Planning your Clarendon Way walk

Published 21 August 2012. Last updated 11 October 2023

At 26 miles the Clarendon Way is the perfect size to do in a weekend, especially if you’re based in the south or south east of England. Running between the cathedral cities of Salisbury and Winchester, it takes you across a variety of countryside, from woodland to down-land, and gives you historical buildings to view too.

Going along good paths and with shorter distances, it’s an ideal walk for autumn or spring when the nights are drawing in, however it also has links with other long distance routes meaning it can be part of a longer trip.

In this guide

  1. What is the walk like?
  2. The Route
  3. Planning an itinerary
  4. Extending your walk
  5. Finding and booking accommodation
  6. Getting to/from the Clarendon Way
  7. Guide books and maps
  8. And finally, and any questions

What is the walk like?

Old and new Clarendon Way logos on an old fence post

With a cathedral city at each end, the Clarendon Way starts and ends in style. In-between you’ll find a mixture of farmland, woodland and downsland walking as well as the odd site of historical interest. You’re never too far from a small village, and there’s plenty of churches too.

As the walk approaches Winchester you will find yourself walking through a plethora of suburban streets, although there is the chance to see some of the interesting sites of the city.

The route is never difficult – it’s pretty flat and the paths are of a pretty good quality. It’s well waymarked and hard to get lost most of the time, however there are occassions when you will need to be able to read a map in order to find your way.

You can read about my own journey in the Clarendon Way section, or watch our video about the walk:

The Route

The Clarendon Way goes between Salisbury and Winchester, and you can see the route using the map above. Using the controls you can scroll around, zoom in and explore the route. Note that this map is a guide only, and should not be used for navigation.

You can also download the GPX file of the route.

Planning an Itinerary

Tree near Houghton

Due to its short length there aren’t many decisions to be made with the Clarendon Way. Basically it will take you two days (unless you’re a speed demon!) There aren’t that many places to stop overnight and you’re only decision is which city to start in, and there’s no right or wrong answer on that one.

Accommodation can be found in two different villages so two options are shown below. The itinerary is shown running west to east, however is easily reversed. Locations with a railway station are marked with a 🚂.

2 Day Itinerary
Day From To Distance
Miles Km
Option 1
1 Salisbury 🚂 Houghton 1 14½ 24
2 Houghton 1 Winchester 🚂 12½ 18
Option 2
1 Salisbury 🚂 Broughton 12 19
2 Broughton Winchester 🚂 14 21
  1. Alternative accommodation can be found in Broughton, two miles before Houghton. You can also stay in Stockbridge, 1½ miles north of the trail. The easiest way to get there is to follow the Test Way north from the Clarendon Way.

With simple navigation and good paths, the Clarendon Way is a great walk to do all year round.

Extending your walk

Autumn leaves

There are a couple of options for extending your walk.

The South Downs Way runs for 99 miles between Winchester and Eastbourne, however it is very easy to chunk up in to two day sections. See Planning a trip to walk the South Downs Way for more information. Not surprisingly, the Clarendon Way shares a lot of similarities with the South Downs Way, so they’re a good fit.

Alternatively, the St Swithuns Way connects Winchester with Farnham. At Farnham this then connects with the North Downs Way which runs to Dover. The combination of these two routes with the Clarendon Way effectively provide a safe, modern and road-free version of the Pilgrims Way.

Finding and booking accommodation

The White Hart, Stockbridge, Hampshire

Not being a very well known route, there’s no dedicated accommodation guide for the Clarendon Way, however accommodation can be found relatively easily. The main places where you’re likely to want to stay are listed below, along with information on how to find accommodation. All have facilities like shops and pubs.

  • Salisbury – a wide range of accommodation is available. Local tourist information website Visit Wiltshire includes a detailed list.
  • Broughton – options in or near the village are Yew Tree Barn, and Foords Barn.
  • Stockbridge – a mile and a half off route, Stockbridge has several inns, hotels and B&Bs. Visit Hampshire’s page on Stockbridge includes an accommodation guide. The village also has shops and cafes.
  • Winchester – a wide range of accommodation is available. Visit Winchester includes an accommodation search option.

