|
A Circuit north from East Meon |
|
| Distance 10.5 miles | |
| There is a car park (Grid SU 677 221), signposted from the main road near the bridge over the Meon River, and adjacent to the sports fields at the western edge of the village. | |
|
Head to the main road where it
crosses the Meon River near The George public house, turn left and head
for East Meon church. Enter the church grounds, going straight up the
left end of the church, then left across the top of grounds
(fingerpost). On reaching the stile, go right and follow the path up hill to near
the top of Park Hill. Turn right at the fence and follow the path
contouring around Park Hill. Continue as the path goes left (north)
still following the fence, cross a stile, then cross
diagonally (right) through a small paddock to another stile close to
Park Farm. |
 |
| Go over the stile,
cross the lane, and follow the track up the right side of a cottage. The
track bears right at the top, then soon after left down a small hill. At the
bottom, turn right followed by straight left, to follow a path up to a wooded
area. Continue on the path along but outside the woods, until a track is
reached. Turn right, and on entering the wood, take the footpath off
to the left, heading northeast. The path continues through the wood, eventually
meeting the A272 road close
to Bordean House. (photo: Pond at Park Farm) |
 |
| Cross the road - with
great caution as it is a blind bend - getting onto the narrow road
coming off the A272, signposted to Froxfield Green. Follow the
footpath left off this road while still adjacent to the A272, which goes up
between trees but close to the field on the left. (An old fingerpost marks the path) The enclosed path
continues gently up hill, meeting a track as it nears a farm. Walk down
towards the farm buildings, then follow
the path off left (signposted) close to the hen pens, keeping to the
left-side of the edge. Cross over the stile
then across a small paddock to join the road close to Froxfield Green
church. (photo: On a farm track heading towards Bordean House) |
 |
| Turn left, passing
the church on the right, then follow the lane left out of the village,
eventually passing under pylon wires. At the four-lane junction, join
the footpath opposite (going north) through a field, across another stile, then
join the lane just up from Bower farm. At the farm, take the footpath
off left passing between farm buildings. The path splits just up from
the farm, one directly across to Hurst farm, the second off right to
join the road leading to Hurst Farm. (At the time of the walk, we couldn’t
see the direct path so we followed the path leading to the lane close to
Hurst Farm) (photo: Church at Froxfield Green) |
 |
| Follow the road
passing a pond on the left at Hurst Farm, heading for a stile at the
corner of the wood. (This is were the stile exits from the path which we
couldn’t find!) Cross into a field, then across the right corner to a
fingerpost close to an house garden. Turn left and follow the path,
with horse paddocks to the right, then right through fields. In the dip
of the fields, turn left and follow the path/track around right up to
the lane at Farnfield Farm. Turn left on the lane and follow it up to
the centre of Privett village - with has a rather large church for a small
village. (photo: On the lane to Bower Farm) |
 |
| Bear right at the
junction, and after a short distance, go off left onto a path down the
side of a large barn conversion. Follow the path around the side of the
field to where a path goes off left (south). Take this path, initially
through a wooded area, then along the left edge of the field to
eventually meet the A272 again. Cross the A272, join the footpath into
the meadow opposite, heading just west of south to the corner of the
trees on the right. (photo: Pond at Hurst Farm) |
 |
| At the trees,
head to the fence and cross the stile, continuing
across the next field to the stile close to a cottage on the right. Join
the track, turn left and head down to the entrance of Peak Farm, passing
a grand ‘sandstone coloured’ house on the right. (photo: Rather large church for the small village of Privett) |
 |
| Take the path off
right, on a track, where the farm entrance goes left. Pass through a gate,
down to the right corner of the woods, then right up to a stile adjacent
to the woods. (photo: Zooming in across the valley to Peak Farm) |
 |
| Cross the stile,
follow the fence south for a short distance to a gate, then pass
through the gate. Turn right and follow the path down the side of the
fields, avoiding paths off either side. (photo: Looking back to Privett from near Peak Farm) |
 |
| At a small wooded area, pass
through a 5-bar gate, then down to a small gate to join the West/East
Meon road just up from Westbury House. Cross the road and follow the gravel
track up into the northern section of Hen Wood. (photo: The valley of East Meon) |
 |
| Eventually, the
track levels out and soon turns sharp right. at this bend, take the path
off to the left. Cross the stile, go right and follow the path down a
steep hill to join the track leading into Hen Wood. (photo: A view back north from the West/East Meon road) |
 |
| Go left, following
the track to the road at Drayton Cottages. Turn left, follow the road to
the large house on the right, then join the narrow footpath off right
down the left side of the house’s garden. (farm buildings to the
left) (photo: Drayton Cottage area on leaving Hen Wood) |
 |
| Cross a stile,
through a small field then through the gate. Continue on the footpath
through fields and over stiles, passing a large house to the left in the
last field, before reaching a country lane above East Meon. Turn right on the lane, follow
it down hill across the main road, to arrive back at the car park on the
right. (photo: Blue sky appearing behind Drayton Cottages) |
 |