Jane Austen's Chawton

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Our view

"A gentle ramble through the pastoral countryside that surounds Chawton, where Jane Austen sought inspiration for her great novels."

Walk directions

Turn left out of the car park, opposite Jane Austen’s House Museum, and walk along a dead-end lane. Pass the school and turn right into Ferney Close. Keep to the left and bear left along a path beside Ferney Bungalow on St Swithuns Way to a gate. Go through the gate and continue along the enclosed path to a stile, then descend steps and cross (with care) the A32.

Climb steps directly opposite, go through a metal kissing gate and walk along the left-hand field edge, leading to a stile on your left. Go through a copse, following the path right, then left, between fields. Keep straight ahead along a former railway track, go under a brick-arch bridge, and continue for 650yds (594m) beyond the barn near Park Cottage.

Just before a second arch, bear left off the old railway line and follow the field edge until it jinks right into the trees and then left on a metalled driveway. Cross the A32 and join a track leading to Manor Farm. At a crossing of tracks, just before a brick building with solar panels on its roof, turn right alongside the Village Garden. Take the narrow path left at the bottom of the garden, by the tree stump to reach a track.

Turn right to the lane in Upper Farringdon, towards Massey’s Folly. Turn left into the churchyard past the 2,000-year-old tree and leave by the main gate, turning left along the lane. Keep ahead along Church Road and then Gaston Lane for half a mile (800m) to a signposted track on your left.

Turn left, then soon take the grassy track right, just before the track bends left. Climb the stile ahead into open pasture, following the brook on your left, under the power lines, to a second stile; after 170yds (155m) cross the bridge over the brook on your left. Keep going, with the brook to your right, to a stile at the end of the field.

Turn right to cross the brook, and follow it left to the road, crossing a stile to reach the B3006. Turn right, then cross the road to join a tarmac track and follow it to Truncheaunts Farm. Cross the stile, on the left at the fingerpost, opposite the drive up to the farmhouse, and then cross the footbridge, and follow the right-hand field edge, between two fences. Bear left past the metal barn and follow the track towards the B3006. Bear right through a gap, cross the drive and a stile. Go through the gap to the road, opposite Shepherd’s Court. Cross over, and through a gate, walk down a concrete track, and turn right through a gate at the end. Follow the right-hand field edge to a gate.

Bear right across the field to reach two stiles set in the hedge and bear slightly left across three more fields and stiles towards Eastfield Farm. Cross the drive and pass through a kissing gate, walking through a field to reach a gate beside woodland.

Follow the path straight down through the copse to a metal kissing gate. Bear slightly left across a field to a further stile. Continue ahead to a metal kissing gate in the wall and take the narrow footpath back to the main village street. Turn left to the car park.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Field paths, old railway track, some road walking, 14 stiles

Landscape - Gently rolling farmland interspersed with woodland

Dog friendliness - Keep dogs under control at all times

Parking - Free village car park opposite Jane Austen's House Museum

Toilets en route - None on route

Walks in Hampshire Dog-friendly walks in Hampshire

About the walk

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Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

Hampshire’s varied landscape of hills and heaths, downlands and forests, valleys and coast are without rival in southern England. Hike across the chalk downland of the north Hampshire ‘highlands’, meander along peaceful paths through unspoilt river valleys of the Test, Itchen, Avon and Meon, or explore the lonely salt marshes and the beautiful medieval forest and heathland of the New Forest.