Please note that the above list is not exhaustive and there may be other alternatives nearby.

Accommodation Booking Services and Baggage Transfer

As far as we know, no companies provide an accommodation booking service for the Clarendon Way. Nor are we aware of any companies that provide baggage transfer.

Hostels and Bunkbarns

Since the closure of YHA Salisbury in 2015, there are now no hostels or bunkbarns on the Clarendon Way.

Camping

If you’d like to walk the Clarendon Way and camp, you may want to change your mind. There are no convenient campsites on route and as the Clarendon Way passes through cultivated land and several villages, it is not particularly suitable for wild camping.

Getting to/from the Clarendon Way

Ladybird on rucksack

There are railway stations at both ends of the Clarendon Way and both stations are well served by trains to London and the South East. Services from Winchester also run direct to Birmingham and Manchester. From Salisbury services run to Bristol and Cardiff.

More information and train times can be found on the National Rail Enquiries website.

Guide Books and Maps

Giant mushrooms

Clarendon Way Walkers Route Mapby Nick Hill

There’s no guide book for the trail. The easiest thing to get hold of is a leaflet published by Hampshire County Council. This covers a (very) basic overview of the walk, along with some history and information. If you’d like a dedicated map, The Clarendon Way Walkers Map, at a 1:20,000 scale, and shows the area around the route.

The route is reasonably well waymarked in most places, however not always in the most obvious way. It is especially lacking in the few miles to Winchester. Taking a map is, therefore, highly recommended.

Alternatively, the following Ordnance Survey maps cover the Clarendon Way, and the trail is marked on them:

  • Landranger (1:50,000): 184, 185
  • Explorer (1:25,000): 130, 131, OL32

Note: in June 2015, OS Explorer OL32 replaced OS Explorer map 132.

And finally, and any questions

Entering the grounds of Winchester Cathedral

If you live in the south or south east of England, the Clarendon Way is a good choice for a two day walk, or maybe just as a quick, simple introduction to this long distance walking thing. The relatively short distance and good path conditions mean its especially ideal for autumn or spring walking, and maybe even for one winter.

It’s only downside is that some of the signage on the route isn’t brilliant, especially in Winchester which seems to go out of its way to be awkward for walkers (we found the South Downs Way signage in the city to be pretty bad too), but if you’ve got the maps you’ll have no trouble.

So what are you waiting for? Get those boots on and head to Salisbury or Winchester and get walking! And if you’ve any questions or would like some more information, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments box below.

We update our planning guides on a regular basis, and welcome reports of errors, clarifications and additions. If you have any, please email us using our contact form.

Comments

Ingolv Urnes

5 May 2013 at 8:51 pm

Thanks for a good website. Reg the Clarendon walk, it is worth mentioning that this is a perfect one day march for serious walkers. Leave your car in Winchester and take the train to Salisbury (ca 1.5 h as is via Southampton) and walk back. Stop for lunch in King Somborn (your are then a bit more than halfway!)

Ingolv

Andrew Bowden (Rambling Man editor)

7 May 2013 at 9:23 am

Absolutely. Although personally I prefer a more relaxed walk!

Kerry Darker

23 October 2013 at 4:26 pm

Hey andrew,
I run the tally ho in broughton, a lot of people stop here as we are a great half way point stop on the clarendon way walk, a number of people have stopped here and then felt misslead because your website didnt mention the 2 b&b’s in the village yew tree house and fords farm, plus west view stores is open in the village. It just means that people are stopping here but then have booked accommodation outside of the village and are not happy because they could have just stayed and relaxed after their long walk rather than upping and moving on. Broughton has lots of great facilities for walkers please could you update up your great site with these: tally ho food and drink pub, west view stores, yew tree b& b fords farm b&b

Andrew Bowden (Rambling Man editor)

25 October 2013 at 1:41 pm

Hi Kerry. The original guide was based on research for our own walk back in 2011. At that point we could only find the one B&B in Broughton, so I’m happy to hear there are more and have updated accordingly. Broughton was our preferred stopping point for our trip, but sadly we ended heading up to Stockbridge. Glad to hear the Tally Ho is open again – it was closed when we passed by.

