The crossing of the River on the Clarendon Way happens the village of Houghton. Our walk loops back and crosses the river again between Bossington and Horsebridge.
The walk starts in King’s Somborne where there’s roadside parking. Bus routes 68 and X99 link King’s Somborne to Winchester, Andover and Salisbury, whilst bus 90 links King’s Somborne with Romsey and Stockbridge. More public transport info here.
Length: 7.6 km / 4.7 miles
Time: 1 hours 45 minutes at a swift pace + breaks
Difficulty: Easy – 80 m total ascent
The walk goes around the Bossington estate, a fly-fishing estate on the river Test. It also has a grass air strip–you could also fly here in a light aircraft and start the walk from Bossington.
The path also skirts Horsebridge train station, complete with platform and carriages and private wedding venue these days. On the return to King’s Somborne there is a right of way going directly through a number of back gardens in a way we haven’t really seen it before. Signs urge you to be respectful and quiet.
Also have a look at loop 4 and loop 6.
If you might be doing more walks on the river Test, perhaps beyond the Clarendon Way and Houghton and Bossington, splashmap’s Stockbridge (Test Valley – Andover to Romsey) 1:40 000 fabric map * is a great, waterproof resource.
Overview Clarendon Way 9 loops. For walks in Winchester, have a look at the walkWINCHESTER 12 walk challenge.
Highlights of Clarendon Way loop 5
King’s Somborne
King’s Somborne itself is the site of John of Gaunt‘s palace and deer park. He was born in Ghent, Belgium which got anglicised into Gaunt. Whilst never being king himself, his son Henry became Henry IV and with that the house of Lancaster dynasty started.
More walks: walkWINCHESTER 12 walk challenge.
Brilliant walk and the map made it so easy to navigate. Though we did do the walk in reverse, not that it mattered.