Butser Hill
On this walk, children will enjoy an ice-cream from the roundhouse in summer and flying a kite on a windy day.
The Basics
Time: 35 mins
Distance: 1.88 km
Terrain: Downland grassy paths. By parking at the top, this route is mainly flat
Pushchair: Not ideal, but when the ground is firm in summer, you may get it around
Dogs: Yes
Refreshments: The Roundhouse Kiosk is open in summer for snacks, lunches and drinks
Toilets: Yes, beside The Roundhouse (close 4:30)
Parking: Large car park, charges apply (Postcode: GU32 1RT - W3W: escalates/sparrows/seaguls)
As one of the highest points in Hampshire, it is no wonder Butser also provides some of the best views. Part of the Queen Elizabeth Park, you can either walk up from there or follow this child friendly walk and avoid the steep climb.
The Route
Follow the paved track up to the metal gate. This walk circles the top of the hill and follows the red route. There are some posts along the way to guide you and a large map beside the entrance gate.
Keep the fence to your left and follow the path closest to the fence. Continue along the ridge of the hill with the radio mast on your right. The path goes up an incline and then levels out to provide spectacular views of Petersfield and surrounding villages.
At this point, turn right and continue in a circle with the mast up and away to your right and the view to your left. At the line of scrubby trees, turn right and follow the path slightly up hill in the direction of the mast.
Keep to the left path, which will as it curves away from the mast and brings in views of the A3, the trees of Queen Elizabeth Country Park and the distant coastline. Keep going until you see the paved track leading from the mast. You can follow this back to the car park.
There are some brilliant view interpretation boards dotted around, which my children love using to pinpoint landmarks that they know.
You can walk down the hill, through the gate in the direction of the A3 to access Queen Elizabeth Country Park. On this face of the hill, you may well come across some of the resident ponies who are ‘employed’ to help with natural grazing of the grassland.
Hampshire Countryside Services have produced a children’s story walk to go with a route around the hill.
We recommend viewing the map as a Trails Map:
Did you know?
Over 30 species of butterfly have been recorded within the nature reserve, including The Duke of Burgundy and The Silver-spotted Skipper, making it an important conservation area.