Whitchurch, Laverstoke and Freefolk

Explore the Lovely Test Valley and Its Buildings

The charming countryside around Hampshire's sparkling River Test provides the setting for this walk. The river teems with trout. In the Middle Ages, its waters drove the wheels of corn-mills, and since the 18th century, they have powered silk, woollen, and paper mills. Whitchurch is tucked away in a fold of the chalk hills, featuring the historic White Hart coaching inn and historic parish church.

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Start Point

Whitchurch

Grid Ref: SU 45987 47722

Total Distance

6.1 miles (9.8 km)

Total Climbing

114 metres

Estimated Time

3 hours

Difficulty Grade

Easy

Trail Navigation Files:

💾 Download GPX Route Google Earth (KMZ) 📖 About Whitchurch

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000)

Essential paper map for exploring Basingstoke, Alton and Whitchurch:

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The Walk Report

Leaving Whitchurch via the Harroway prehistoric trackway (setting for Richard Adams' epic Watership Down), the route crosses the River Test toward Freefolk and Laverstoke Mill (acquired in 1718 by French Huguenot refugee Henry de Portal to supply Bank of England banknote paper).

Passing Bere Mill, Bere Mill Meadows, and Whitchurch Silk Mill, the walk explores the sparkling chalk streams and industrial heritage of the Test Valley.

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.

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Whitchurch, Laverstoke and Freefolk

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000)

The Walk Report

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