Amesbury Walkers

ROMSEY CIRCULAR WALK

BWF PT No 203 - 11km

Walk Organiser: John Blyth, 25 Blackcross Road, Amesbury, Wiltshire, SP4 7XH. Tel: 01980 590565.

Walk Fee: £1.00, Embroidered Badge £2.00. Cheques made payable to Amesbury Walkers

Start: Alma Road Long Stay Car Park [opposite Mole Valley], Romsey, Hants, SO51 8AN [GR185/355213]

Fees from 1/5/23: 2hrs £1.00, 3hrs £2.00, 4hrs £3.00, 5hrs £4.00, all day £4.40, free after 16.00 and on Sundays.

Alternative: Romsey Bus Station [on route - para 2].

Route Directions

From Alma Road Car Park head towards the left hand side of Waitrose (by main entrance) into Latimer Walk. Straight on to road, turn left passing The Phoenix PH on right to T-junction. Cross over road towards the Nationwide and turn left. Stay on pavement and follow road turning right into Palmerston Street.

Q1. Just before T-junction what year is on the plaque on the last house on your right?

At junction turn right into Broadwater Road, straight on past pedestrian crossing and across road bearing right past Pets Corner on left. Continue around to right with railings and stream on left past Romsey Bus Station on right. Through narrow alleyway to road, cross over and turn left with Corn Exchange and Bank on left.  At Romsey Conservative Club turn right, 40m turn left into Church Place and straight on past Abbey on left. Through black bollards, bear left on road [The Abbey] to T-junction. Turn right into 'The Meades', straight on over river bridge and turn left into The Memorial Park. Stay on path with river on left, passing War Horse and tennis courts on right. Continue on path in clockwise direction with river on left, past Bowling Club on right and children’s play area on left.  Stay on path to WW II Japanese artillary piece on right.

Q2. Who presented the gun to Romsey?

Continue on path past café and exit park by turning first left through gateway. Immediately turn left over river bridge on path with houses on left and field on right. Go through wooden gateway, over bridge and round Sadler’s Mill [note plaque on wall].  After 15m with river on left, turn right between houses on wide gravel track. After 15m, at Test Way signpost, turn right on Test Way. Through kissing gates into field keeping straight on with fence on right. Cross stiles [bent bridge] continuing on path following Test Way to cross new gated wooden bridge between smallish trees. Bear left on path across field to far corner, over stiles and wooden bridge into Squabb Wood keeping fence on right. Over stile onto well-defined path over new plank bridges and hardcore path in places following Test Way through wood for 800m. Turn right at junction [tall Countryside Service signpost on left in trees] continuing on Test Way over plank bridge then on path for approx 150 metres. Turn sharp right off the Test Way at signpost and notice to exit Squabb Wood onto wide track. Proceed up slope. At top of slope turn right through gap in hedge past signpost on right. Stay on track with hedge on left to road. Turn left on road. Proceed along road between hedges.

Q3. 25m before road what is name of white house on right?

At road turn right and continue downhill. At T-junction turn right to cross railway bridge keeping on road [Care] to junction. Cross main road [Care] straight on track to left of the Duke on the Test PH. 40m turn right at sign ‘Official Diversion’ and follow path to river bank. Turn right with river on left to road at white-railed bridge. Turn left over bridge and follow pavement 400m until just before Garden Centre. Turn left on brick-laid drive and at brick letter-box/entry-phone pillar on right, turn left on to board walk, first with wooden panel fence on left then river on right.

Cross river bridge and continue in same direction along opposite bank. After 200m turn right away from the river. Keep on path to right of area of felled trees continuing ahead over wooden walkway and bridge. Cross over concrete bridge and follow stony path with streams on both sides to pass electricity sub-station on right. At X-tracks at canal turn right through the gate. There is an information board after a few metres on the right hand side.

Q4. How many species of dragonfly can be found on the nature reserve?

Walk alongside old canal on left for 2500m to main road. At main road turn right. After approx 20m between houses number 34 & 32 there is a plaque cut into the wall.

Q5. Who is portrayed on the plaque?

Continue past garage and straight on to traffic lights. Cross road and turn right up Alma Road for approx 200m to mini-roundabout. Turn left back to car park on left.


NB: Route walked on 30 April 2023 - I walked over the field at para. 3 following the Test Way. Parts of the field are under water due to the heavy rainfall so far this year. With careful route selection I stayed on the higher ground and found a route through to Squabb Wood. Don’t try this route with anything less than walking boots. A new hardcore path has been laid in Squabb Wood for a few hundred metres but away from this path, Squabb Wood is still very muddy. I will update this route again later on this year.  


Route updated  1 May 2023