Greatham
Children will enjoy the brand new play area on this walk!
The play area in Greatham
The Basics
Time: 1 hour
Distance: 3.8 km
Terrain: Fields, woodland paths and pavement. Flat, but can be very muddy through the woodland, even in summer.
Pushchair: No
Dogs: Yes - on leads around the play area
Refreshments: The walk passes the Greatham Inn, which serves Thai food.
Toilets: There may be toilets available when the village hall is open
Public Transport: Stagecoach route 38 from Petersfield to Alton, the 737 Havant - Petersfield-Bordon and the 638 Cowplain to Alton all stop in the centre of Greatham, get off at the primary school and walk to the village hall to start the walk.
Parking: Free car park beside village hall/play area on Petersfield Road (Postcode: GU33 6EY W3W: splint/decoded/lifetimes)
The zip-line backs onto a meadow of buttercups in spring
The South Downs village of Greatham, easily accessed from the A3, has just unveiled its brand new play area. It is an absolute treat for children and can be used as the launchpad for this countryside walk through woodland and open fields.
The Route
From the car park beside the village hall, you will immediately see the play area. On our visit in June 2024, there were a large amount of buttercups growing in the open space beyond the play area. This helped to mark out the start of this walk, as you are looking for the path that cuts through the middle of the buttercups, heading away from the play area and car park. If the buttercups are not blooming, your point of reference will be the zip line. From the mounting end of the zip line, look for the path across the open space, heading directly away from the play area and car park.
The path will lead you across the open space towards the hedge on the opposite side. Look for the gap in the hedge and enter into a large field. Turn left and follow the path along the edge of the field with the hedge directly to your left. The path becomes muddy as it soon leaves the field and squeezes between two hedges. The path will emerge from this at Pook Cottage, on their gravel drive.
Walk out to the lane and turn right. Walk along Church Lane - it is very quiet, as it is not a through road. Continue along the lane, passing some alpacas and then a series of dwellings, until Church Lane ends and becomes a footpath beside a large modern white/grey house.
The footpath begins and heads into a copse, following the eastern edge of the trees. The path through the woods is very muddy, often even in summer, but you will be fine with a pair of wellies. There are a couple of wooden planks to help you across the worst sections. Stick to the same path, heading in the same direction, until you reach a cross paths with a broken stile and finger post. Go right here, into the large wheat field, and follow the path straight ahead going all the way across.
At the opposite side of the field go through the hedge by going over the little bridge (watch out for nettles here). Continue straight across the next field on the other side.
At the opposite side of this field, look for the large metal gate and go around it. Walk up the access track with a house on your right. Just after the house, you should see a footpath finger post pointing into a field. Go straight up the field, with a couple of large oak trees to your left. Curve right at the top corner of the field and follow the path along the top edge with the boundary to your left. You will see telegraph poles ahead.
At the next corner of the field, go left over a ditch and into the trees, passing a broken stile. Turn right shortly at the yellow footpath sign and head down an enclosed path.
Go over the little wooden bridge at the end of this and turn right with the garden fences to your left and a ditch to your right. Walk down the tarmac alleyway and then turn right. Turn right along Brickwork Road. This will lead you back out to Petersfield Road, and at this junction, you will be face to face with The Greatham Inn, which serves Thai food and sushi and has a small garden terrace to the rear.
Cross the road to meet the pavement, turn right and follow the pavement all the way back to the village hall/park.
Did you know?
South Downs National Park provided a grant for the bulk of the funding for the new playground project along with East Hampshire District Council - the total cost was £110 000!
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at Rowlands Castle which also has a fantastic new play area.
