Breamore
Fordingbridge
Children will enjoy the mysterious mizmaze and a countryside museum on this walk.
The mysterious mizmaze
The Basics
Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Distance: 6.1 km / 3.8 miles
Terrain: Some steady inclines, one stile, mostly firm and even tracks but with a few bumpier grassy tracks, short section on very quiet country lane.
Pushchair: An all-terrain pushchair could probably get through Breamore Wood and up to the mizmaze and no further - but expect a bumpy ride.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk.
Refreshments: The Pantry Barn Cafe at Breamore House (open every day 10 am-4pm).
Toilets: There are toilets in the courtyard by the café.
Public Transport: More bus service X3 from Salisbury to Bournemouth stops at Breamore House.
Parking: Free parking at the countryside museum/farm Shop/cafe, gate closes at 6pm (Postcode: SP6 2DF - W3W: ///zinc.items.rave)
Bluebells fill the woods between Breamore House and the mizmaze during spring
This walk begins at the farm shop, café and countryside museum which are all set around an attractive courtyard. You will then head through the lion gates and pass the splendid Elizabethan mansion of Breamore House before ascending through a pristine bluebell wood. The first leg culminates on Breamore Down where you will find a Medieval turf maze hidden inside a ring of ancient yew trees. The descending leg will take you through farmland with views of rolling hills and more opportunities to see bluebells. At the end of the walk, it is worth exploring Breamore, with its dreamy thatched cottages and water meadows.
The Route
From the little car park, enter the courtyard where the café, farm shop and countryside museum are located (please note the farm shop, museum and house all close during winter and re-open at Easter). Pass the toilets on your left, and the cafe on your right, and exit the courtyard on the opposite side. Turn right, and when you see the lion gates, turn left and walk up the driveway towards the house. Look out for the thousand year old yew tree as you walk up the drive. Pass the house on your right (you can book tickets online to see inside on selected open days). Keeping the buildings to your right and the pony paddocks to your left, continue until you come to the bridleway that will lead you into Breamore Wood.
Follow the bridleway through the trees in a straight line. The woodland is full of bluebells in April, but please note that as this is a private woodland, you will need to stick to the main path. Continue until the surface of the path turns to grass and you leave the woodland onto Breamore Down.
Walk up the grassy hill towards the bench at the top. You will see a large white sign for the mizmaze and should go left into the clump of trees to find it. Once you have viewed the maze, exit the trees and return to the bench. Continue walking in the same direction that you came up the hill from and pass all of the trees to your left. Bear right after the trees and walk to the gap by the hedge in the corner. Proceed along the track for a few metres, ignoring the stile on your left.
Take the next left turn, through the kissing gate sign posted for Whitsbury. Follow the path down the left side of the field and enter the trees at the bottom. At an old barn, continue straight. The track will soon open into a field and you should continue straight and go over the stile in the fence.
Turn immediately left after the stile and walk down Long Steeple Lane track. Go around a metal barrier where a left hand track leads to Down Farm and continue straight up the hill. Proceed straight for around a kilometre until you come to a pair of field gates roughly opposite each other.
Turn off the main track onto a footpath beside the left hand gate. The finger post is currently broken and there is half a sign about dogs needing to be on a lead on the gate. Take this footpath and walk up the gully to the left of the hedge. At the top, go through the gate. You will pass the southern tip of Breamore Wood where you will see some more bluebells. Continue along the path and further along, ignore a bridleway off to your right.
At the end of the path, you will emerge onto Rookery Lane. Walk down the lane and at a junction with two trees in a grassy triangle, turn left and then continue until you see the signs for the farm shop/museum etc.
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Did you know?
The mizmaze is a labyrinth that was 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.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try searching for another mizmaze at the top of St. Catherine’s Hill in Winchester.
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