Test Way

Test Way
File:Combe Gibbet views - east.jpg The Test Way near Combe Gibbet, Berkshire
Length	44 mi (71 km)
Location	Hampshire, England
Trailheads	Inkpen Hill in West Berkshire Eling in Hampshire
Use	Hiking
Season	All year
Waymark	File:Test Way Waymarker.jpg
Website	Official website
Trail map
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The Test Way is a 44-mile (71 km) long-distance footpath in England from Walbury Hill in West Berkshire to Eling in Hampshire, which follows much of the course of the River Test.

The northern end of the footpath starts in the car park on Walbury Hill. It passes through the towns of Romsey and Totton and the villages of Linkenholt, Ibthorpe, Hurstbourne Tarrant, St Mary Bourne, Longparish, Forton, Wherwell, Chilbolton, Stockbridge, Horsebridge and Mottisfont. The southern end of the footpath is at Eling Quay.

The trail also passes alongside Horsebridge railway station. Much of the route between Kimbridge and Chilbolton follows the route of the former Andover and Redbridge Railway.

The entire route is waymarked by metal and plastic disks found attached to wooden and metal posts, trees and street furniture. There are several wooden 'finger' signs along the route that count down the number of miles along the footpath in both directions.

This route is shown as a series of green diamonds on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps and as a series of red diamonds on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps

File:Test Way sign.jpg

The Test Way.

Places of interest

The following places of interest and hills can be found along the length of the Test Way, listed from Walbury Hill:

• Combe Gibbet
• Ham Hill
• Hart Hill Down
• Wallop Hill Down
• Mottisfont Abbey
• Roke Manor
• Lower Test nature reserve

The route

These maps show the footpath in relation to nearby major roads. Maps are not on the same scale.

File:Test Way Map Section 1.png Walbury Hill to Hurstbourne Tarrant

File:Test Way Map Section 2.png Hurstbourne Tarrant to Longparish

File:Test Way Map Section 3.png Longparish to Stockbridge

File:Test Way Map Section 4.png Stockbridge to Kimbridge

File:Test Way Map Section 5.png Kimbridge to Eling

See also

• Long-distance footpaths in the UK
• North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• Test Way Tales (blog about walking The Test Way)

External links

• Hampshire County Council
• Walking on the Web
• Ramblers Association