Writers' Way

Hampshire

The Writers' Way is a 13 mile trail linking Alton to surrounding villages through some beautiful countryside. It uses a mixture of paths and rural lanes and is open to walkers, cyclists and, where possible, horse-riders. Several famous authors were closely connected to the countryside here, hence the route's name. The novelist Jane Austen lived at Chawton and was very familiar with the surrounding countryside, taking regular walks with her family and friends. The Austen's beautifully-decorated house, museum and cottage gardens are well worth a visit. Gilbert White lived in Selborne and was curate of nearby Farringdon; his detailed wildlife observations and fascination with nature, conveyed in his hugely influential book, 'The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne', transformed the way we think about the natural world today. William Cobbett was born in nearby Farnham to a farming family; self-educated, he campaigned for better living conditions for rural families and as research he undertook long rides on horseback through the countryside. He describes much of the area in his book 'Rural Rides' and was inspired to visit Selborne after being given a copy of Gilbert White's book.

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Details:

Path Type:	Other Paths
Attributes:	Average Gradients Literary
Start:	SU708375 - Chawton, Hampshire
Finish:	SU679349 - Four Marks, Hampshire
Web Sites:	Hantsweb - Writers' Way

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Publications, Badges and Certificates:

External download

Writers Way  (Hampshire County Council  - 2017 )

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