Cobbett, the social reformer and campaigner, described Hurstbourne Tarrant with great enthusiasm in Rural Rides his acclaimed critical commentary on the state of English agriculture at that time.
According to Cobbett, writing in 1826, the village of Hurstbourne Tarrant (then known as ‘Uphusband’) ‘is a sight beyond description’. He was concerned at how increasing industrialisation was adversely affecting the lives of agricultural labourers and travelled around the country drawing attention to their plight and working conditions. Cobbett was elected as an MP in 1832 and died in 1835.
From the car park, turn right and go along an access track slightly uphill to several farm buildings and bear left into a field. Follow the waymarked path for 250 metres to where it curves to the right – becoming a broad swathe of grass that climbs quite sharply to the top of the incline − Wallop Hill Down.
Edge a few metres to the left and into the woodland. Keep to the narrow path going uphill, at times quite steeply, for 300 metres to a TW waymarked path and track junction to meet the route of Walk 1 coming from the right and on its way back to the car park at the start of this stage.
Gallops between Wallop Hill Down and Stokehill Farm
Bear left along the track through mixed woodland (ignoring a track to the right after 150 metres) to a track crossover. Continue straight on and soon you will emerge from the woodland into a field. Carry on along the grassy path next to the hedge – with distant views of rolling downland across the Bourne Valley – to reach an ‘ancient’ kissing gate and after another 200 metres a stile by a tennis court. Just beyond is an impressive house − Stokehill Farm − constructed largely of flint.
Keep to the broad grassy path (usually very well maintained) towards a small stable block where you need to bear left on to a short stony track which, in only 25 metres, joins the Brenda Parker Way (BPW) arriving acutely from the right.
The BPW is a 78-mile (125km) trail between Andover and Aldershot, which was created in memory of Brenda Parker who energetically promoted rambling, especially in North Hampshire. Brenda was to be awarded an honorary lifetime membership of the Ramblers but sadly died just a few days before the presentation.
Continue along the combined TW and BPW track to the narrow lane serving Stokehill Farm. Follow the lane for 200 metres to a T-junction with the road (Stoke Hill) which descends into the village of Stoke 0.6 miles (1km) to the left. Cross the road and go to the right for the few metres to the TW waymarked stile which in quick succession leads to another stile.
Above Stoke in autumn
Climb the stile into the field and continue alongside the hedge and tree-lined boundary to the right-hand corner where there are another two stiles in the hedge a few metres apart. Ignore the first and climb the second on to an enclosed narrow path – still with sweeping views over the Bourne Valley.
Walk along the path for 550 metres – passing two redundant stiles on the way – to reach a very narrow piece of woodland that leads into a large sloping field. Continue on the rough and quite stony field margin to the right for 375 metres to another field where there is a TW waymark post.
Bear left for 325 metres along the field edge track still downhill to a narrow lane where there are a few awkward steps – including a couple of tree roots doubling up! The TW continues directly ahead through a gate into the field opposite. The BPW meanwhile diverts on a circuitous trajectory along the narrow lane to the right which incidentally is also part of NCR 246. The BPW does though reappear later on at St Mary Bourne.
Once inside the field walk close to the hedge and tree-lined boundary for 75 metres to another gate located in the hedge. Descend the grassy path alongside a hedge to a third gate, which opens on to a narrow enclosed path.
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