Link to elevation profile of section PARKING IN WINCHESTER I have had several queries re parking problems; following is advice from Winchester Council.
"Thank you for your query regarding long term
parking in Winchester close to the South
Downs Way. Although our long stay pay and display car
parks are a maximum
stay of 24 hours, we can make an exceptions providing we
are made aware of
the vehicle registration number, colour and make, and
which car park you
will be used so we can pass the details onto the
Enforcement Team so they
are aware there will be a vehicle parked for longer than
24 hours. The best
car park to use for people participating in the South
Downs Way is Chesil
Street multi storey car park, which is the closest.
Where does SDW start ? (See 'General info' page) Officially at the Old Mill or King Alfred statue in Winchester. Going out of Winchester, there is a footbridge from Winchester across M3 & A31, then use footpath beside A31, as map below, www.local.live.co.uk has excellent bird's eye view aerial photo to help. Aug 2010: Thanks to Martin for the following: all been signposted out as a bridleway route and it connects to the path along the A31. link to Sustrans map http://www.sustrans.org.uk/map?searchKey=winchester&searchType=search&Search=Find Does anyone have photos of new route? The SDW goes along the footpath on the southern side of and next to the A31. There is a small grass verge to keep away from the road. This path can be quite overgrown in summer. The walkers path does not go along here, but meets up at Chilcomb. About 0.5 mile, turn right into the small road to Chilcomb. Bear left through the village. The SDW then climbs up the hill on a tarmac lane. At the top, (Little Golders) there is a left turn where the surface changes to compacted stone / gravel. There is a short length of grass / earth track. After going through a small group of trees, (lots of tree roots), after a 100 yds, 90' left turn to cross A272. Take care crossing!
Cheesefoot Head The SDW is opposite, but care as path drops off edge of tarmac and then at gate. ( Cheesefoot Head car park is just to the right).
The path is a narrow single path, earth, brambles .
Thumbnail of view northwards towards Beacon Hill nr. Newbury
Panorama 360' thumbnail (several photos joined together) ; evening so distant horizon is hazy.
then edge of beech wood, (see trees in PHOTO above) earth though also some tree roots; can take quite fast emerge onto rough loose stone track. Slight down gradient so can be quite fast provide eyes wide open! This carries on for a few hundred yards into edge of small wood. Cottage on right. Then TURN(0.9 mile from road crossing) (PHOTO below) as track comes out of trees; on my BHF rides, many people rode straight on here!
. Photo showing where to turn right !
The SDW is then a wide flint gravel track. To the left there is a place where you can drive tanks etc. Track gradual undulating. Reasonable surface. Short length of grass earth [below], can take quite fast.
Quite a good fast gentle descent to a gate. There are usually cows in
the field, but I have always found them uninterested (or
disinterested!) in my passing, even when quite close.
Full size thumbnails below without annotations
After going across their field, there is another gate [below].
Just after the gate, there is a sign to allow walkers to take a short cut across field, though it is NOT a 'right of way.'. On bike, ride straight on up a small rutted flint grass track (to the left of the small trees in photo). Go nearly to the corner of the field, There is a gate (yellow circle in photo below) straight ahead to a copse, but there is a gate straight ahead to a copse, but NOT SDW ; it leads to Cheriton (see page 'routes based on sdw')
(in photo below, SDW comes from mid left, do 90' turn towards camera; gate to Cheriton in middle)
so do right dog-leg sharp turn across the grass to the gate which leads to the A272.
This section of A272 is a mile straight, so cars travel quite fast, so TAKE CARE crossing! A272 crossing
A short section of tarmac as SDW passes through Holden Farm;
there are some small speed bumps.
Turn left at the crossroads just past the pub.
There is then 3/4 mile of tarmac road (good views north towards Beacon Hill south of Newbury).
Turn off the road through gate on the right handside at Wind farm (name of farm, not a wind farm !)
From Wind farm to Beacon Hill, the SDW is hard gravel track .If it has been raining then there are often lots of puddles, almost one after the other. On a sunny day, it is a very pleasant stretch, though bumpy! Possibly see the Isle of Wight?
Pass through Lomer Farm.
Beacon Hill NB: SDW ROUTE CHANGE The following via Warnford is no longer official route. However, see my comment See link for new route to Old Winchester Hill. COMMENT:I think that I prefer the old route, easier, quicker, though more tarmac, so have left here in case you want to still use. The SDW here is really joined up paths, so don't think really matters which way. http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/text.asp?PageId=58
Link to my new Meon Valley page
SUPERSEDED FROM HERE TO BOTTOM OF PAGE Join the tarmac road for 100 yards towards Beacon Hill.
SUPERSEDED
This is a narrow flinty path for 200 yards, emerging out of woods to a field; It is now down hill to the A32. The first part is narrow tyre tracks, [below] SDW is track going off to left of photo. (There are often highland cattle in the field on the right, and good view of Old Winchester Hill, in the distant towards right), then at gate, grass field; the SDW follows edge of field curving round to the left with adverse camber so take care if wet, otherwise quite fast, if no sheep! SUPERSEDED ROUTE SEE ABOVE
Full size thumbnail without annotations.
But take care, as 90' right turn onto loose stone and gate, then steepish descent on loose stone, adverse camber, through farm to Wheely Down Farm. Photo below is turning from field onto track
CAUTION! D R A I N C H A N N E L
About 6inches wide, so I think safe to cross provided straight or right to left !!! ANY COMMENTS ?
SUPERSEDED Then turn right onto tarmac road for 1/2 mile to A32. NB: SDW ROUTE CHANGE After turn left onto A32, bear left down tarmac lane after perhaps only 50yards, (new fingerpost); then after 100 (?) yds, turn right, then at 75 yards A32. Hayden lane is now opposite. I think this is a safer option for crossing A32. Turn left along A32 for 200 yards, then opposite 'George & Falcon' pub, turn right up Hayden Lane. TAKE CARE crossing over as slight bend. There are also some photos on the going 'Westwards' page |
SUPERSEDED: Now straight on
SUPERSEDED: Straight on now
