Walk 8: Ramsdell and Ewhurst

Ramsdell and Ewhurst (Original walk information from 2007)

Approximate time: 2-2.5 hours. Distance 8.0 Km or 5.0 miles.

Map Ref:  589 574 at start of the walk.

If arriving by car, at the crossroads by Ramsdell Church take the road towards Charter Alley and almost immediately on the left is a lay-by (before the pillar box and phone box).

At the church end of the lay-by is the start of a path between two hedges with a green FP sign.  The path then turns to the left around the edge of a field to a stile.  At the waymark sign head diagonally across the field towards the centre of the cottages in the distance, keeping the pylon on the left.  Stile with a green finger post leads onto a metalled lane.

Turn left and walk to the T junction about 200m then turn right and very soon left into Old Vyne Lane.  Continue along gravelled lane and turn left at thatched cottage.  In the field keep the ditch and hedge to the right and go through a gap in the hedge to join Hollybush Lane which is an unmade track.  Turn left along the lane to join Baughurst Road at Stoney Heath.

Turn left on the metalled road for approximately 200m until reaching a grass triangle on the right-hand side of the road.  Turn in by the triangle onto a gravelled track and then turn left just before the bridge.  Continue on through meadow and copse with Ewhurst Pond on the right for approximately 1km emerging onto Lloyds Lane, a metalled road.

Turn right along the road, noticing Ewhurst House up on the right, a former home of the Duke of Wellington.  Continue along to the lodge on the right and a footpath sign on the opposite side of the road take this path which leads up onto the hill and after approximately 250m there is a gate ahead.  This point is close by the site of a roman villa and there are some lovely views from here.

Turn left at the gate and follow the track keeping the wire fence on the right.  Skirt around the old quarry, keeping it on the right, then follow the path leaving Skyers Wood to the left.  Cross the next field.  In the next field look across at the farm buildings of Skyers Farm and take the smaller diagonal path across the field to a gate in the right-hand hedge – always keeping the farm buildings in sight on your left.

Cross the next field to the stile, leaving Skyers Farm on the left.  Cross the next field to another stile and then across a small paddock to a stile.  Turn left passing Ramsdell Village Hall on the left and emerging on to Baughurst Road.  Turn left and at the crossroads turn right to the start of the walk.