Mottisfont Gardens, famous for their Rose Garden, is also free for Art Fund card holders.

Should indeed anyone stay overnight, meet at 9.30 at Dunbridge Station for the Dunbridge to Romsey walk. Trains from both directions arrive minutes before that.

8 off the train plus 1 car driver, so 9 in total on a cloudy then more and more sunny day.

No mud on the long wooded and or enclosed path stretches in the first third of the walk, then fine views across verdant valleys with 50 shades of green in evidence. We heard a cuckoo early on, and another one nearer Broughton, buttercup meadows were aplenty, daisy dominated ones as well.

Lunch at The Greyhound was lovely, it's a much changed pub since a change in Mgmt and a refurbishment. On across the Wallop Brook and down the valley with fine views over the mild undulations to steep downs with a cow heard here or there.

At the wild swimming spot, 2 walked on, 3 swam with a dozen swans overlooking their activities, 3 tested the water temperature and instead lay down on a mown bit of the grassy meadows.

More chalk streams, more fine views, more green valleys and woods followed, punctuated by quiet villages and fine churches.

The sun had taken over now just as we rounded a couple of shallow valleys with long views. We had seen trout in the Test, egrets in the water meadows, a dragonfly (or stick insect?) with seemingly four wings and 1 deer. And had heard plenty of birdsong.

The arable field crossings all had wide ploughed paths. A perfect day out.

18.14 train for the 1 shortcutter, after a meal at The Mill Arms. Drinks for the rest at The Mill Arms and trains around 7, apart from the few staying on.

A delightful walk with many wild spring flowers in abundance.6 made the trip including 3 very welcome newcomers. Ideal walking weather warm and sunny .

Cowslips carpeted large areas and we passed several bluebell woods the biggest and best being in the grounds of the estate with scent so intoxicating it stopped us in our tracks. Cow parsley lined the lanes and hedgerows. Pheasants, frogs, ducks, horses and wild deer are showed up to entertain us on route. We stopped at the Greyhound in Broughton for refreshment, the service was good but perhaps the Tally Ho! Inn might offer more satisfying options for food.

We stayed together as a group with enjoyable conversations and lively company making for a great day out. Cancellations meant that we had a choice to make for our return journey. 3 opting to wait for next Salisbury train and 3 opting to go via Southampton Central.

The journey bank to Waterloo was made all the more lively by the presence of jubilant Crystal Palace fans who had taken a win over the Saints. A fabulous day out.

Anyone going on this walk?

sure

Just to clarify that I should buy a single to Salisbury (£13) and a separate return ticket from Dean to London?

Thanks.

Indeed. A Dean return would do as well, but may not work the barriers at Salisbury. £13 each way, whatever you do.

The 9.20 is cancelled like many other trains this morning . Some are taking the delayed 9.05 weymouth train to Basingstoke and change there

Signalling problems, platforms 5 to 9 out of service

After a chaotic start at Waterloo owing to several platforms being out of commission because of a signal failure, 5 determined souls emerged from the recommended alternate train in Basingstoke to await our connection to Salisbury (having just missed one.....something of a theme for the day...). Eventually, we set off about 40 minutes late under a boiling hot sun . In the morning the routed passed by the very interesting remains of Clarendon Palace with informative information boards. Four enjoyed a pleasant lunch at Edward Heath's favorite seat at the pub before we all continued together along the long afternoon route -- fortunately much of it was in the shade of some varied woodland. Sadly, we arrived at just the wrong time in West Tytherley for afternoon refreshments -- as the pub was not yet open and the village shop had just closed....After a short break, we continued on to Dean on a slightly modified (shorter) route where to our surprise we found quite a number of train spotters on the platform with cameras and tripods at the ready....eventually the Bournemouth Belle steam engine came whizzing past....Our train was a few minutes late so we arrived in Salisbury just in time to see our London train pull out of the station.....Four then headed to a nearby Indian for some sustenance and some provisions were purchased for the journey home -- needless to say, we were fully rehydrated and our electrolytes were back in balance by the time we pulled into Waterloo...

Intend going.

27 km in 27 degrees, everyone survived it, intact and in good spirit.

10 walkers (incl. 1 first-timer) set off in hot weather, with the morning stretch featuring plenty of shaded woods and lanes though, and with some views as well down the Dun Valley and from Broughton Down into the Wallop Brook Valley just before lunch at the Tally Ho! in the lovely village of Broughton (home of Hildon Mineral Water).

2 walkers (incl. the walk-checker) then decided to take the shortcut, mainly through woods and between fields. The others ploughed on through the Wallop Brook, then the Test Valley, only to hit a major 'delay' at the bridge over the Test, where an extended padddling and wading session arupted. Surprisingly the crystal clear water would've still been just about high enough for swimming, alas: no one had their swimmies with them.

Onwards and back up to the rim of the valley, then looping south to Mottisfont, via some scenic side valleys, with plenty more tree cover, plenty of churches to visit and hardly a soul in sight. And across the Test Meadows once more. A very good walk for a hot day, I'd say (but then I'm biased).

Some took the first train going, most stayed at The Mill Arms for dinner. 20.56 train for those.