Overview:
We need to car share for this leg as there are no public transport options. This is one of the longer legs of the Project Walk, mostly on footpaths but some of it will be on tarmac on country roads.  We should be home by about 18.30. The walk does not have any large climbs, but there are a number of long, steady uphill sections as this part of St James Way reaches its highest point. There may be muddy or damp areas if it has rained beforehand.  This is the least populated part of the St James’ Way, so there are no facilities en-route, only at the start and the end.

NB this walk will not have been recced.  The information about facilities etc has only been researched via the internet and could be inaccurate. In addition, the walk has only been plotted "virtually" so everyone will need to be a bit flexible if things go wrong!

Please sign up at least 5 days before the walk to allow time to plan the car share.  When you sign up, please indicate if you are willing to drive.  Car share costs are estimated at £15 each.

Travel: 
Car share leaves Ashford at 9.00am. Everyone drives initially to The Candover Valley Store in Preston Candover (there are parking spaces very near the store in Alresford Road near to RG25 2EE- see map for location).  We should arrive around 10.00am and we all have time for tea/coffee/loo (they also serve pastries in the morning). 

Walkers stay there, booted up with everything they need for the walk. 

At around 10.30am, the drivers take their cars and head off to the Arlebury Long Stay Car Park (Recreation Centre, The Avenue, New Alresford, SO24 9EP).  It should be about £2 to park each car for the day.  See detailed map for location.

The drivers will gather everything they need for the walk, they will then all get into one car for the drive back to the start of the walk at The Candover Valley Store.  This car shuttle will take around 40 minutes and the walk should start by 11.30am.

We will have a packed lunch, probably at around 12.30 in Upper Wield (3 miles into the walk).  We could wait until later but the route beyond follows 4 miles of the “Ox Drove Way” footpath and it has no obvious stopping places.  

Near the end of the walk, we arrive in Old Alresford (St Mary’s Church) and 0.7 miles further we will stop for a drink in the Horse and Groom pub in New Alresford where we can get a Pilgrim stamp.  From there it is a short walk to the car park.  We then pile into the cars for the journey back to Preston Candover where we will get into our respective cars for the journey home.

There is an option to visit the Watercress Railway Station while we are in New Alresford where we may be able to get a special “seal” stamp, normally used for postcards.

Facilities:
There is a single toilet in the shop at the start and there will be full facilities in the pub at the end of the walk. There are options for Pilgrim stamps in St James’ Church in Upper Wield, St Mary’s and St John The Baptist in Alresford, the Horse and Groom pub and the railway station.

Lunch:
Please bring a packed lunch and snacks as there are no facilities at all on the walk.

Leaders: Mike and Della