Can take a short cut from Butser Hill directly to Petersfield, missing out crossing the A3 to Queen Elizabeth Park and Buriton. Its shown on the OS map page.

But you still have to cross the A3 which seemed far too dangerous when I tried it. There is a tunnel about 1km south of the route marked on the website map

It's just a dual carriageway crossing, like several others we have on the website, with a safe space between crash barriers in the middle.

The tunnel route adds too much distance and is all tarmac, was discounted on those grounds

8 off the train plus 1 car driver, ie 9 walkers.

Fog had been around all along the train journey, until - in Haslemere - we finally saw some blue sky, as was forecast for the day. The connecting bus arrived on time in West Meon and off we went. Some mud on the dismantled railway line (a bridleway), but it could always be skirted. None really on the SDW, and even later near Petersfield in those notorious fields, it was almost dried out, the mud was.

Fantastic views from the tops when we got onto them. Loads of cyclists and families out for the day, from a car park or two. A coffee/tea break at Allan's Coffee Van (or somesuch), in a layby on Hayden Lane just east of Old Winchester Hill, then Picnic on Salt Hill, just over the brow, with views down a grassy valley and out to Sea. Then another stop for liquids at the Beechwood Cafe in the VC in QE2 Country Park. No one took any shortcuts, 1 or 2 were slightly lagging at times, but group cohesion was quite high.

Celandines and anenomes, primroses, mossy trees, fungi, lots of wild garlic, and the good bluebell wood in the valley between Buriton and P'field had about 5% of them fully out.

Skylarks up on the downs, loads of other songbirds, red kites hovering over the cafe in the VC (no doubt out for easy pickings), 2 deer in the wood in QE2 Country Park, then 2 more off to the right in a field at the northern end of the Buriton to P'field valley.

There were quite a few more clouds up around midday, but all in it was a day for acquiring a bit of colour despite putting sun lotion on: mostly sunny with a cold breeze

Minor trouble at the end: after a drink at The George, we took 'Live Departures' word for granted that the 18.37 would be 6 mins delayed, but when we got to the station there was no sign of it. But 3 stopping trains in short succession were going the other way, ie earlier trouble on the line. So then, the 19.17 it was for us...

Just out of interest, I calculate that from the start to Queen Elizabeth Country Park (where there is a cafe open till 5.30pm) is 12.1 miles. Descending to lunch in East Meon and then back up again via Small Down (ie cutting off a small corner and thus eliminating one small section of the SDW) would add 1.8 miles to this: so total walk 13.9 miles, and then the 37 bus to Petersfield

There is (was) a bus stop on the A3 to Petersfield.

It also looks possible to leave the SDW on Butser Hill (i.e. before the A3), and head SE directly to Petersfield. You wouldn't know if it worked till you tried it... (its unclear what's open/public land and what isn't on the OS map)

- there is a bus stop on the A3, as the walk post says (the post also mentions the time of departure)...;

- 18.8 km to the bus stop w/o diverting for lunch (based on our gpx, which is a bit rough, so in reality it's probably longer);

- northerly exits from the OA land at Butser Hill are at Rakefield Hanger and Pillow Mound, acc. to the South Downs Society website, in a northerly direction to the road, with no footpath anywhere near for a good route into P'field, unfortunately.

11 in overcast but dry weather (but some rain while we were at the lunch pub).

Most walkers had taken the fast train so had a half hour wait in Petersfield for the bus to West Meon. Some went to a nearby Cocktail Bar for a coffee, others explored the cenre of town. The £2.60 bus fare seemed a bargain for about 20 minutes of narrow country lanes.

As for the walk: some very pretty coombes and valleys were seen off the ridge, almost reminiscent of proper West Country scenery. Old Winchester Hill with its ditch and bank and assorted barrows was a very delightful place with splendid views (Isle of Wight etc.). All (incl. the sandwichers) then diverted to East Meon for lunch/tea at Ye Olde George, which was a very splendid pub with very tasty fare in a resplendent village (and a stream runs through it). Up a steep incline back onto the SDW and the next - rather indifferent - part of the route: long straight tracks, sometimes on tarmac, up to Butser Hill (car park, facilites, loads of people). Then a prolonged exposure to the sight and sound of the A3 on the descent to an underpass to cross it. 1 walker took the 17.00 bus from here, another 1 the one an hour later after a visit to the visitor centre cafe.

The 2 fast walkers were later reported to have been spotted at the visitor centre cafe, but we're not sure what happened to them after that.

The rest proceeded in 2 groups up through the forest away from the A3 (lovely stretch) to finally leave the SDW and pick up The Hangers Way. Buriton Chalk Pits LNR was a pleasant surprise, then the rest of the route from lovely Buriton to P'field is SWC Petersfield - Rowlands Castle in reverse, incl. the dreary suburban housing development, that does not seem to get off the ground really.

After 30 km of a walk, we met up with the late bus taker at The George pub, and after some indecisiveness, chose The Lemontree for dinner (7 of us). 21.18 train.

Looking forward to repeating it on a sunny day.