Droxford Circular

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Lowland and Hill Walks
Jan 04
2020

12 people attending

8 places left

Your price
£12.50
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Easy Moderate Very Hard
16 km (10 miles), 268m of climbing in total

The valley of the River Meon in Hampshire is celebrated for its prettiness, but many only know it from driving along the A32. The only way to really savour the riverside cottages, ancient churches and cosy pubs since the railway line was cut in 1968 is to leave the car and set out on foot, of course. Whereas the villages are charming, the landscape can be quite imposing, with the highest point on the walk being Beacon Hill at 201m above sea level.

This walk (see the route here) divides into two halves. In the first half the landscape is mostly pastoral and high-lying with ancient tracks gradually ascending then descending sweeping downland. In the second half the landscape is mostly settled and low-lying with the River Meon winding between the floodplain villages. 

The first village, Droxford, has a typical Hampshire village church of sturdy Norman fundamentals. The early Georgian Old Rectory opposite the church is the finest in a village of abundant fine houses and the earliest parts of St Clair's Farm are dated to 1200. Meonstoke is the second village and Exton the third, and all contain fine houses in brick and flint. Droxford, importantly, has a perfect pub for the end of the walk: The White Horse. 

Dogs are welcome to join us on this event but we do ask the following:
Please ensure you adhere to the Countryside Code at all times - see (Keeping Dogs Under Effective Control)
If your dog is uncontrolled and strays in open land frightening other animals or livestock, the leader is supported by the OutdoorLads board of trustees to ask you to leave the event as this is not acceptable behaviour.

All images are licensed for reuse under Creative Commons with these credits: Looking across the top of Beacon Hill by Steve Daniels; Signposts for the South Downs Way temporary route by Peter S; High Street, Droxford by Peter Facey; High Street, Droxford by Peter Facey; Looking south on the River Meon from Brock Bridge by Shazz; Manor Farm, Exton by Robin Webster; Church Lane, Exton by Pierre Terre; River Meon at Meonstoke by David Martin; Shady gateway, Lomer by Jim Champion; The Manor House, Meonstoke by David960; Works on Beacon Hill by Peter Facey; Beacon Hill beeches by Jim Champion; Betty Mundy's Bottom by Peter Facey; Field of flints north of St. Clair's Farm by Peter Facey; White Horse Inn Droxford by Jim Goldsmith.

My thanks to Gavin for writing this one up for me.

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