WALKS IN HAMPSHIRE at STEVENTON (JANE AUSTEN'S BIRTHPLACE) & THE SOURCE OF THE RIVER TEST.

This is another video in my series “ Walks in Hampshire” accompanied by my Whippet (Logan). In this episode, I take a walk around the villages of Steventon, Ashe & Deane in North Hampshire (about 6 miles South West of Basingstoke). Steventon is probably best known for being the birthplace of Jane Austen.
I start my 5.5 mile circular walk at Steventon church (where Jane Austin's Father, George, was once Rector)and after passing by Steventon Manor I head through Steventon Park, under the railway and on to Ashe Park via Kimbers Copse.
Although the official source of the River Test sits in a private field opposite Ashe House, Logan & I check out a pond / spring to the North of the site that could well feed into it. (We do get to view the official source from a distance).
After exploring the church at Ashe (which has a delightful “surprise” inside), I head East to Deane for my third church of the walk and the magnificent Deane House.
I then head South along part of the Wayfarers Walk, back underneath the railway, towards Steventon. This gives me the opportunity of checking out the field in which there was once Steventon Rectory - where Jane Austen was born & spent the first 25 ears or so of her life.
The weather was perfect for my walk - a sunny, Spring day with hardly a cloud in the sky. Daffodils and snowdrops were out in all their glory.
PS: The sound in the final "end scene" clip might seem a bit odd. I had not pushed my microphone in hard enough into the camera..... so it only is working on one speaker (ie not stereo).
Music by Original Spruce (Copyright owner). Permission for me to use this track has been given to me by the copyright owner. 2022. Tracks (in order of appearance in the video): 1) Pemrokeshire, 2) Eko Eko , 3) No Time For Lillies, 4) Nicely Stone & 5) Marching The Moors. To download these tracks & other music by Original Spruce go to spruce1.bandca...
Map courtesy of Google Maps.
For further videos in the series, please go to: / @daveford or my website at daveford5966.w...
My Facebook page is: / davescountrysidewalks
I use a GOPRO HERO 7, 8 or 10 Black Action Camera (sometimes with a Gimbal) & a Rode microphone (either a “Shotgun” or a Rode Wireless Go) together with a Canon Powershot SX530 HS.
Route details:
CHURCH ON RIGHT. WALK DOWN DRIVEWAY. END OF BLACK METAL RAILINGS, TURN LEFT THROUGH GREEN METAL GATE. FOLLOW TRACK 150M - WHERE TRACK CURVES LEFT, TAKE METAL GATE ON RIGHT. FOLLOW LEFT HAND EDGE OF FIELD TO LANE. CROSS OVER - FOLLOW FIELD TO TUNNEL.
1) TURN RIGHT THROUGH WOOD GATE. GO THROUGH 2ND WOOD GATE TO GATE CORNER OF FIELD. AFTER GATE, TURN LEFT PAST 2 HOUSES. COME TO WOOD.
2) THROUGH WOOD. STRAIGHT ON. FOLLOW LINE OF BEECH HEDGE TO LEFT. AT WOOD FENCE, CONTINUE WITH FENCE ON RIGHT TO KISSING GATE.
3) GO THROUGH GATE, DOWN SLOPE. AFTER 400M, PATH GOES LEFT. CROSS FIELD DIAGONALY TOWARDS GAP IN HEDGE. THROUGH KISSING GATE, BEAR RIGHT TO KISSING GATE. CROSS B3400 & UP ASH LANE.
4) OPPOSITE CHURCH, TAKE PATH UP SLOPE, THROUGH WOODEN KISSING GATE. FOLLOW PATH (HOUSE ON RIGHT) TO FAR END OF FIELD & THROUGH KISSING GATE. THROUGH WOODLAND. DOWN FIELD TO CHURCH.
5) AT END BLACK METAL FENCE, THROUGH METAL GATE & ONTO CHURCH DRIVEWAY. TURN RIGHT WITH DEANE HOUSE ON LEFT & DOWN MANOR FARM LANE TO B3400.
6) CROSS IN TO ASHE PARK LANE WITH PALM BRASSERIE TO RIGHT. WALK 200M TO LONG DISTANCE PATH WAYFARERS WALK.
7) UP SLOPE ON TO RUTTED TRACK.
8) TRACK CURVES LEFT & SLOPES DOWNWARDS TOWARDS A TUNNEL UNDER RAILWAY. ON OTHER SIDE, TURN RIGHT & FOLLOW EDGE OF FIELD WITH RAILWAY ON RIGHT. AT CORNER OF FIELD PASS BY TWO POSTS / GAP IN HEDGE. DIAGONAL TO FARM BUILDINGS.
9) STRAIGHT AHEAD (HEDGE LEFT) STILE CORNER OF FIELD TO LANE. TURN LEFT INTO CHURCH LANE.