Breamore
Children will enjoy the paddock full of ponies, a woodland full of bluebells, a hilltop mizmaze and a countryside museum on this walk.
The Basics
Time: It will take about half an hour up to the mizmaze and half an hour down
Distance: 2km each way
Terrain: Paved path, woodland tracks and grassy hill - rough in parts, with a steady incline
Pushchair: No
Dogs: Yes
Refreshments: The Pantry Barn Cafe at Breamore House (open Tues - Sun and bank holidays, 10 am-4pm)
Toilets: In the courtyard
Parking: Free parking at Breamore House, gate closes at 6pm (Postcode: SP6 2DF - W3W: zinc/items/rave)
This walk begins at the farm shop, café and countryside museum that belong to Breamore Estate. The little café is set in an attractive courtyard and makes a brilliant post walk refreshment stop. The walk heads through the lion gates and passes directly beside the splendid Elizabethan mansion, completed in 1583, before entering a pristine bluebell wood. It culminates on Breamore Down where you will find a medieval turf maze hidden inside a ring of yew trees. Breamore itself is an exceptionally pretty village with thatched cottages and water meadows to make you swoon. We highly recommend adding on a little explore of the village (see last two photos). Quite simply, this walk covers the English countryside at its best.
The Route
Exit the car park at the far end and cross the gravelled courtyard to where the cafe is. Go through the gateway and turn right, following the signs to Breamore House. Turn left to walk up the drive to the house via the lion gates and following the bridlepath finger post.
Follow the driveway as it passes beside the house. Children will enjoy the paddocks full of ponies and can also look out for the 1,000 year old yew tree. The house is open on select days and you can purchase tickets online.
After the driveway passes the house, it begins to turn into a rougher track and enters Breamore Wood. In May, this whole woodland is coated in bluebells; they go on and on in every direction. Please be mindful that the woodland is private and public access is only via the bridlepath through the middle. This is not the place to come for bluebell photo shoots!
As mentioned, there is only one path through the woods so you can’t go wrong. At the end of the trees, you will exit onto Breamore Down and at the top of the small hill, you will see a sign for the mizmaze (see more information below). There is also a bench here where you can rest and enjoy the countryside views.
There is a circular route back to the village which you could work out if you have a map, but we chose not to do a loop on this occasion. The bluebell wood was just so inviting that we decided it would be a waste not to return the same way.
Did you know?
The mizmaze is a labyrinth cut into the turf in the 12th or 13th century. It has Christian origins and follows a similar pattern to floor markings in cathedrals in France and Italy. It is likely that it was used for penances, with monks traversing it on their knees and saying prayers. Breamore mizmaze is one of only eight remaining turf mazes in England (there are two in Hampshire, the other being on St. Catherine’s Hill) and to aid in its preservation there is a fence all the way around it and visitors are asked not to enter.