Walks near Andover by train

Beginner-friendly: No coast or river to follow, but pretty straightforward long lines nonetheless, and Watt’s Chapel provides a lovely reward for reaching the midpoint of the circuit. The lunch stop is a simple café in the vicinity of Watt’s Chapel, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.

Watts Chapel: Beautiful Arts and Crafts creation of Mary Watts (1h45 in).

Watts Gallery (1h45 in)

St Catherine's Chapel Ruins (30 mins in)

1 lunch spot: Watts Gallery café (1h45 in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Withies Inn, Ye Olde Ship Inn, the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Similar walk: Walking Post (inc. GPX).

Highly recommended

Old Sarum Ruins (1h in)

Stonehenge (4h30 in)

Stonehenge Landscape: A World Heritage Site famous for its ancient ceremonial landscape of great archaeological interest, set in over 800 hectares of chalk grassland (National Trust; 4h30 in).

1 lunch spot: the Bridge Inn (2h30 in; excellent)

Warnings: Have lunch a café or pub next to the river. Return from Stonehenge to Salisbury by bus (very frequent & reliable but check times).

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Highly recommended: Little known but quietly wonderful. Beautiful rather than spectacular, in a humble village pathways sort of manner. Mostly secluded.

Ruins of Calleva Atrebatum: once a thriving Romano-British city that survived into the Saxon period. Now ghostly ruins. Includes an evocative full circuit of city walls, and what's left of a 7,000-capacity gladiatorial arena (1h15 in).

St Mary the Virgin Church: charming medieval church on the site of a Roman temple (2h15 in).

1 lunch spot: the Calleva Arms (1h45 in; excellent)

1 end-of-walk reward: the Bramley Inn

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Similar walk: Reading to Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership.

Highly recommended: River valley, forest tracks, sandy bridleways, open parkland, country houses and wooded valleys.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Mother Ludlam's Cave: Sandstone cave associated with local folklore (1h30 in).

Godalming: attractive market town (5h45 in).

1 lunch spot: the Barley Mow, Tilford Green (2h15 in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Cyder House Inn, the Rose and Crown, the Richmond Arms, the Fox & Finch, or the Star

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Fields, wooded valley, pine woods, heathland common, stud farms and canal and riverside path into a historic town.

Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.

Abinger Roughs and Netley Park: Hidden woods with ancient trees and flower-sprinkled grasslands, just off the North Downs and Pilgrims Ways (National Trust).

Shere (30 mins in)

4 lunch spots: Shere (30 mins in) — the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), Hillys Tea Shop, or the William Bray; plus the William IV (1h in)

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club, Surrey Hills National Landscape and Blackwater Valley Nature Walks.

Linear countryside walk on bridleways and country lanes through woodland and an arboretum, finishing along the Wey Navigation towpath.

Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.

Hydon's Ball and Heath: Memorial to Octavia Hill overlooking the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (National Trust; 1h15 in).

Winkworth Arboretum: National Trust arboretum with over 1,000 species of trees and shrubs, noted for autumn colour (National Trust; 1h45 in; 2h to visit).

Busbridge Lakes: Ornamental lake gardens with rare waterfowl.

Hydon's Ball: Hilltop viewpoint with an Octavia Hill memorial and views toward the South Downs.

Wey and Godalming Navigations: Historic navigable waterway opened in 1653, now owned by the National Trust.

Phillips Memorial Park and Cloister: Riverside park with a cloister commemorating Titanic radio operator Jack Phillips.

Godalming: attractive market town.

4 lunch spots: Godalming — the Rose and Crown, or the Star; plus Winkworth Arboretum café (1h45 in), or Winkworth Arboretum Tea Room (National Trust café serving hot drinks, sandwiches and snacks, with mostly outdoor seating)

Warnings: A new housing estate at Tuesley has been built over the footpath with no signage; walkers can cross the estate to reach the road. Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Walking Post (inc. GPX).

Open fields, holloways, mixed woodland, old churches, riverside path along the River Wey, and historic market town. Quiet and isolated.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Watts Chapel: Beautiful Arts and Crafts creation of Mary Watts (1h30 in).

Godalming: attractive market town (3h15 in).

2 lunch spots: the Tea Shop (1h15 in), or the Withies Inn (1h45 in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Star, Godalming Delights (great ice cream), the Fox & Finch, or the Richmond Arms

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Coastal country park, stony beach, light woodland, mudflats, riverside causeway with marinas, open farmland and village lanes.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

3 lunch spots: the Harpers Steakhouse (2h45 in), Little Canton (2h45 in), or the Jolly Sailor (3h in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: Manor Farm Café, the Dolphin, the Brewery Bar, or the Railway

Warnings: Check tide timings.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

The Vyne: Explore a former Tudor powerhouse turned 17th-century family home, set in gardens, woodlands and wetlands (National Trust; 2h15 in; 3h to visit).

2 lunch spots: the Bramley Inn, or the Vyne tearoom (2h15 in)

Source: Trains2Green.

Winkworth Arboretum: National Trust arboretum with over 1,000 species of trees and shrubs, noted for autumn colour (National Trust; 1h45 in; 2h to visit).

1 lunch spot: Winkworth Arboretum café (1h45 in)

Source: Trains2Green.

Long, mostly flat circular: the Calleva Atrebatum Roman amphitheatre and walls, Pamber Forest Reserve and farmland around Mortimer, Silchester and Bramley.

Ruins of Calleva Atrebatum: once a thriving Romano-British city that survived into the Saxon period. Now ghostly ruins. Includes an evocative full circuit of city walls, and what's left of a 7,000-capacity gladiatorial arena.

Calleva Atrebatum: The remains of the Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum, with substantial surviving flint walls and an amphitheatre.

Walk details: Reading to Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership (turn-by-turn directions).

Gentle farmland, clear stream, Roman earthworks and walls, Scots pine woods, gorse and birch commons and river weirs.

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).