Overton to Whitchurch Walk
An easy walk down the Test valley which passes many interesting mills, old and new.
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swcwalks, swcwalk53, Overton to Whitchurch. 11/4/25amib, Mon 14-Apr
To avoid the Easter holiday crowds, this week's walk was undertaken at the gateway to the North Wessex Downs, in Hampshire. A new walk to this walker of 11.2 miles from Overton to Whitchurch, undertaken on a glorious mid-April day.
This walk is all about the River Test chalk stream, which is never far away from the walker, save for a few miles just before lunch, where there's an interesting tree-lined section on the highest part of the walk.
It's also about the water-associated industries of silk-milling and paper-making, and a number of churches appear on the route, including St Mary the Virgin at Freefolk where this walker took lunch. A pub option also exists here.
It also includes a visit to the grave of Richard Adams, author of 'Watership Down', which is nearby.
A very good walk today, with good surfaces underfoot and nice variety. Plenty of birdsong (including a Nuthatch near Overton station!) and, of course, many sightings of Trout (one of which might have been a Rainbow, seen from the bridge in Overton).
N.B. The latin inscription over the lychgate is, 'peace to those who enter, good health to those who depart'.
