Ashmansworth - Crux Easton - Wayfarer's Walk - Faccombe - Ashmansworth

David and Liz Fishlock

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The walk, which explores the north Hampshire Downs, starts from the delightful village of Ashmansworth with its many thatched cottages. It crosses open countryside before picking up the Wayfarer's Walk - a long distance path which begins near Emsworth on the Hampshire coast and ends at Inkpen Beacon. The initial part of the Wayfarer's walk can be overgrown at times but the superb views on the later part across to Highclere Castle and Watership Down (of bunny-rabbit fame) more than compensates for this.

We pass through the picture-postcard village of Faccombe which has all the ingredients of a rural idyll - manor house, duck pond, village church and inn.

England - South England - Hampshire - Countryside

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Pub, Wildlife, Woodland
7/11/2021 - Paul Crocker

Just completed this morning and this walk is so beautiful. The views are amazing. Please take care at WP16 as in previous comments, do go straight on. At WP11, there is a small waymark on the path on the right that you need to spot and then a clear path opposite going uphill through he field. I didn't spot the waymark and carried on for a while and had the sense that this was not right, so retraced steps and found the waymark.

7/8/2019 - John Branscombe

We did this excellent walk on Sunday 7- July 2019. Medium to hard walk but with excellent views. There are two points I would like to comment on. Previous comments on waymark 16 are absolutely right. Ignore the instruction of not going straight on - that is the correct route. More of a problem was waymark 11 and 12. We never found the stile on the right and left nor the cross track. We were aided by a GPS which confirmed we were going in the right direction but we had to cross a field with crops ( round the edge in the brambles and nettles ) to reach waypoint 13. We are not beginners and been a member of Walkingworld for over 15 years I think if this was our first walk we would have been more concerned. I suggest this is looked at and walk amended. Perhaps the farmer has changed the configuration ??? Hope this is useful Good walking everyone !!!

5/31/2014 - brian johnson

Wonderful walk. Ignore instructions at waymark 16 and keep straight ahead , climb hill passing between two fields and into wood - in other words do precisely what the note tells you not to do! Otherwise you will find yourself going south in completely the wrong direction. I suggest this walk is amended.

5/31/2014 - brian johnson

This is indeed a wonderful walk. But waymark 16 confused us too and unfortunately I hadn't noticed previous comments. In fact it's quite straightforward. Do not take a track to your right as the instructions say. This is completely the wrong direction (south instead of east) and you will find there are three tracks confronting you - one private, one a farm track and one a marked footpath). Instead carry straight on up the hill, between two fields and into the wood. I can't understand why the note says 'avoid route straight ahead which disappears up hill into wood.. ' since this is EXACTLY what you need to do. Hope this helps.

4/19/2014 - Andrew Rubio

An excellent walk. I agree with previous comment (Sally-Ann) in that waymark 16 is a little confusing as there are TWO derelict farm buildings.Keep the second such building on your right, and you'll be right! Also, at waymark 12, the footpath sign no longer exists, so you have to keep your eyes peeled!

8/10/2012 - Sally-Ann Jay

A wonderful walk through some truely beautiful countryside. I got completely lost at waymark 16 - think the layout has changed a bit. Electric fence issue at waymark 3 is no longer a problem as it isn't there. I agree with Derek - the last few hills are hard! The Jack Russell at Faccombe is a gem & currently open all day Wed-Sat, lunchtimes Sun & Mon and closed all day Tues. It does a good range of meals and the welcome is warm.

4/21/2010 - Derek Abbott

Derek/Linda Abbott. We did this walk on 20/04/10, it was a lovely warm sunny day and the views were fantastic. Although we thoroughly enjoyed this walk we found the last couple of hills hard going. We must be unfit.

1/9/2010 - Pete Steele

Beautiful/ Superb walk. Recommended. The countryside is second to none and both myself and my dog loved every step. Well worth the effort to complete.

7/7/2009 - Andrew Long

The pub in Ashmansworth has now closed and is up for sale :0(

9/26/2008 - Andrew Long

If there was a ever a walk to go on - on a pleasant September Sunday in the south of England - then this must be a great candidate. Well recommended. The villages mentioned are pretty, as are the pubs and the country side was great. Walkingworld writes: This walk was updated September 2008, thank you Andrew!