WINCHESTER TO EXTON MAPS 1-7
These 12 miles/19.5km begin at the cathedral in the centre of Winchester. The route takes you from the cathedral grounds, along the main shopping street and over the River Itchen. It does not take long for the South Downs Way to leave the city and enter the rolling East Hampshire countryside but first you must cross the M3. On crossing the bridge spanning the noisy motorway spare a thought for the remains of Twyford Down. This once beautiful hill a few miles to the south was, despite vociferous and well-publicized demonstrations, ruthlessly sliced in two as part of a highly controversial road improvement scheme (see p46). Once away from the noise of the road the path crosses a field before arriving at Chilcomb, after which it climbs steadily to Cheesefoot Head (Map 3) where there are great views to the north over the Itchen Valley.
CHILCOMB MAP 2
Chilcomb is the first of several beautiful Hampshire villages passed through on the way to Sussex. In fact Chilcomb is more of a hamlet in that there is no church and little in the way of shops or services to keep you here so once you have admired the thatched cottages head on up the lane for the gradual ascent to Cheesefoot Head.
For accommodation, campers will find pitches from around £12 for a two-man tent, at Morn Hill Camping and Caravan Site (tel 01962-869877, mid-Mar to end of Sept). To get there turn left where the path hits the junction of lanes just before Chilcomb. Follow the lane up to the busy A31 then follow this road as far as the big roundabout a mile further east. There’s also a B&B, Complyns (tel 01962-861600, 1D/1T), with beds for £27.50 or £35 single occupancy.
CHERITON MAP 4a
On hot sunny days the locals can be seen paddling in the clear waters of the tiny River Itchen, which bubbles out of the chalk about a mile south of Cheriton and runs straight through the village passing beautiful thatched houses and the village green. The village is some 30 to 45 minutes from the official route of the South Downs Way so unfortunately, unless you are planning on staying the night here, you are likely to miss Cheriton’s quaint charms.
Those who do make the visit should bear in mind that it was not always such a peaceful and charming spot. In 1644, during the English Civil War, the Battle of Cheriton took place just to the east of the village, off Lamborough Lane. The clash between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists resulted in the deaths of 2000 men with the Parliamentarians coming out on top. To this day it is claimed that ‘Lamborough Lane ran with the blood of the slain’.
In the centre of the village is a very useful combined post office, shop, newsagent and off-licence that is open all day, everyday, except for Sunday afternoons.
Accommodation-wise, the 14th-century, thatched Old Kennetts Cottage (tel 01962-771863, web dglssmith@aol.com, 1S/1D) has a self-contained part of the house for guests costing £30 per person. The single costs £40.
The charming Flowerpots Inn (tel 01962-771318, 1D/3T, food daily noon-2pm, 7-9pm, except Sun eves) on the outskirts of the village has a range of excellent beers; the Flowerpots Bitter is definitely worth a taste though the pub is closed 2.30-6pm (3-7pm on Sundays). As well as the beer they have a decent bar menu and en suite B&B from £32.50, or £40 for a single guest.
Stagecoach bus No 67 passes through the village on its way between Winchester and Petersfield and stops in the centre of the village, next to the church; see the public transport map and table, pp37-40.
The route continues along leafy country lanes and tracks through a typically English landscape of patchwork fields, hedgerows and pockets of woodland. Along this section is The Milbury’s (Map 5, p78; tel 01962-771248, web www.themilburys.co.uk; food Mon-Fri 11am-2pm, 6-9pm, Sat 11.30am-2pm, 6-9.30pm, Sun noon-2pm, 7-8.30pm) which makes an ideal lunch stop; the homemade smoked fish pie with creamed garlic leeks, topped with mashed potato and melted smoked cheese is £8.95. Even if you do not plan on eating here it is still worth dropping in for a drink, though the pub is closed from 3-6pm. While you’re here you should take a few minutes to admire the 250-year-old indoor treadmill and 300ft-deep (92m) well which is lit all the way to the bottom. The pub was previously known as The Fox and Hounds. Its present name refers to the Mill Barrow, a Bronze Age burial ground just a short distance to the south-east.
The highlight of the day appears rather unexpectedly at the top of Beacon Hill (Map 6, p79), a National Nature Reserve and the first real taste of steep downland scenery. The view over the Meon Valley to Old Winchester Hill is a fine reward for the day’s effort. Beacon Hill is one of a number of hills in southern England where beacons or bonfires were lit to warn of invasions, most notably in the 16th century of the Spanish Armada.
EXTON MAP 7
The Meon valley is known for its natural beauty and also for the Meon villages, all of which naturally claim to be the prettiest in the area. Exton is the smallest of them, if you discount the adjoining hamlets of Meonstoke and Corhampton, and dates back to at least 940AD when it was first mentioned in official documents. It also merited an entry in the Domesday Book of 1086 in which it is described as a hamlet of one church and two mills. This guidebook today describes it as a charming hamlet of attractive old cottages and one rather good public house.
The bus stop is situated on the main road just outside the village. Solent Blue Line bus No 17 heads to East Meon and onto Petersfield from here; see the public transport map and table, pp37-40.
Where to stay and eat
A little way from the village about a mile down Corhampton Lane (off Map 7, p80) is Corhampton Lane Farm (tel 01489-877506, 2D) with simple camping pitches for £5 per camper and B&B for £30, or £35 for single occupancy. All prices include a ‘free taxi service’ by the owner from/to Exton.
There is only one choice in terms of food but it is a good one: The Shoe Inn (tel 01489-877526, food Sun & Mon noon-2pm/6-8.30pm, Tue-Thur noon-2pm/6-9pm, Fri & Sat noon-2pm/6-9.30pm) is a friendly village pub with real ales and real food though it’s closed from 3-6pm every afternoon. The pub’s name derives from the building next door which used to be the village cobbler’s.
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