somborne

King's Somborne is a supremely pretty village situated on the eastern side of the River Test. There are plenty of half-timbered, thatched houses, including The Crown Inn, the village pub. The Church of St Peter and St Paul's is directly opposite the pub. There are also two shops.

location UID #41

The 'Sprat and Winkle' line

The Test Valley has a long history as a minor transport corridor. The Andover to Southampton canal was opened in 1794 between Redbridge, where the River Test flows into Southampton Water, and Andover. It was never a profitable venture, and the owners chose to sell to a railway company.

The Andover to Southampton railway line opened in 1865, and the line obliterated much of the canal. It soon developed the nickname 'the Sprat and Winkle line', the reasons for which seem lost to history.

It was always a quiet stretch of line, despite much trade from the racehorse stables that lined the route. Closure north of Romsey occurred in 1967, and the Test Way now follows a long stretch of the route.

Not many traces of the canal remain to this day; a few stretches can be seen to the north of Redbridge, and a long stretch in Romsey, where it is known as the Barge Canal.

location UID #47

Broughton

Broughton is a small village in western Hampshire, near the Wiltshire border. It stands about a mile north of the Roman road between Winchester and Old Sarum (Salisbury)

It has two pubs, a shop and a 12th century church, St Mary’s. Many of the houses are thatched and timbered, making it a classic Hampshire village. An unusual circular brick dovecote, originally dating from 1340, stands near the church.

location UID #40

West Winterslow and Middle Winterslow

West and Middle Winterslow are two villages situated in the east of Wiltshire. Middle Winterslow is the larger of the two villages, whilst West Winterslow is situated about half a mile to the southwest.

The villages have two churches and two pubs.

location UID #39

The River Test

The River Test is a 40-mile long river that flows from its source near Ashe in northern Hampshire down to its confluence with Southampton Water near Totton. It is a classic Hampshire chalk stream, with little vegetation and crystal-clear waters that are famed for its trout; as a consequence fly-fishing is a significant leisure industry in the valley. The river frequently splits into a series of tributaries, repeatedly splitting and merging into a series of streams.

On its way south it passes through a series of small villages such as Laverstoke, Longparish and Chilbolton. It meets only two towns: Whitchurch and Romsey. The lack of industry lends the river a quiet, contemplative air until it flows into the tidal waters of Southampton Water.

The Test Way leads walkers from near Totton in the south to Inkpen Beacon in northern Hampshire; whilst most of the trail follows the river valley, the upper third of the trail diverges widely from the river valley.

location UID #52

Transport

Transport between Middle Winterslow and King's Somborne is difficult; buses are the only option, and then you have at least two or three changes. Transport Direct can be of help in organising this.

A better route may be to catch the bus from Middle Winterslow to Salisbury, and from there to Winchester, before taking a third bus from Winchester to King's Somborne. See the relevant legs for details of those services.

Other walk accounts

This leg is mentioned in the following web pages:

Map information

Landranger (1:50,000)

Explorer (1:25,000)

Landranger 185 (Winchester & Basingstoke, Andover & Romsey)

and

Landranger 184 (Salisbury & The Plain, Amesbury)

Explorer 131 (Romsey, Andover & Test Valley)

Photos of this leg

Climbing the hill north out of King's Somborne.

The road leading westwards towards Middle Winterslow.

The track leading westwards towards Middle Winterslow.

Accommodation information

New Farm Bed & Breakfast Winchester Road King's Somborne Hampshire SO20 6PG P: 01794 388297 W: www.newfarmbedandbreakfast.co.... E: info@newfarmbedandbreakfast.co.uk Grid ref: SU373321 (51.086586,-1.469405) 7468	Chilworth House Bed and Breakfast 5 Camp Field King's Somborne Hampshire SO20 6QB P: 01794 389218 W: www.chilworth-house.co.uk E: bookings@chilworth-house.co.uk Grid ref: SU363310 (51.077359,-1.482528) 7469	Yew Tree Barn Houghton Stockbridge Hampshire SO20 6LN P: 01794 388258 W: www.yewtreebarnbandb.co.uk E: andrew@yewtreebarnbandb.co.uk Grid ref: SU343324 (51.090158,-1.512133) 7470

Nutley Farm Broughton Stockbridge Hampshire SO20 8BY P: 01794 301228 Grid ref: SU300340 (51.104165,-1.57304) 7471	The Junipers 3 Juniper Rd Firsdown Salisbury Wiltshire SP5 1SS W: www.junipersbedandbreakfast.co... E: junipersbedandbreakfast@btinternet.com Grid ref: SU211334 (51.099549,-1.700221) 7472

Winchester to King's Somborne

Middle Winterslow to Salisbury

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