Jayne Lobley

4 January 2014 at 3:03 pm

Hi,
Are there any guides that show the walk from East to West? If not, would you say it is simple enough to follow normal signage and have a map at hand? I am trying to arrange a walk for charity so it would be good to be able to give written directions to other people who may wish to join in but not used to reading maps.
The charity walk will be from Reigate to Dorset (over 4 weekends), so if you have any further advice on planning a walk please let me know – any advice gratefully received!!
Thanks
Jayne

Andrew Bowden (Rambling Man editor)

5 January 2014 at 10:46 am

Hi Jayne – there isn’t really any guide to the route, but it’s very easy to follow from signs and maps so you should be fine.

Michelle

23 October 2014 at 12:35 pm

We often get walkers saying they did not know there was somewhere to buy a snack or a drink on their trip . On the Cross, Winchester Road, Kings Somborne, SO206NY is Cross Stores. A local family run independent convenience store that offers a varied selection of items that might appeal.

Les Ruddick

17 February 2016 at 7:29 pm

Andrew, I like the site, comprehensive with lots of useful information but simple and clear; pity I saw it after I’d done most of the planning. Accommodation halfway is a problem; I got through to one of the Places in King’s Somborne but they no longer operate, the other doesn’t seem to work either as your info states. I found a B&B in Houghton in the end.
Was disappointed to find (in mid February) that neither pub in Middle Winterslow was open at lunchtime although the Greyhound at Broughton was; I should have telephoned to check, might be useful to include contact no’s on your site(?)

Les Ruddick

17 February 2016 at 7:33 pm

Forgot to mention that the kilometrage is incorrect…. 24/26 miles isn’t equivalent to 24 km (26 miles ~ 42km)

Andrew Bowden (Rambling Man editor)

18 February 2016 at 10:07 pm

Thanks Les – I’ve now corrected the km distance where I’d obviously transposed the 2 and the 4! It looks like Kings Somborne is no longer an option so I’ve removed that, but as it happens I have heard there’s now a B&B in nearby Houghton, giving another option.

Paul Mullins

19 March 2016 at 7:34 pm

Dear Andrew,
Many thanks for your great video, most enjoyable.
I am planning to do this at the end of May 2016, thinking of taking a train from Winchester first thing and walk back in a day, which has 12 hours of sunlight.
Do you think that is reasonable?
Do you have any recommendations as to which map to buy as a guide?
Best wishes,
Paul

Andrew Bowden (Rambling Man editor)

20 March 2016 at 5:11 pm

Paul – If you’ve the stamina and fitness levels to walk 26 miles in one day, then it is possible. Bit too much for most people though!

Luanne

22 March 2016 at 6:40 am

Thank you Andrew for all this great information!

R & S Broadway

1 April 2016 at 1:39 pm

We did this walk from Salisbury over 2 days over the Easter weekend and really enjoyed it, though we cut it a bit short at the Winchester end, as we live on the edge of the city anyway.
The signage isn’t brilliant on the Wiltshire side; we took a couple of unnecessary detours around the Winterslows. Better on the Hampshire side until you get to Crab Wood, where it disappears for a while and then. confusingly points you back the way you came…….
We can thoroughly recommend Yew Tree House in Broughton for an overnight stop.

Allison

10 April 2016 at 12:08 pm

My sister and I walked this in a day yesterday. The path markers kind of disappeared at West Winterslow church meaning we took a long circular detour here. Top tip go alongside the church then diagonally across the field to the gate which will put you back on track.
I would agree that this is better split over two days, although my sister and I used it as a training walk for a 100k charity challenge. It was quite tough going especially in the mud at times.
We stopped at the Tally ho in Broughton for lunch and had the most amazing cheese and pickle sandwiches.
Overall we had a great time and would recommend this walk to anyone.

