Watership Down Trail 24 Mile Circular Walk from Whitchurch

About

Follow in the footsteps of Whitchurch resident and author Richard Adams as you explore the stunning North Hampshire landscape that author Richard Adams so loved to wander and where he told his tale of the rabbits of Watership Down.

The 24 mile route from Whitchurch Railway Station leads you past ancient broad leaf woodland, across wide sweeping downland and up to the high chalk ridge and has been mapped to take walkers to some of the book’s locations; the ancient Harroway where Efrafa is located at the ‘crossing point of two bridle paths’, Nuthangar Farm, Watership Down and Hampshire’s famous River Test chalk stream where the rabbits made their way to safety on a raft.

This new trail marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of this much loved modern classic and the 50th anniversary of the creation of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the setting for the story.

Distance: 24 mile circular trail

Whitchurch is one mile from the A34, midway between Newbury and Winchester and 12 miles west of Basingstoke on the B3400.

OS Explorer Map: 144

Car parking: Parking is available Whitchurch Station.

Rail: Whitchurch Station (West of England Line from London Waterloo)

Bus: Stagecoach South service 86 from Winchester to Whitchurch Station (no Sunday Service) and service 76 between Basingstoke & Andover to Whitchurch town centre (a 10 minute walk uphill to the station).

Public Toilets: Whitchurch Bell Street car park

Places of interest: Whitchurch Silk Mill, Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery (Laverstoke Mill), Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey), Whitchurch Mill Trail, Whitchurch Heritage Trail

Places to eat: Various pubs and cafes in Whitchurch town centre. The Royal Oak, Ecchinswell (closed Mon & Tues) and The Watership Down Inn, Freefolk are a short detour on the route. 

The route can be downloaded below (PDF).