Walk 12: The Witches’ Gulley Walk (Original walk information from 2007)

Approximate time 11⁄2 - 2 hours

Start map reference: 582 599

Leaving St Stephen’s Church, Baughurst, turn right to the T junction with Baughurst Road.  Cross the road and turn left In approx 50m there is a stile to the field on the right.  Go straight across the field to a stile leading into Witches’ Gulley.  The Gulley attracts fog and mists and appears to be an eerie place in some weather conditions, apparently just right for the local witches!

Follow the path into the Gulley to a plank bridge.  The path bears left to another plank bridge and then to a stile leading into a field.  Keep left along the wooded edge of the field, (path not defined).  At the end of the field keep the trees on the left and walk to a fence.  Turn left into the tree belt (ignore the stile on your right) and then left onto a path.  In about 50m there is a stile on the right.  Over the stile and turn left down the field, keeping the tree belt on the left to reach a footpath signpost and a gate.

Turn right follow across the field to the stile.  Over the stile, turn left, and continue on through the meadow with the brook on the left.

At the fence ahead, cross the stile with a plank over a ditch approx 25m to the right.  Continue across meadow.  The land falls away to the left to the brook.  Keep ahead where another path goes off to the right.  A small bridge takes the path over the brook and then it emerges onto Ham Lane.

Turn left on the metalled road.  Pass Ham Farmhouse on the right and the pond on the left then the lane bears left.  Pass The Pottery on the left and then turn left onto a footpath (FP sign at a gate).  The path passes ahead through the field keeping the tree belt on the right.  At the corner of the field, go through a gap into copse to a bridge, (then you will see the footpath sign that you passed earlier in the walk).

Go through the gate and immediately turn left to find a stile beside.  a gnarled old willow tree.  Turn right to the stile ahead.  Cross it and continue along woodland path to another stile which will lead into a field.  Cross the field keeping the fence on the left to reach the kissing gate at Baughurst Road.  Cross the road and turn right and immediately find another kissing gate on the left beside Hillside Farm.

Proceed up the right-hand side of the field to reach a double stile and the walk ahead to Monts Farm.  Cross the farm paddock using the way marked gate to the kissing gate on the other side.  Follow the track to reach Church Lane.

Turn right and after about 50m turn left onto way marked gravel track to a kissing gate.  The path then turns left in front of the farmhouse and crosses the pond to a gate which leads into a field.  Walk up the left-hand side of the field and in approximately 100m go through the kissing gate on the left.

The path meets a concrete track which will continue to Church Lane and the Church on the right.

Please help with updating the information on this walk.  This walk needs to be updated from the original 2007 version and if you follow this walk and notice a nice detail (an "instance of delight”) please send in images that we may use and a description of the item and where it is located.  Or if a walk reminds you of a personal anecdote, please sent it in to us.  The email address to use is in the below QR Code.  Just point your device camera at it and an email will automatically be addressed and prepared for you.  We will regularly update this walk with contributions from the community.