Hester Lyons

7 June 2016 at 7:29 am

Hi, we walked this on Sunday as a fundraiser for the Naomi House Hospice and found that it was in fact 27.4 miles from cathedral to cathedral – measured on three separate devices! This is something to bear in mind if planning to do it in one day as we certainly felt it. Beautiful walk though and with it being an organised event we had no issues with the signage, but people that had walked it on their own still said they’d had the same ‘disappearing signs’ problems.

Lovely site :-).

James

30 July 2016 at 8:07 am

We have just completed this excellent walk from Winchester to Salisbury in two days, breaking at Houghton. The leg from Houghton to Salisbury makes an easy day’s walk of some 14 miles, but we agree with earlier posts that signage is poor in places…a lot worse than the first half. We can recommend The Silver Plough at Pitton as a very good lunch stop…but don’t leave it too late as it gets very busy, even on a weekday.

David Winson

14 September 2016 at 6:08 am

Good Day fellow Hikers

Reading the feedback and seems a lot of people are taking a detour or two due to the lack of signage on the Trail. Have the signs been updated recently on the Trail?

Hope to be walking the Trail at the end October with our Scout Group as part of the 1st Class Hike and can anyone tell me whether the lack of trail signs have been reported to the Rights of Way Team at Hampshire County Council at [email protected] or not?

Shelly

20 February 2017 at 11:27 pm

Hi, my friend and I are doing the Clarendon Way walk in June but want to do it in reverse I.e. Starting in Winchester and ending in Salisbury. Do you know if the signs are clear both ways? Also, we think we will walk to Broughton on day 1 and wondered if there are any recommendations for accommodation roughly half way and not too far rom the pub or eatery?

Rupert Broadway

21 February 2017 at 9:33 pm

We’d recommend the Yew Tree at Broughton for your overnight stay. Very comfortable and just over the road from the pub. It’s a lovely walk – good luck.

Philip and Janet Mutton

22 May 2017 at 6:19 pm

Hi, My wife and I run Yew Tree House in Broughton and have done so for many years welcoming hundreds of walkers. We are the only B&B left in Broughton now, more or less half way along the walk. The Mill Arms is miles off the route in Dunbridge and Yew Tree Barns is in Houghton.
There are now two food options in Broughton, the Tally Ho offering good pub food and The Greyhound which is a Thai restaurant as well as being open all day for drinking

Mandy Price

5 August 2017 at 7:59 am

Are there any pubs to stop for lunch midway on either or both days? We’re staying overnight in Broughton.

Andrew Bowden (Rambling Man editor)

7 August 2017 at 12:46 pm

Mandy – there are a couple of pubs between Winchester and Broughton. But not much on the section to Winchester that I remember.

Bill Hodgkiss

15 August 2017 at 9:46 am

Have done this walk several times, in both directions, it being very accessible from London train stations. A return ticket to Salisbury seems to be acceptable at Wincehester! I agree with the figure above of 27.4 miles, having measured: Salisbury 8.0m. M. Winterton 4.2m. Boughton 4.1m. Kings Sombourne 11.1m. Winchester. It is also about 2 miles detour to Stockbridge up the Test Way for accommodation if required.
Going is easy with firm surfaces and only the occasional muddy bit in wet weather.
Signage is pretty good either direction. Having completed Winchester to Salisbury at the weekend, I took a wrong turn once, west of Broughton at a fork by a reservoir (underground?) where there was no sign.
The best way? Possibly from east to west as the part in Winchester suburbia is a bit tedious so that gets done first.

Jim Littlewood

19 January 2018 at 5:27 pm

I am an experienced walker having completed 9 different variations of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, Portugal and France. My reason for posting is to gain information that will add to my planning capabilities for a walk I am planning to take. I do not have a time frame yet. Here is the concept…

My initial thoughts were to travel from Winchester Cathedral to Canterbury Via the Pilgrims Way/North Downs Way. On Scanning a map of England I learned that Salisbury could be added with a minimum of added time. So now Salisbury to Winchester to Canterbury. Once I reach Canterbury my plan is to forge on to Dover and return to Winchester via the South Downs Route.

I am compiling lists of “must see” sights and am willing to go slightly off trail to visit significant historical/cultural sites. I also enjoy agricultural markets and local fairs.

