Alton Circular Via Jane Austen's House Museum

Start: Alton Train Station, Station Road, Alton, Hampshire, (GU34 2PZ) Grid. Ref. SU 7227 3970

(S) We start our walk at Alton train station. When you come out of the station, take right (North East) onto Station Road and then left (North West) when the road bends to the left. You walk in front of the Waitrose on your way up the road. Follow the road until you reach the end.

(1) You arrive at the crossroads with Anstey Road. Turn left (South West) onto Anstey Road. Stay on this road for 1.54 Km. As you walk alongside the road, you notice the change of names in the following order : after walking 70 m on Anstey Road, it becomes Normandy Street. Continue straight (South West). Walk another 240 m and you arrive at a roundabout.

(2) Continue straight (South West) on Normandy Street. After the junction with Church Street 160 m further, the street becomes High Street. Continue straight (South West) on High Street for 1.05 Km until the road splits in half with a green in the middle.

(3) Take the street on the right (South West) of the green called the Butts (yes it is the actual name) going alongside the houses. At the end of the green, you arrive at A339 (Whitedown Lane). Cross over A339 (Whitedown Lane) using the designated zebra crossing a little bit further up A339 on the right (North West). Once on the other side, turn left (South East) to get to Chawton Park Road. Walk on Chawton Park Road for 730 m.

(4) You arrive at the entrance of a car park on your left indicated Alton Sports Centre and Alton Tennis Club. Enter the car park on your left (South East) and take a left (East) on Gurdons Road. You then see a red barn on your right. Walk towards the red barn and just before the barn entrance gate, on your left you find the entrance of a footpath called Mounters Lane. Take this footpath.

You arrive at a tunnel going under the rail tracks. Walk across the tunnel. On the other side, continue on the footpath heading North-East. Then the footpath bends to the right (South-East). Follow the footpath until you arrive at a residential area. The footpath then becomes a paved road. Continue for a further 100 m.

(5) You find on your right-hand side a path going down to a tunnel under the A31 (Alton Bypass). Take this path and walk across the tunnel. On the other side, follow Winchester Road heading South-West for 390 m until you arrive at Jane Austen's House. The house formerly inhabited by the British novelist and now a museum is on the right (North West) of the road.

Option 1: Visit Jane Austen's House Museum
Option 2: After the visit, continue on Winchester Road and a little bit further down you arrive at Chawton House and Library where Jane Austen's brother used to live. The house is open for the public to visit

(6) Once the visit is over, retrace your steps back to the tunnel at the end of Winchester Road. (5) Once on the other side of the tunnel, take right (North-East) onto Winchester Road. Don't take the left as you will walk back the same way you came.

After 350 m, turn right (East) and you arrive at a roundabout, Take a left (North-West) at the roundabout on A339 and then you arrive at another roundabout. Cross A339 to the other side using the designated pedestrian crossings. Go left (North-West) and you can see on the other side of the roundabout two roads, one larger than the other going under a bridge. Take the smaller road on your right (North-East) called Butts Road. Walk in the tunnel under the bridge and on the other side you are back to the green mentioned on waypoint (3)

(3) When Butts Road merges with The Butts, continue straight (North East) on Butts Road. The road becomes High Street after the crossing with Mount Pleasant Road. Continue straight (North East) on High Street. After 650 m you arrive at a roundabout.

(2) The street then changes its name to Normandy Street. Continue straight (North East) on Normandy Street for 240 m. Then after the crossing with Littlefield Road, the street becomes Anstey Road. After 70 m, you find Station Road on your right (South East). Take Station Road and the station is at the end of the street. Alton Train Station, Station Road, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2PZ (Grid. Ref. SU 7227 3970) (S/E)

Start/End: Alton Train Station, Station Road, Alton, Hampshire, (GU34 2PZ) Grid. Ref. SU 7227 3970

Transports

• Direct train from London Waterloo to Alton. The journey takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• As it is a circular walk so you can buy a day return ticket
• There is a car park at Alton Train Station should you choose to drive to the trailhead
• There is cycle storage available at Alton Train Station should you cycle to the trailhead

Facilities

• There are toilets available at Alton Train Station
• There are visitors toilets available at Jane Austen's House Museum

Drink/Eat

• The Swan, Alton, Hampshire

Find more details, pictures, and stories about this walk at The Flamingo Hiker here.

• All Saints Church, Alton
• Alton Sports Centre
• Jane Austen's House Museum
• Chawton House & Library should you choose to continue a little bit further down the road after Jane Austen's House