Cheesefoot Head, nr Winchester, Hampshire


This is a 8.5km/5.3 miles off road accessible walk along mostly farm tracks, but involves crossing the busy and fast A272 twice, has a couple of narrow footpaths, and a narrow gap at the end of a gate to negotiate.


From Cheesefoot Head car park, go through the pedestrian gate to your right as you go to leave the carpark, then cross the field, and take a narrow path on your left at the end of the field until it joins a wide farm track in a t-junction, and turn right/south.  The ‘official’ route starts the walk at the turn off the A272 onto this track, but as this would involve walking up the side of the busy A272 we thought it best to take a safer route. Open OS Maps in new window


600m after joining the farm track (Allan King Way), turn off left and follow this path to a little square wood.  The OS maps says the path goes round this plantation.  It doesn’t, so turn left up a farm track leading up hill before the trees. At the top of the hill turn right just before the gate and follow the edge of the field to the A272, negotiate the narrow gap, cross carefully, and walk 1.4km down the quiet Rodfield Lane to where the Allan King Way/South Downs Way crosses the road. Turn left and follow the Allan King Way/South Downs Way for 1.8km until you come to farm buildings and a cross roads, turn left up The South Downs Way and follow this path all the way back to Cheesefoot Head car park. 


Parking - Cheesefoot Head car park, A272, Winchester SO24 0HU.  This a small free car park, and very busy on sunny days, particularly at weekends and holidays.  We had an interesting chat with the owner of the bakerwhitecoffee van who said the landowner is in discussions with South Downs National Park to extend the car park, maybe adding toilets, and improving accessibility to the walks


Toilets - None. The nearest Changing Places toilets at Winchester Science Centre, Telegraph Way, Winchester, SO21 1HZ, Tesco Winchester Extra, Easton Lane, Winchester SO23 7RS, The Discovery Centre, Jewry Street, Winchester SO23 8SB.


Refreshments - Baker & White coffee van in Cheesefoot Head car park

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