I have a particular interest in visiting Guildford for an extra day. My great grandmother was sent to Canada from the Workhouse there and I must scratch the genealogical itch. (My family also has origins in Tunbridge Wells).

Should there be any information anyone cares to share I would be appreciative to receive it.

Thank you from a very frigid Ottawa Canada

Paul Mullins

21 January 2018 at 9:19 pm

Dear Jim,
I walked from Salisbury to Winchester (1 day) stayed at the Wykeham Arms Winchester (easy to find via websearch) to Alton (1 day) to Guildford (1 day) in May 2016. Although I had a one day break in Winchester I walked the distance too quickly, suggest 4 to 5 days for that stretch.
Salisbury and Winchester themselves are well worth at least a day, as one walks East the population density/noise increases, and Guildford is busy. There is plenty to see on the way, a useful website, you may have seen https://www.walkandcycle.co.uk/footstepsofpilgrimswalkingholiday
I am sure you will enjoy that initial stretch. Best wishes.

andrew searley

2 February 2018 at 10:51 am

hello,there was a book issued in the eighties that described both test way and clarendon way that can still be bought on amazon even though out of print!

Maria Hutchings

23 April 2018 at 9:55 pm

Hello

I am walking the Clarendon Way this coming Saturday. I wondered if you can remember if there is anywhere we might fill up water bottles on route. We weren’t planning on stopping too long therefore not planning on cafe or pub stops. Thanks for your help.

Andrew Bowden (Rambling Man editor)

24 April 2018 at 9:11 am

Hello Maria – I don’t remember there being anywhere en-route I’m afraid.

Susan Findlay

30 April 2018 at 8:36 am

Hi
We have just done this walk this weekend. Started at our house in Salisbury, stopped overnight in Stockbridge and then onto Winchester the following day. 31 miles altogether. Stunning scenery and route is well marked. Had a coffee at the silver plough at Pitton. Opens at 11.00. Stop at Broughton for a drink and the shop in Kings Somborne sells coffee so there are a couple of refreshments stops available.
Route is still quite muddy in places but we thoroughly enjoyed the walk.

Maria

30 April 2018 at 10:29 am

I walked the Clarendon Way with a few friends on Saturday. My G PS recorded the route as 28 miles. Could buy water in Broughton and King Somborne but actually didn’t need to as this miserable weather persists (cloudy and cold but no rain), and carried enough. we didn’t get lost with the help of OS maps and waymarkers.

Simon Pitt

28 May 2018 at 10:43 pm

Hi fellow walkers.

Just walked the Clarendon Way this Bank Holiday in, thankfully, slightly cooler weather compared to recent weekends. Overall a pretty enjoyable day, though I do agree with an earlier post that the signage around the Winterslows is not the best and resulted in me taking a couple of detours as well. I found that in order to undertake the walk in one day however, you’re looking at about 10.5 hours ( including a couple of breaks ) so any future walkers thinking of doing this route should bear this in mind as it would commit you to a full day. I do agree that doing it over two days is a more sensible option and, if you can, try to avoid doing it at the height of the summer heat as there are sections where shade is limited and you may be vulnerable to sun exposure which may tire you more quickly. Take lots of liquids just in case and also consider wearing a hat. Best wishes.

Catherine

10 July 2018 at 7:05 pm

If you want to join an organised walk of the Clarendon Way, Naomi House/Jacksplace run it as a sponsored walk in June. For this event it is amazingly signposted and there are water stops and portaloos en route. There is a bus at the end to return you to your car. The reception at Salisbury was amazing with deck chairs, a brass band, ice creams, slippers and a medal. Worth getting involved and a good cause. Naomi House and Jacksplace is a hospice for children and young adults near Winchester. https://www.naomihouse.org.uk/news/clarendon-way-walk-2018

Mitch H

28 October 2018 at 3:53 pm

We walked the Way west to east in September of 2018. We stayed overnight at Honeysuckle B&B in Houghton with an evening meal at The Boot Inn. Both highly recommended! Sarah, our host at Honeysuckle B&B couldn’t have been more friendly and was happy to provide an early breakfast to send us on our way on Sunday. Arrived in Winchester in time for Sunday lunch at The Old Vine, right by the cathedral. Perfect way to spend a weekend.

