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Leaving the station follow the sign for the Town Centre and the Tourist Information Centre down Lavant Street.  Turn right into Chapel Street and on reaching the Market Square follow the High Street at the end of which you will see the town war memorial commemorating those who gave their lives in two World Wars.

 

Petersfield can still be described as a market town.  While the livestock markets of yesteryear have long gone the town now hosts markets each Wednesday and Saturday, a Farmers’ Market on the first Sunday in each month and an annual (check) French market.  The Farmers’ Market is particularly popular with those seeking locally grown or organic produce.

 

At the war memorial cross Dragon Street, using the nearby pedestrian crossing, into Heath Road and head for Heath Pond.  On reaching the pond turn right and follow the shore path to Sussex Road.  Turn right again and continue past Heath Road West.     Here, on your left in the distance, the South Downs come into view.  Take the next footpath on your left signposted ‘Buriton 3 miles’ (look carefully the signpost is partially hidden).  Pass through the kiss gate and into the meadow.  Follow the grass path and cross the ‘Stanbridge Stream’ using the footbridge and head slightly left towards the wooded hillside in front of you.  Cross another stream, there are two stiles here and aim for the big oak tree on the brow of the hill.  You can see over to your left the old Petersfield golf course, now a pay and play facility.  Continue across the field to two more stiles (take care here) and head for the next stile leading into the ‘hanger’ woodland.  Follow the path through the woodland. 

In spring wild garlic (ramsons – Allium ursinum) and bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus) grow in profusion and the air is filled with bird song.  On leaving the woodland you can see the communications tower on Butser Hill (888ft), the highest point on the South Downs.  Follow the path for a short distance across the open field, and then with the woodland and old parkland railings on your left continue to a stile which leads to North Lane.  Turn right towards Buriton village.  Care is needed on this winding lane.  The three prominent hills ahead of you are (l-r) Holt Down, War Down and Butser Hill with the tower.  In a short while you will reach Buriton House.  To the right, at the end if the stone wall, you will see a flight of stone steps (NO SIGN).  Take these through the woodland and avoid the road.  The grounds of Buriton House are on your left.  Follow the signs between rail fences and rejoin the road opposite Pillmead House leading to the village centre.

 

 

Otherwise, continue down the road to the church of St Mary, Buriton Manor, and the village pond, all at the heart of the village. 

 

 

Follow the road through the village.  The Five Bells and the Master Robert public houses both serve food.

At the cross-roads (the Master Robert on the corner) turn left and follow the road for a short distance past the playing fields and on under the railway bridge.  Take the footpath on the right (opposite the industrial buildings) leading into the woodland.  You are now in Queen Elizabeth Country Park.  The path is sunken here but soon broadens out to follow the contour round the hill overlooking the railway.  After a while you will come to a memorial seat where it is worth pausing a while to take in the view.  Rejoin the public footpath out of the woodland where it becomes sunken between fields use for cutting turf.  At the bottom of the hill turn left and follow the track towards the row of houses and the road.  On reaching the road turn left. Continue to the roundabout and straight over, under the road bridge and right into Weston Lane following the sign for Ramsdean and East Meon and leaving behind the noise of the busy A3.  Continue along the road to Bopeep Pond.  Pass the pond and in a very short distance take the footpath on your right into Bopeep Copse.

On leaving the woodland cross the stile and follow the headland footpath with the sunken lane on your right.  At the cottages follow the bridleway through Deane’s Farm courtyard and into Widow Knight’s Copse.  You may notice that halfway through the wood the status of the path changes to footpath – just one of the many anomalies of our rights of way network!  Climb the stile into a grass field and follow the woodland boundary to the corner, strike of half right to the furthest corner of the field aiming for the distinctive buildings of Langrish Primary School glimpsed through the hedgerow in the middle distance.  Cross the stream and follow the path to the road.  Turn right and follow the road to the village of Stroud and the A272.  The Severn Stars public house is on your right.  Cross the road carefully into Rothercombe Lane.  After about two hundred  and fifty yards take the footpath on your right, cross the stile straight ahead of you and on into the arable field.  Cross diagonally taking the marked route towards the horse chestnut tree and the road.  Turn left and follow the road past Aldersnapp Farm.

 

 

Very shortly take the lane to your right, opposite Melstock Barn climb the stile into the grass field, continue down to another stile and into an arable field.  From here you can see a footbridge taking you over a stream and across a meadow. Follow the wide path between fences as it takes you alongside the bypass, turn right and cross the busy A3 on the footbridge.  Turn left and then right to follow the path to the road (Bell Hill).  Taking the road to the left for a short distance it will lead you to Bell Hill Ridge on your right. This road is a cul-de-sac but continues as a footpath.  Follow it to the next junction, turn right and then after a few yards bear left, sign posted Hangers Way.  Follow the path between the town allotments and the backs of houses and you emerge into Station Road from where you can see the level crossing and Petersfield Station.