Walking the Clarendon Way

Clarendon Palace, set within Clarendon Forest, was a favourite royal hunting lodge for Norman kings, and particularly beloved by Henry II. It was then expanded by the Plantagenets into a great country house. Now, almost nothing remains except a single length of flint wall.

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Walk through the woods and emerge into the village of Pitton perhaps taking a break at the Silver Plough pub, then climb up the steep escarpment known locally as Green Hill. Up on the downland there are great views in every direction. Then it's on to West Winterslow, past the Lord Nelson Arms Pub and into Middle Winterslow, home of the famous truffle hunters.

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Heading east out of the village, you cross from Wiltshire into Hampshire. Here the way shares the course of the Roman road with another long-distance path, the Monarch's Way. Follow the road into Noad's Copse, where it is said that if you listen carefully you can hear the Roman soldiers marching through. This copse and others are remnants of Buckholt Forest, one of the favoured hunting grounds of Saxon and Norman kings. Walk with the Romans in a straight line to Buckholt Farm, where the Way leaves the road, turning left onto a track leading to an old hollow way lined with yews that drops down to the village of Broughton.

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