Jackie Blackwell

22 February 2019 at 3:11 pm

We are a group of 6 ladies (70 yr) from the US. we want to travel to the UK and take a 3 day walk on one of your lovely paths. We would like to walk The Clarendon Way if there is a way to break it into a 3 day walk, instead of a 2 day walk.
Are there any possible places to stay that would allow for 7-8 miles of walking each day?
Thank you very much for any suggestions.

Andrew Bowden (Rambling Man editor)

24 February 2019 at 8:37 pm

Hello Jackie – you could walk from Salisbury to Middle Winterslow in about eight miles. Then maybe nine miles or so to Kings Somborne. You may need buses or taxis to get to accommodation though.

Joe

29 June 2019 at 10:05 pm

Hi, great website! The Clarendon Way is very easy on the eye, I was pleasantly surprised! I walked from Farley Mount to Salisbury along the Way today, the hottest day of the year so far, and found it fairly challenging and would therefore agree that its definitely better split over 2 days. As previously mentioned, the way-marking is poor in Wiltshire and consequently a map (physical or otherwise) is essential – i ended up taking a couple of wrong turns. Additionally, the path was fairly overgrown in places and to be honest wearing shorts I was slightly apprehensive with regards to ticks – worth bearing in mind. Overall, I would have to say going east to west the scenery improves as you go in my opinion; a lovely walk. The site was useful in planning the walk, as again their isn’t a whole lot of information available on the path online – many thanks!

Paul Stephenson

30 June 2019 at 11:58 am

Hi Andrew,
Just completed the walk (Friday & Saturday). Very hot yesterday but glorious views. Walked West to East. Stayed overnight at Three Cups in Stockbridge. Very comfortable, especially after the first day (we are a couple of lapsed walkers!).
Just wanted to give a big plug to a new farm shop & café (Beechwood?) Which is on the route as you pass by Crab Wood. Cold drinks were a life saver!
Paul & Jane

Susannah Wight

5 August 2019 at 11:21 am

Be warned that the signposting on this route (starting from Salisbury) is very poor anywhere complicated, as in when one reaches villages. Even with the aid of the OS map you are likely to waste a lot of time finding the right track. It would be great if someone who knows the correct path could write up some directions for how to find the right routes out of the villages.

Jonathan

23 October 2019 at 6:49 pm

Just completed the entire route from Winchester to Salisbury – very enjoyable! (And I’m now completely shattered).
Thank you Andrew for the resources on this website, was a great tool in planning ahead

Dempo

26 October 2019 at 11:52 am

Just listening to Tracey Chevalier on radio 2, she mentioned the Clarendon Way features in her new book, so this route could become more popular!

Sam Spalding

22 November 2020 at 1:06 pm

We live in Winchester and caught the train to Salisbury. We did the walk in one day, the final hours in the dark. We found that it was very poorly signposted in areas which lead us to take wrong turns, however my husband served in the army for 37 years so his map reading skills were useful! We stopped and had a bite to eat as it’s during lockdown so.no pubs open! I have to say I struggled for some of it as I think I pulled a muscle early on in to the walk, and I’m quite a fit 50 year old that walks a lot and can generally run an easy 5k but we did it in 9 hours. I too wasn’t that Impressed by the views, we’ve seen better just doing walks around Winchester. I’d say if you’re not used to walking then definitely do it over two days to enjoy it more. Someone told me Salisbury to Winchester is the harder way due to the hills, but without walking back the other way (isn’t happening) then I wouldn’t know! Seeing my house was amazing, however trying to get up the stairs wasn’t a pleasant experience. For the people who run it all I can say is you’re better than me, and mad!

Hugh Merry

30 April 2021 at 10:42 am

Four of us having done the South Downs Way in just over 2 1/2 years are starting our Clarendon Way journey tomorrow, gently doing Salisbury to Middle Winterslow. We hope to finish this year.

