Hampshire

Stockbridge Down wildlife and history walk

Explore this isolated island of characteristic chalk downland in Hampshire and discover a wealth of history, including burial mounds, ancient field systems and an Iron Age hillfort. You will also find a wide array of fascinating flora and fauna, as well as far-reaching views over the Test Valley towards Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.

Near to

Stockbridge Down

Start point

Stockbridge Down car park, grid ref: SU375346

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 1.5 (km: 2.4)

Duration 30 mins to 1 hour

Dog friendly***

*Paths are mainly grass with some steep inclines. For further details, please see terrain section.
**Short and easygoing route; some rough ground but this can be avoided. For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Dogs welcome. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Parking

This walk can experience high visitor numbers, and parking is limited. Please park responsibly, and if the area is too busy on your arrival please come back another time.

Total stages: 5
Total stages: 5
Start point
Stockbridge Down car park, grid ref: SU375346
Stage 1
Leave the car park, cross the road and enter the site through a gate. Walk to the top of the hill straight ahead.
Bronze Age tumuli and hornet robber fly
The small circular fence in front of you is one of 13 tumuli (burial mounds) found on the site. Each of them is historically and culturally important and is designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. They date from the Bronze Age some 4,000 years ago. Look out also for the rare hornet robber fly, one of the many insects that you may encounter on your walk on the Down. It gets its name because of its black and gold colouration and size, which make it look like a hornet.
Stage 2
Proceed over the hill and walk to the next adjacent hill. You will come to a bench to your left with sweeping views to the north.
Rosalind Hill memorial bench
Stockbridge Down offers spectacular views over Hampshire, especially from the Rosalind Hill memorial bench which looks north towards Andover in Hampshire and Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. Rosalind Hill donated Stockbridge Down to the National Trust in 1947. The site is now managed in conjunction with the Court Leet (a commoners court) and conservation bodies such as Natural England, to ensure the protection of its wildlife.
Stage 3
Proceed right from the bench along the fence line. Continue straight along the path until the area opens out to expose the hillfort and ramparts, with a fence at the top of the hill.
Woolbury Ring and juniper trees
Woolbury Ring is an Iron Age hillfort, with hand-dug ramparts thought to be more than 3,000 years old. At 518ft (158m) above sea level the ring is the highest point on the Down. The ring was used in the Second World War as a lookout post for enemy aircraft. Today the ramparts host a wealth of flora and fauna including some of the 30 species of butterflies that live on the Down. There are also 260 individual juniper trees on the Down which have been logged and mapped though GPS systems by volunteers.
Stage 4
From the hillfort proceed straight downhill through several blocks of scrub (you should be able to see the other car park on your left).
Stage 5
Follow the path round to the right and back up the hill, through the scrubby areas back out to the open down (this path runs parallel with the road). After a while you should see the car park on your left.
The Gallops
You have now walked across the area of Stockbridge Down known as The Gallops. These were the three main raceways for training horses for the Danebury Racetrack. During the Second World War much of the area was ploughed to provide crops for the nearby military hospital. Today the area is one of the richest sites on the Down for butterflies, with species such as meadow brown and marbled whites found in their hundreds.
End point
Stockbridge Down car park, grid ref: SU375346
Trail map
Stockbridge Down wildlife walk, Hampshire | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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