Nether Wallop
Stockbridge
Children will enjoy a gorgeous picnic site next to the river, a ford, a friendly pig and an outstanding village play area.
Nether Wallop has one if the prettiest picnic areas we have ever seen!
The Basics
Time: 2 hrs 15 mins or 1 hr 20 mins for the quicker alternative
Distance: 7.5 km / 4.7 miles or 4.4 km / 2.7 miles for the shorter alternative
Terrain: A couple of busy road crossings, quiet village lanes with no pavements, mostly flat with a few steps, stiles, some uneven paths and some narrow with encroaching vegetation in summer, including nettles.
Pushchairs: This route is not suitable for pushchairs.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk, but should be on leads around livestock and in the villages.
Refreshments: Although our route didn’t directly pass the pub, it would be very easy to make your own diversion to The George Inn in Middle Wallop.
Toilets: There are no public toilets on this route.
Public Transport: Stagecoach route 73 stops at The George Inn on weekdays, as well as route 87 between Andover and Salisbury.
Parking: Limited on-road parking for free beside St. Andrew’s Church at the end of Church Lane (Postcode: SO20 8EU - W3W: ///scowls.trips.important). If a service is taking place, you can find more parking in the recreation ground at Aylwards Way - this is also the suggested starting point for the shorter walk (Postcode: SO20 8HB - W3W: gift.stutter.radiating).
Nether Wallop is regarded as one of the prettiest villages in Hampshire.
West of Stockbridge, three charming villages are strung together by the Wallop Brook. Our walk starts in Nether Wallop and loops around Middle and Over Wallop. Nether Wallop holds the biggest attractions for children, which include a delightful riverside picnic area and an outstanding park; look below for a shorter version of the walk if you are just interested in exploring these features.
The Route
If you parked at the church, walk down Church Road towards the village and take the first right, going over the brook and out onto the main village road, Heathman Street. If you parked at the recreation ground, start the walk on the footpath heading east just by the entrance to Aylwards Way from Five Bells Lane. This will take you down to Church Hill. Turn left at Church Hill, and then turn right to cross over the brook and go out to the main village road, Heathman Street.
Cross the road and near The Old Post Office, look for a very skinny footpath going tightly up between gardens. Turn left when you get to the gravel access track and continue straight, ignoring a footpath going off to the left. Keep going until the tarmac lane and then turn right, up the hill.
Look on your left for a stile going into a field with ponies in (dogs on leads please). About fifty metres into the first field, you will see a kissing gate that will direct you along the footpath tightly. Continue straight along this narrow section where long sleeves and trousers are advised in summer due to nettles. The path will eventually open up and you will cross along the bottom side of a series of meadows.
When you reach the tarmac lane, continue straight across to the other side, joining the footpath that continues in the same direction.
When you eventually reach the next tarmac lane, turn right, and just before the entrance to Walker Rise, you will see the footpath going away from the road, to the left of a little brick wall. Go over the little stile (with dog flap) and go forward until a metal gate. Turn right here, and then left, to walk between some post and rail fencing. When you reach the end, turn left and go through another metal gate. Pass through a kissing gate and continue with a stone wall to your left and then go over two stiles in quick succession.
Cross the busy road, taking care as cars will be coming fast here, and go up the steps on the opposite side (if you want to visit the pub, it is down the road to your left). Follow the path as it goes across a meadow. Keep going around the worn path in the meadow, avoiding the actual footpath which goes through a trailer park. Just after the point where a scrappy hedge line ends in the field to your left, you will see that the path forks. Go left here towards the field boundary.
On the other side, you will hit a footpath where you should turn left. When you see the stile where the official footpath comes out at the other side of the trailer park, turn right and walk between properties. Continue straight at a cross path of farm tracks and continue straight until you reach the T-junction where you should turn left.
Just after the war memorial, turn left and walk along the road. Shortly, at the sign for the church, turn right off the road and walk up to church, then veer left with the church to your right. At the wall, turn right and walk up the footpath.
When the wall on your left reaches a corner at a cross path, turn left and continue with the wall on your left and then after the wall ends, keep going until you emerge into a field.
