Pepperbox Hill
5.8 miles
1.
Start at the National Trust Pepperbox Hill car park off the A36. Go through the gate towards the tower. There is an information board explaining its significance. Continue along the path, following the brow of the hill, taking in the magnificent view across the valley towards Salisbury, until you reach the track.
2.
Follow the lane along the top of the hill, through the woods then out onto the road. Take the footpath on left down the hill across a field, usually containing horses. Take the gate on the other side of the field into the woods and keep heading down hill.
3.
As you zig-zag down the hill, you approach a farm. Just before you reach the farmyard, the right of way turns left down a track. At the time of exploring, there was no footpath sign.
As you meet the road, there are piles of recycling bales.
4.
Take the footpath on the opposite side of the road. When you reach the field with a clump of trees in the middle, the right of way crosses the field diagonally, skimming the edge of the trees. When we walked this, the route took us straight through a crop of barley. You may prefer to take the farmer's preferred route round the bottom edge of the field.
5.
At the end of this stretch, go under the railway and continue until you reach the road.
6.
Cross the road and walk along the concrete road to the Southern Water depot. Take the footpath on the left through a kissing gate into meadows. Continue through the fields until you reach a house.
7.
Cross the stile and take the narrow path next to the house onto the road. Turn left and follow the road to the church.
Turning right takes you into the village of East Gimstead.
8.
Continue straight on past the church, up over the railway line and onto the restricted byeway.
9.
This long straight track takes you across a number of fields with good views of the hill you started on.
10.
Turn right onto the road until your reach two tracks on the left. Take the right hand of the two tracks. This will give you a gentle, steady climb back to your starting point.
