Compton Down
Winchester
Children will enjoy the superb play area at Oliver’s Battery and gelato from Hampshire Pantry.
A coffee and gelato stop at Hampshire Pantry
The Basics
Time: 1 hour
Distance: 5 km / 3.1 miles
Terrain: A steady hill climb, mostly stony farm tracks, one small narrow and brambly section with uneven terrain.
Pushchair: The full loop is not suitable for pushchairs, but as a short alternative you could walk directly between the park and Hampshire Pantry on a rough grassy path.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome at Hampshire Pantry but are not allowed in the park.
Refreshments: Hampshire Pantry with coffee roastery, gelato, farm shop, brunches/lunches.
Toilets: Toilets are available for customers of Hampshire Pantry.
Public Transport: The nearest bus stop is Momford Road, a few minutes walk away from the play area.
Parking: There is enough space for 12 cars to park for free at Oliver’s Battery park on Texas Drive (Postcode: SO22 4HT - W3W: ///spilled.scorpions.worksheet). If this is full, you could change the start point of the walk and park at Hampshire Pantry on Badger Farm Road (Postcode: SO23 9RZ - W3W: ///escape.notice.tidy)
The viking ship at Oliver's Battery recreation ground
This walk on the outskirts of Winchester has quickly become a weekend favourite since Hampshire Pantry opened its doors. It stars an excellent children’s play area and the brilliant farm shop and cafe. The views from the downs are also pretty good!
The Route
1. Start at Oliver’s Battery park which has a great play area with rope bridges, wooden walkways and a viking boat. Standing in the car park facing the play area, turn right and walk onto the downs. Take the first track to your left which is a stony access track to houses further along Texas Drive. Follow the track as it goes over open land and then past the gates to a couple of houses. Just beyond the houses, the land will open up again and you should continue straight, going underneath the electricity cables. Continue across the open land until the gate into Yew Hill Nature Reserve on the other side.
2. Enter the small nature reserve and walk straight across. There are wildflowers and butterflies in summer. Go out through the second gate.
3. Turn immediately left onto another stony farm track and follow it with a hedge to your right and views to your left until it descends to a metal five bar gate.
4. Go around the gate and immediately turn left off the track at a bench. This path is narrower and rougher and in summer, you may need to push back some of the encroaching brambles as you go through! The path soon widens again.
5. At the T-junction, turn left. The path now steadily climbs up a tree covered farm track. There are no paths leading off it until you reach a grassy crosspath. Turn right and the grassy track will lead you straight down into the parking area of Hampshire Pantry.
6. When finished at the pantry, make your way back up the grassy track to the crosspath again. This time, continue straight on. There will be a hedge to your right and pony paddocks to your left. Look out for the illustrated sign for a wildlife area through a gate on your right. Oliver’s Battery park is on the other side of the wildlife area.
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Did you know?
The Oliver whose battery is referred to in the place name is Oliver Cromwell. It is thought that he had an encampment in the area during the siege of Winchester in the English Civil War.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try connecting it to this one at Compton Lock for a longer walk.
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