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Beacon Hill rises up some 210 m from the chalk downland of The Meon Valley. There are extensive views toward the
lower lying areas of the South Coast, and back down over the valley itself. Meonstoke, Corhampton, and Warnford are the principal
villages you will visit on this walk, and all have their own scenic charm.
Coming from Bishop's Waltham on the B3035 I turned left at the mini roundabout signpost Corhampton, and found a parking
space in a lay by, just up from the Post Office and Village Stores, which I passed on my right.
Walk back down the A32 toward the mini roundabout, just before you reach Corhampton Saxon Church, turn right up a
gravel drive, between the houses, and cross your first stile. Walk diagonally across the field and pass through a double set
of kissing gates, head for the panelled fence to the left of which is a gap and another kissing gate. Follow the beech lined
track, past the flint wall to Exton Farm and out onto a lane, which you follow left handed. Take the first lane on the
right, signpost "Beacon Hill". Follow the small tarmac lane, passing Beacon Hill Lane on your right, through the arch of trees
you get your first glimpse of Beacon Hill. At the sharp left hand bend, is a bungalow, "Northcroft", on your right. Turn right
here, and follow the footpath skirting the right hand edge of the field, at the far end by the stile, turn around to face
the way you have come, and you will see a path leading off diagonally to your right, follow this and in between the trees,
in the corner of the field, is a stile, cross over and follow the well defined path on the other side. At the far end of this
field is a double set of stiles taking you across an overgrown hedge and tree lined farm track.
The path leads off diagonally to your right, to a stile hidden in the hedge. walk diagonally left to a double set
of stiles, which are separated by "at the time of writing" a freshly laid chalk track. On the other side of the field is a
wide line of trees and hedge, which you pass through via two more stiles. you are now acsending the hill and a short walk
brings you to another stile. As you emerge from the trees you are greeted by a very steep climb, take time to look back at
the glorious views of the valley, before crossing the stile onto the lane, turn right, and note the views to your left, of
the punch bowl and the lower parts of South Hampshire toward Southampton. At the T Junction turn right to follow the road
right handed around a bend. as the road bends back left, you will see a gravel car park to your right, but ahead of you is
a kissing gate, go through and carry on ahead, this is "Beacon Hill Beeches" emerging from the trees you find yourself on
a hill top track, carry on forward, corn was growing to my left at the time of writing. you are now on a section of the Monarchs
Way long distance footpath. keep the woods to your left and valley to your right. the path descends to a gate, which
you pass through, turning left to emerge between the buildings of Wheely Down Farm, onto the road. Turn right and leaving
the watercress beds to your right, you reach the T junction with the A32 at Warnford. Turn left and continue to the George
& Falcon, On the opposite side of the road is a right hand turning, signposted "Clanfield and Old Winchester Hill", take
this lane uphill until you reach the railway bridge over the old Meon Valley line. Take the path to the left of the bridge
and where it forks, follow the right hand fork down onto the old track bed, which you follow to your right to go back under
the bridge. There are plenty of benches and scenic views along the way crossing over one or two bridges. You soon
dip down off the track, cross a lane and back onto the track again, because this particular bridge has been demolished. Carry
on over the bridge that the South Downs Way passes under. The next time the path descends from the track to avoid a demolished
bridge, turn right, under what was the bridge, and then immediately left at the grass triangle. follow the road past the odd
isolated dwelling, until you reach a road to your left on the corner of which stands "Prospect Cottage", this is Rectory Lane,
Meonstoke, continue to it's end where there is a T junction, turn right and you will shortly reach a pretty triangular junction,
complete with bench and tree. Bear right here "signpost" Corhampton, Bishop's Waltham. Pass "The Bucks Head" and St Andrew's
church on your right, and riverside ponies grazing to your left. The A32 lies ahead, turn right, and on reaching the
mini roundabout turn right again, to pass Corhampton Saxon Church, and rejoin your car in the lay by.
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