Paul Taylor

23 October 2021 at 3:08 pm

I have run from Winchester to Dover via Rochester and Canterbury along the St Swithun’s, North Downs & Pilgrims Way; and back to Winchester via the Saxon Shore Way, 1066 Way, and South Downs Way. I have just completed the Serpent’s Way too. I am running the Clarendon Way on Monday as it looks dry and warmish. Almost all of my marathon distance runs have been about four and a half hours. I average about 8-9km an hour on hills and trails. I am up to about 600km and counting. I am hoping to then go from Salisbury to Christchurch before end of November and so be in a position to start the South Coast Way next year.

I do look at all of your reports and read the comments/info/tips as much as can be applied to trail and ultra runners too. Keep up the good walk.

John

25 September 2022 at 10:01 pm

I had the pleasure of walking the Clarendon Way this September, with an overnight stay at a comfortable and conveniently located Airbnb in King’s Somborne. I found the route easy to moderate, with particularly rewarding vistas from Farley Mount and All Saint’s Church in Winsterslow. I traveled east to west, and my first sighting of the Salisbury Cathedral spire in the distance was breathtaking. I would agree with others that the route could be better waymarked, especially in those spots where the path splits and no blaze points the way. Other than that, though, it is a beautiful, varied, rewarding walk.

Mark Cole

19 October 2022 at 10:47 am

Hi. I walked the trail yesterday, great weather for mid October. I caught the bus from home in Salisbury and walked back. Walkers need to be aware of a couple of places where the street markers disappear and you look at the map and see the trail was on an altogether different path. I don’t know if the route has changed and no one took the old signs down? 1. Winchester – junction of Compton Way and South View Road. Street markers show Compton Road through to Badger Farm underpass, and then disappear. OS maps shows turn left from Compton Road into South View Road 2. Broughton Down – the markers take you along the edge of Broughton Down to a gate with a marker pointing back east, and then OS maps show the path went a different way.
Anyway, a good day out. Measured at 28 miles and 8 hours 10 minutes.

Alison

4 September 2023 at 3:07 pm

Hi. Thank you for this great website.
I was wondering who decides the route of the Clarendon Way. I notice that the route you have here is the same as the one in Nick Hill’s map but different from the one on the Hants government website, the LDWA website and the OS map. I trust you & Nick Hill more, especially as Nick Hill does mark the “old route” and my friend was shouted at when she walked across the golf course on the “old route” approaching Winchester.
I tried google but I got no information. Do you know how to keep up to date with the Clarendon Way route?
Many thanks.

Alison

10 September 2023 at 3:37 pm

We have just finished this walk going from Winchester to Salisbury. We stayed overnight at Broughton in an AirBNB that we liked very much and we had a meal that we enjoyed very much at the Greyhound.
We found the waymarking poor, especially in built up areas. I would not rely on waymarks – they gave occasional reassurance rather than directions.
We used the Nick Hill map (see above) and this was great. There are several variants of the Clarendon Way: “old route”, “new route”, “runners route”. It is important to take the “new route” close to Winchester as the permissive paths on the “old route” are permissive no more. The Nick Hill map is invaluable for showing you what’s what.
It was a very enjoyable walk, we had a great time.

Andy Bravery

22 November 2023 at 1:52 pm

Hi. Great website – love it!
We just completed the Clarendon Way from Salisbury to Winchester over 2 days.
Sorry to say that the reported waymarking issues are still a problem, and there is a major discrepancy between what is on the latest OS Map for the section from Crab Wood to Olivers Battery, and what is waymarked on the ground. We followed the OS Map route, which skirts round to Pitt and over South Winchester Golf course but it looks like the waymarks still mark the old route.
On the other hand, there are a number of places where the OS Map route appears to follow roads for lengthy periods when actually there are some well walked footpaths just to the side or over the hedge which are far more pleasant – again the waymarks do little to help with this.
Having said all that, this is a very enjoyable hike which I strongly recommend.
Also worth noting that there is a rather irregular bus service between Winchester and Salisbury, through Stockbridge which is a little quicker and much cheaper than the train option.

David

27 March 2024 at 12:23 pm

Are there many fields with cows on walk.

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