RIVER ANTON WAY - 10 MILES
Summary:- The River Anton is in Hampshire and runs from springs just to the north-west of Andover down to the River Test. It runs right through Andover where there are five spring-feed lakes and then through very picturesque villages of Upper Clatford and Goodworth Clatford and chalk down land to finish by the River Test where it joins the Test Way.
Route information:- All you need to know about this path can be found by downloading the guidebook in PDF format at http://www.andoverramblers.org.uk/images/pdf/River_Anton_Way.pdf
How to do the walk:- There is a car park very close to the finish at GR383389 immediately below West Down. Coming from the south the A3057 from Stockbridge does a very sharp left over the track bed of the former Andover to Stockbridge Railway line, at this point on the bend go right (almost straight on) down a minor road and the car park is immediately on the right. Opposite the car park entrance is a bus stop. I caught Bus No 15 to Andover Bus Station at 9.22. Then No 3 Bus at 10:00 from the Bus Station to Lakeside Close, Charlton and then walked back. This should ensure that you are in time to get a pub lunch at Crook and Shears in Upper Clatford. Use http://www.traveline.info/ to check the latest bus times. Put in your departure point as Chilbolton and your destination as Lakeside Close, Charlton, Andover and set the date and time. It will be at this bus stop two minutes before it is due in Chilbolton.
Some pictures I took on the route:-
The start of the walk in Charlton is by the cafe on the other side of the lake in this picture.
The first lake is followed immediately by this one. As you can see the first was clear the second muddy looking.
After a third almost covered in water plants you get to this larger one in the Anton Lake Nature reserve
As you pass through the centre of Andover following the River Anton you pass the Town Mills which has a bar and beer garden http://www.thetownmills.co.uk/ It would make a good mid-morning stop.
Just before you leave Andover and near the bypass is this large lake and a near neighbour. The water was very clear and below the surface the water weeds concealed large numbers of small fish.
This is the Crook and Shears in Upper Clatford http://www.crookandshears.co.uk/ where I stopped for a pub lunch. A beautiful traditional English Pub.
Further down the River Anton the route climbs up the only hill of the route and this is the view looking back towards Goodworth Clatford.
This is the view across the valley towards Chilbolton.
