The walk starts at the Otter Pub. (postcode : SO21 2HW)
(S/E) From the Otther pub , walk West on Boyatt Lane. At the next intersection turn left (South-West) on the dead-end street. At the end of the street, take the footpath with Yellow dot nursery on your left-hand side. When you reach the main road (Otterbourne Hill), walk parallel to it South.
(1) You will see a narrow gap in the hedge just before you descend to the pedestrian tunnel. This footpath takes you past the sheltered housing and into the woods. Follow the main path South, then South-East, cross a stream over a footbridge to arrive on Boyatt lane.
(2) Turn right down the lane to go through the pedestrian tunnel under A332 illustrated with Trains old and new. Just after the tunnel take the left (South-East) footpath and follow this to Allbrook. On the way always keep your left South East up to Knowle Hill at Westfield House entrance. Walk left (South East) on Knowle Hill down to a roundabout at the junction with A335.
Take the 3rd exit straight South on A335 and follow the road South under the powerlines to join the footpath on the right (West) for a quiet walk around the houses. (or simply follow the road past the Hut Pub and turn left to join the Itchen Navigation.) The footpath turns to keep South, past the end of Rookwood Close and carries straight on to an open field.
(3) At a paved junction to the corner of the field, turn South-East on the path going behind houses to reach Chatsworth Road). Walk a few steps on this road then carry straight on before it curves right, behind the houses in front of you.
Follow this path in between houses to road A335. Go straight across the road with care past Travelodge car park on your left hand and enter the woodland. You are now following The Itchen Wy. Cross the bridge and just after turn right (South-East). Follow the riverside with the water on your right, under a railway bridge. When you see a footbridge on your right, cross the stream and carry on the riverside South-East, with the water now on your left-hand and follow it until you have Bishopstoke Recreation Ground on your right and meet Bishopestoke Road (B3037).
(4) Turn left (East) across the bridge and follow B3037 as it curves right. Just pass the Toby Carvery Pub on your right, look for the footpath on the right (South-East), crossing this road carefully. River Itchen will be on your right and an open field in front of you. Follow this path South-East.
(5) Cross the field and stay left rather than follow the more defined track which runs alongside the river.
(6) Head for the woods and find the wooden bridge that takes you in there. Walk South-East-East until you emerge onto the road (West Horton Lane). Turn right along the lane towards Tip Top Bodyworks and look for the footpath on your left (East) through a steep paddock. Carry on walking East until you reach a gate to a gravel road.
There, turn left (North-East) between fields. Aim for the houses. Follow the tarmacked path right behind the houses until a footpath sign to the left guides you North inside the woods. Walk North with the houses on your left until you reach Haigh Road.
(7) Follow this road North to the T junction with Fair Oak Road. To the right of the bus stop sign, seek for the footpath sign going (North) between houses.
Walk along this footpath to reach Beaver Drive where you turn left. Walk on Beaver Drive until you reach the junction with Itchen Avenue. Walk right to the junction with Hunters Way where you turn right (North). As the road curves right, keep straight in between houses and follow this footpath to B3037. Cross the road with care to enter Stoke Park Woods in front of you.
(8) Head North on the chalky track which heads North-North-West into the woods. At the crossway of the paths head right due East then North-East for the bridleway exiting the woods to the North.
(9) Walk between fields where the views are the best on the whole outing. At the T junction of bridleways, turn (North-West) and head downhill to Stocke Park Farm.
(10) Keep right past the farm and take the Bridleway to the left (North-West). Follow this footpath to a junction where you turn right then after a few steps left (North-West). Follow this path to the road (Bishopstoke Lane).
(11) Turn right on the road (North) until you see a fingerpost footpath on the left. Take this footpath (West) across the field towards the houses at Lordswood road.
(12) Past houses, continue on the tarmac then seek left on the footpath into the woods (North-West). Right once you emerge from the woods, turn right (North-East) on a footpath that goes past a horse paddock out on Wardle Road.
(13) Turn left on Wardle road for a few steps then turn right past a wooden stile (Slow sign) on the first footpath. Cross two fields North-West) until you reach B335. Cross the road with care and take the footpath opposite keeping (North-West). Cross the field diagonally towards the trees at the left corner of some houses. Past this belt of trees, you cross another field North-East to reach Klin Lane. Turn left on Kiln Lane and follow it as it curves past the river and under the railway line.
(14) When you reach a junction of roads with a tree in the middle look left (towards Manor Farm Cottage) next to the gate for the stile to get to the field. Cross the field South-West towards the woods. Enter Otterbourne Park Wood and look at the map. Keep South-West into the woodland towards a wooden gate to reach Park Lane.
(15) Turn right on Park Lane and follow this road. At the junction, go onto the narrow road straight ahead (Boyatt Lane). Go past the thatched house then you arrive at the apex of a bend in the road; go straight on to the Otter pub for a pint! (S/E)
