3. Long Loop to Holybourne Down (approx 2 hours)

Suitable for dogs and those with stronger legs, there is one steep hill down to Holybourne. Shorts are okay. The parts of the walk on the single track road should be quiet.

From the village Hall Car Park, turn left along Ryebridge Lane.  At the road turn left and approximately 250 yards along, cross over and turn right into Bamber Lane. Follow Bamber Lane up the large incline and when you reach the top of the hill you will see a large house on your left which is Saintbury Hill.  Go past Saintbury Hill and you’ll find a gate on the left hand side which leads to a footpath. 

 

Take this footpath along the field boundary down to another gate which leads into another field. Follow the footpath down the hill and straight ahead until you get to Yarnhams Lane, the point marked with a star above. You will see spectacular views of Upper Froyle and the South Downs beyond.

 

 

Turn right onto Yarnhams Lane and then left onto a track to go past Froyle Cemetery on your right hand side. Follow this track until you come out into a small industrial estate of barns. If you look ahead to the right you’ll see a large silver barn. Turn right onto the road and follow it until it becomes a track heading downhill through a gate. You’ll pass a cottage called ‘The Thatched Cottage’ on your right hand side. Shimmy round the left hand side of the gate and walk up the hill towards Home Farm. The track either goes up the road or to the left of the hedge on the left (depending if the footpath is temporarily diverted) 

 

At the top of the hill, continue past Home Farm yard which is on the left along the trackway.

There is a slight fork in the path, bear right and follow the track straight up into woodland known as Spollycombe Copse..Go through the field gate or over stile into the open fields of Holybourne Down. Go straight, past the three oak trees, which you should keep on the left hand side. Carry on over the brow of the hill down the other side of the downs towards Holybourne… you can see Alton in the distance. The path is chalky and rather steep and may be slippery in the Winter. 

At the bottom…go through gate / stile and bear left along the long tree lined track towards Holybourne.

The path gets narrower and more enclosed by the trees which is nice and cool on hot days.

After about 400 yards you come to a crossroads of footpaths. Take the left onto at Swithun’s Way (signposted in green) 

Enter a copse and walk uphill path towards a signpost. Take the route straight ahead along St Swithun’s Way. Leave the trees on your left and walk along the field boundary.

In the distance on the right is the locally well known Grade 2 listed Bonhams Farmhouse. 

The footpath joins a track for 100 yards. You’ll see the driveway to Bonhams on the right. Carry straight on towards a line of trees and at the signpost for St Swithun’s Way in green take the track to the left of the line of trees. 

The track takes you up to ‘Walters Bench’ next to ‘Walters Wood’. Walter Start was in charge of all the Froyle Estate Woodlands and this was planted for his 50 year anniversary. It is a good spot to rest. 

Carry on up the slight incline track. Trees are on both sides now.  A few hundred yards up there, partially hidden by trees is a tall iron gate with a sign saying Walters Wood. Keep going along the same path.  A few yards up, there is a footpath post showing St Swithun’s Way. Turn right here and head along into the open field, past another sign on the left at the field entrance. The field opens out into fine views of Upper Froyle.  Follow the track straight ahead and you’ll see ‘West End’ Farmhouse in the distance on the right hand side. Carry on down the hill, with the hedgerow on the left hand side.

When you come to the end of the field the path continues straight in a hollow lane with hedges on both sides. This can get a bit overgrown but follow it uphill. You will come out into a small clearing and crossroads and you reach tarmac, joining on the left is the farm vehicle access so be careful of large vehicles as they may not be able to see you. 

Walk along the road, past the footpath marker showing St Swithun’s Way and back past the small industrial estate on the left which amongst others has Rawles Motorsport classic cars .

Keep going up to the road junction with Ryebridge Lane and continue straight up Ryebridge Lane, past St Mary’s Church,  to get back to the Village Hall, be careful as it has no pavement.  

An alternative, avoiding some road walking, is to go up Ryebridge Lane as far as the Church and turn right at the churchyard onto a permissive path which takes you down to Froyle Wildlife Pond. From the pond take the St Swithun’s Way route signposted north east, along the field boundary straight ahead and over a small footbridge between two fields with a swing gate. Carry on straight ahead along another field boundary and when you reach the end turn left up the hill, you go over another small footbridge and through a second field leading to a small coppice. Turn right onto the track leading to some small stables (on your left) and continue straight along until you pass The White House on your left. As the path comes out in front of this house, cross in front of their gate along a short footpath back to the rec and the Village Hall Car Park.

 

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