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Around the Alresfords – a watercress walk

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Our view

"Exploring the 'new' market town at the heart of Hampshire's watercress industry."

Walk directions

From the car park walk down Station Road to the T-junction with West Street. Turn right, then left down Broad Street and keep left at the bottom along Mill Hill. Halfway down, turn left into Ladywell Lane and soon after join the river bank and pass the attractive timbered and thatched Fulling Mill Cottage which straddles the River Arle.

Continue to the bottom of Dean Lane and turn right to keep to the riverside path. Cross a footbridge over the river at the redbrick Eel House, and ascend to pass a modern home, Drove House. Continue along a fenced path and then, on meeting the concrete driveway, turn right up it to the lane. Turn left at the lane and, as it bends left, fork right onto the Wayfarer’s Walk and follow it to a junction of tracks. Bear right uphill to a lane beside Pinglestone Barn.

Turn left, descend to Fobdown Farm and take the road on the right beside the farm buildings. Follow the track ahead. On reaching a T-junction of tracks, turn left and keep to the track for 0.5 miles (800m) to a lane. Just before you reach the lane, the field on your left hides the site of the lost medieval village of Abbotstone, once a flourishing community with a manor, church and mill.

Bear right downhill, then right again along a track signed to Abbotstone Farmhouse. Keep ahead at the first junction, then ignore the waymarked track right (Wayfarer’s Walk), and proceed ahead on the track which, in 0.5 miles (800m), descends to a lodge and the entrance to The Grange.

Turn left at Swarraton Lodge and follow the drive for 0.25 miles (400m) to visit this fine building, then retrace your steps, bearing left at Swarraton Lodge to the B3046. Turn right and immediately go through a kissing gate by the bus shelter into woodland. Continue through a second kissing gate then cross a driveway and follow the enclosed path left, beside the drive. Bear right alongside woodland to a tarmac drive. Cross straight over into woods to a road by a house. Turn left and left again before the gate to follow the footpath into Northfield Plantation. Keep ahead on the broad path, merging with a track.

Leave the wood and descend along the field edge to a crossing of paths by a derelict barn. Proceed ahead following the telephone wires above to a gap in the hedge at the top of the field and follow the grassy path between fields.

Continue to beneath the telephone wires and pass a metal barn on the left, then after 75yds (70m) turn right onto a permissive path and walk along the field edge to a crossing of tracks. Turn left and follow the track for 0.5 miles (800m), gently descending into Old Alresford. Pass watercress beds on your right and follow the road right, beside the green, to reach the B3046.

Cross over and follow the pavement right to a lane opposite St Mary’s church. Visit the church, cross the road and turn left to a grass triangle by a junction. Bear right along the lane, signed to Abbotstone and take the footpath ahead over a stream and beside watercress beds to Mill Hill and Broad Street.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Riverside paths, tracks, field, woodland paths and roads

Landscape - River valley and undulating farmland dotted with woodland

Dog friendliness - Keep dogs under control

Parking - Pay-and-display car park off Station Road, New Alresford

Toilets en route - Station Road, New Alresford

About the walk

New Alresford (pronounced Allsford) is not very new at all. In fact, this delightful place, one of Hampshire’s most picturesque small towns, was ‘new’ in 1200, when Godfrey de Lucy, Bishop of Winchester, wanted to expand the original Alresford — Old Alresford. He dammed the River Arle, creating a...

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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.