A quick update to report on the beautiful ‘Hangers Way’ in Hampshire which caught us unawares at the weekend. This 21 mile waymarked footpath starts at Alton railway station and finishes at Queen Elizabeth Country Park. On the way it winds through some stunning countryside, including secluded downland valleys and steep-sided, beech-covered slopes ‘the hangers’.  Visiting friends near Selbourne, we brought our rucksacks to take advantage of the hills in advance of our GR11 trip in 2.5 months time. Scanning the OS map for likely routes, the Hangers Way jumped off the sheet and we chose a section between Noah Hill and Petersfield to give the legs a good work-out!

Oscar in the back with the packs, ever ready for walk.

There was some superb walking through airy spring beech forests, the ground awash with wild garlic..and the air heady with it too.The route is well waymarked and easy to follow. We were impressed by the quality of the walk as traversed valleys, woodlands and steep scarp slopes.

A minutes after this photo we heard our first cuckoo of the spring. The woodlands were alive with birdsong, later in the season the chalk downland will be fantastic for flowers and butterflies.

Descending from the beautiful beech woodlands of Ashford Hangers National Nature Reserve towards Petersfield, the South Downs stretch east across the skyline, and for the first time the route’s end at Queen Elizabeth Country Park comes into view. The hills, although short, were steep and challenging, just what we were looking for to find our Pyrenean legs, and coupled with the quiet woodlands and expansive views, we could not have asked for more. Ideal for leisurely 2 day walk we plan to return one day to complete the whole thing. Highly recommended!