Following on from our first instalment in the series, during which we enjoyed a gentle walk around the village, we decided to flip the concept of ‘gentle’ on its head. Entirely.
With another route leading from the vineyard, offering extremely varied terrain and scenery, it’s fair to say that this thirteen-mile circular walk is not an easy afternoon stroll, but is absolutely worth the effort required to complete it.
Starting in the car park at the vineyard, directly follow the public footpath through the field adjacent to our Windmill Down East vineyard, enjoying the views of the vineyard to your right, and the South Downs to your left. After which point, you follow a farm track past Wriggly Tin Huts- a particular favourite accommodation spot among our guests, until you reach Green Lane, a narrow road- so, be careful of any passing traffic at this point. After which, enjoy the scenery of the rolling hills and endless farmland, a trademark of the South Downs National Park.
Eventually, you’ll reach Old Winchester Hill (a favourite spot of mine), a famous beauty spot with views of Beacon Hill, and to the south, the Solent and the Isle of Wight. With unmatched views and a range of designated benches, this is the ideal spot to stop for a picnic, or a snack. Do be conscious of wildlife, such as ground nesting birds, and adhere to the designated picnic spots. Old Winchester Hill itself is an iron age hill fort, thought to have been built during the middle iron age (c.600-300 BCE), however contains Bronze Age burial mounds thought to date between 2100-750BCE.
Continuing down the hill, I enjoyed one of my favourite views in the south downs (especially at Golden hour), and was herded (semi-successfully), by a beautiful border collie. After this point, the route simplifies and for a good amount of time, follows the Meon Valley Trail- an old railway, which for a time was used to transport livestock and agricultural goods from Fareham to Alton, and now is an easy trail suitable for all levels of fitness- as well as bikes and horses. This is the perfect opportunity to put your headphones in, enjoy your favourite podcast or playlist, and relax in the beautiful, wooded surroundings.
Once you reach Soberton, you then proceed through the village (and maybe stop for a refreshment, or a hearty meal at the local pub!), until you reach more fields, interspersed with woodland, which eventually leads you back to Hambledon village. Then, go past The Stores and the People’s Market, to the churchyard, and follow the public footpath through the vines of our Windmill Down West vineyard, finishing back at the vineyard. At which point, why not drop in for a well-deserved glass of our Finest English Sparkling Wine to round off a day in the country?
As always, the route is available on our AllTrails account. Of course, if you're not on a time limit, or are feeling particularly energetic- there are a few beautiful extensions to the walk, to allow you to see and enjoy even more of the Hampshire South Downs:
- Beacon Hill- where you would turn onto the Meon Valley Trail, instead follow the South Downs way route through Exton, and up Beacon Hill. You can then descend via the same route, or create more of a loop by descending via Beacon Hill Lane, being careful of passing traffic.
- Bury Lodge Circuit- You can also integrate our previous hike, by following a public footpath through Boarhunt's copse, to Cams Hill Ln, and joining the route there.
*Please note, we can't give any indications as to the current state of access to the paths involved.
