Take the 09.15 Exeter St. David's train from Waterloo (09.24 Clapham J., 09.48 Woking), arriving Tisbury at 11.06. Return trains: 17.01, 17.28, 18.01, 19.01, 20.01, 21.01, 22.03.
This walk leads mostly around the very large Fonthill Estate in the West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is spectacular walking country with some breath-taking views. You’ll find picturesque villages and excellent pubs in the beautiful undulating countryside, as well as plenty of woodlands and some dry chalky U-shaped downland valleys. The morning route is a steady ascent out of Tisbury along the scenic Oddford Vale to the highest point of the walk. This stretch is also characterised by some slack way-marking though, and a map and a compass are recommended.
The walk then leads through a grassy valley and across a wooded ridge to lunch in Hindon, where the two recommended pubs are right opposite each other. Most of the ascent lies before lunch, but there are still two climbs through woods in the afternoon. The final part of the walk is a scenic descent into the Nadder Valley and then passes one of Britain’s largest thatched buildings, followed by a stretch along the river back into Tisbury, a remarkably unspoilt village.
For walk directions, a map, a height profile, gpx/kml files, and photos click here.