Hambledon
Waterlooville
Children will enjoy two little parks, a rope swing and a tea-room on this walk.
Views of Hambledon village from Speltham Down
The Basics
Time: 1hr 10 mins
Distance: 3 km
Terrain: Some village pavements, stiles (with ‘dog flaps’), short inclines, variety of paths from woodland to downland.
Pushchair: This route is not suitable for pushchairs.
Dogs: Yes, but must be on lead on farmland.
Refreshments: The Old Forge Tea-Room (best to book ahead) or The Vine pub
Toilets: There are no public toilets on this walk.
Public Transport: First Bus Service D1 from Waterlooville via Denmead, stop at Hambledon, The Gardens.
Parking: Parking can be found on roads around the village, the walk starts beside The People’s Market (Postcode: PO7 4RW - W3W: ///Siesta.pheasants.tribe)
The Old Forge Tea Room
Hambledon, known as the ‘Cradle of Cricket’, is a rural village packed full of attractive country homes. It has a tea room, two play areas, a pub and a couple of shops to browse. Our walk loops around the perimeter of the village, taking you up onto the National Trust’s Speltham Down, with lovely views of the valley.
The Route
Start next to the People’s Market and take the lane to the left of it called Speltham Hill. Go up the hill, and then as the road bends left, look for the entrance to Speltham Down opposite Hill House. Walk in a straight line across the down to a barbed wire fence. Take the gate to your left marked ‘please shut gate, livestock grazing’. Walk along the enclosed path with a barbed wire fence covered in sheep’s wool to your right. Go through a series of two consecutive gates and back out into open downland. Turn right, with the fence to your right, and head back down towards the village via a gate and then some little steps.
Turn left when you reach the road and walk behind the little stone wall. At the end of this, cross the road and continue along the pavement in the same direction. At the end of the village, you will find The Old Forge Tea Room.
Turn right just after the tea room up Cams Hill. After the entrance to a house named ‘Cams’, you will see a wide double wooden gate with a stile and ‘dog flap’. Go over the stile and walk along the track and then over two more stiles. At the junction, turn left and head up the hill.
Veer to the right where new fencing funnels you across the top of a field used for exercising horses. There are lovely views at this point back over the village. The fenced path will lead you out of the field and into woodland.
Inside the woodland, you will meet a cross path. The walk continues on the right hand path, but children might like to divert quickly to the left where there is a rope swing and an old pit which makes a cool wild area to play in.
The next section of woodland has some bluebells in spring to the right of the path. Turn right at the junction and take the narrow downhill footpath marked ‘Wayfarer’s Walk’. The path will level off as you bear right to go along the back of some houses. Turn left down a grassy area between houses to meet the road (there is some landscaping work going on here, so the description of this ‘grassy path’ may change soon!)
Turn right at the road and walk for just a few metres before turning left where you see a wooden footpath marker and a small play area on the green. With the play area to your right, go up the green and re-join the footpath on the other side as the gravelly path goes between hedges. It will take you out through a little metal gate, where you will see the church straight ahead.
Go through the metal gate on your left when you reach the wall of the churchyard and cross a little parking area. The wall to the church will be on your right. At the graveyard, turn right to walk past the church and into the village with one of my favourite views in Hambledon. Turn right at the main street for The Vine Pub and the play area beside the village hall. The Stores is on the left corner, which sells lifestyle goods and coffee.
If you want a shorter walk, you could park on the road near The Old Forge Tea Rooms and begin the walk at section two, missing out the first part over Speltham Down.
Did you know?
Hambledon has one of the oldest cricket clubs in the world, dating back to 1750. The village also has a vineyard which produces its own wine.
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