Walk along the left edge of the field. Cross the same busy road at the end of the field and find the footpath directly opposite. Walk with a brick wall to your left and then out into a kind of industrial area. Follow the footpath straight ahead, passing some dilapidated farm buildings to your right and then go over a stile and walk along the edge of another field. Go over the stile at the end of the field and onto the farm track. Pass by the farm buildings of Goddard’s Farm and then go around the large metal gate and out onto the road.
Walk straight on at the lane, passing a thatched cottage to your right. Round the bend, and just after Hill Farm, go up the steps to your left, leaving the road. Follow the path until you emerge at Five Bells Lane.
Continue straight on towards Ducks Lane and walk with a triangle of trees to your right and Wallop House to your left. As you go down the lane, you will see a stile on your left just before a round gazebo in a garden. Go over the stile and pass the stream before going over another stile. Pass the friendly pig in its paddock and the a pond. Follow the path as it winds over a series of stiles and then eventually comes out onto the lane.
Turn right and go over the ford known as The Splash. Just after this, you will find the gorgeous village green with weeping willows, picnic benches and the Wallop Brook going under an old stone bridge.
Leave the picnic area with the river and bridge behind you and cross the green. Turn left onto Five Bells Lane. Walk up the lane passing the pretty cottages and look out for Danes Cottage on your right, which was the filming location for the TV adaptations of Miss Marple. Before you reach the permanently closed Five Bells pub, turn left onto the High Street and follow it around until you see the entrance to Church Lane again.
To reach the play area, continue walking up Five Bells Lane and turn left into Aylwards Way or continue along the High Street and fork right onto Church Hill, taking the footpath on your right.
A shorter Alternative
This alternative just loops around Nether Wallop and incorporates the riverside picnic area and the park.
Start at the recreation ground on Aylwards Way, and walk back towards Five Bells Lane. Take the footpath on your right just before you reach the road and this will take you down to Church Hill.
Turn left at Church Hill and then take the next right. Cross over the brook and out onto the main village road, Heathman Street. Cross the road and near The Old Post Office, look for a very skinny footpath going tightly up between gardens. Turn left when you get to the gravel access track and continue straight, ignoring a footpath going off to the left. Keep going until the tarmac lane and then turn right, up the hill.
Look on your left for a stile going into a field with ponies in (dogs on leads please). About fifty metres into the first field, you will see a kissing gate that will direct you along the footpath tightly. Continue straight along this narrow section where long sleeves and trousers are advised in summer due to nettles. The path will eventually open up and you will cross along the bottom side of a series of meadows.
When you reach the tarmac lane, turn left and walk down to the main village road and then turn left. Very soon, you will see the lane on the opposite side of the road that crosses the brook. Take this lane and walk up to the entrance to Goddard’s Farm where you should follow the lane as it bends left.
Walk straight on after the bend, passing a thatched cottage to your right. Round the next bend, and just after Hill Farm, go up the steps to your left, leaving the road. Follow the path until you emerge at Five Bells Lane.
Continue straight on towards Ducks Lane and walk with a triangle of trees to your right and Wallop House to your left. As you go down the lane, you will see a stile on your left just before a round gazebo in a garden. Go over the stile and pass the stream before going over another stile. Pass the friendly pig in its paddock and the a pond. Follow the path as it winds over a series of stiles and then eventually comes out onto the lane.
Turn right and go over the ford known as The Splash. Just after this, you will find the gorgeous village green with weeping willows, picnic benches and the Wallop Brook going under an old stone bridge.
Leave the picnic area with the river and bridge behind you and cross the green. Turn left onto Five Bells Lane. Walk up the lane passing the pretty cottages and look out for Danes Cottage on your right, which was the filming location for the TV adaptations of Miss Marple. Before you reach the permanently closed Five Bells pub, turn left onto the High Street and then fork right to go up Church Hill and take the footpath back to the recreation ground, or for a quicker option, just keep walking up Five Bells Lane.
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Did you know?
Nether Wallop was used as the filming location for the fictional village of St. Mary’s Mead in the TV series adaptation of Miss. Marple. You can spot her cottage, Dane Cottage, on this walk as you go up Five Bells Lane.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at Chilbolton & Wherwell, which are more contenders for the prettiest village in Hampshire prize!
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