Local Area

Walks

There are around 8,200 public footpaths in Wiltshire. The network of rights of way (footpaths, bridleways and by ways) around Upper Chute is extensive. Tracks lead from the village in all directions. In earlier times they were used by farmers for moving sheep or by local residents to get from one settlement to another.

To the north one quickly reaches Chute Causeway, an old Roman road and a rare example or where the Romans bent their road to avoid the steep Hippenscombe valley. To the west the tracks lead to the high ground where farmers used to take their sheep for summer grazing. To the east they access Conholt Park, the estate of the fine 17th century Conholt House whilst to the south they lead to Chute Standen, Lower Chute and Chute Cadley.    

From the Cottage there are ten different circular walks which start and finish at the front door. They range from a leisurely 40 minutes to a more challenging 3.5 hours. They pass through a wide variety of landscapes from cornfields to sheep pasture (including lambing in the spring), to bluebell woods. Views stretch in all directions some of up to 40 miles. Several routes conveniently pass a country pub at the halfway point.

See map for the routes involved.  

Pubs

A range of pubs, all serving food, is easily accessible from the Cottage. The closest are the Hatchet Inn in Lower Chute (5 minute drive), the Fox at Tangley (8 minutes), the George at Vernham Dean and the Lion at Clanville (both 10 minutes). Further afield are the Crown at Upton and the Plough at Shalbourne (15 minutes), the Shears and the Tipple Inn, both at Collingbourne Ducis, the Jack Russell at Faccombe, the Crown & Anchor at Ham and the Three Tuns at Bedwyn (all 20 minutes). 

Links to the websites for all pub are on the Links page.

See map for locations

Places to go

Wiltshire is fortunate to have many surviving monuments from prehistoric times. Two of the best known are the stone circles at Stonehenge (https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge) and Avebury (https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury/features/avebury-stone-circles-and-henge) both World Heritage Sites (20 and 35 minutes’ drive respectively) . They are both Neolithic henge monuments whose construction started around 5000 years ago. Whilst the Stonehenge stones can only be viewed from a distance, at Avebury visitors can walk freely through the stones. Close to Avebury are the West Kennet Long barrow and Silbury Hill.

Highclere Castle (25 minutes’ drive) (https://www.highclerecastle.co.uk) is the home of Lord and Lady Carnarvon. It was made famous as the set for Downton Abbey but also houses the Egyptian Exhibition telling the story of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922 by the current Earl’s great grandfather. The house and grounds are open to the public.

Two of the finest cathedrals in England are 30 minutes’ drive away. Winchester Cathedral (https://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk) was build by the Normans (consecrated in 1093). In the 14th century the nave was remodelled in the gothic style. It is the longest Gothic cathedral in Europe. Several Saxon Kings are buried there including King Canute and King Eadwig. Salisbury Cathedral (https://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk) was built between 1220 and 1258 in the Gothic style. Its spire is the tallest in the UK. It also has the largest cloister and cathedral close in Britain and the best surviving original copy of Magna Carta.

The area is well known as a centre of horse racing. There are many stables, most notably at Lambourn, and race courses at Newbury (https://newburyracecourse.co.uk) and Salisbury (https://www.salisburyracecourse.co.uk). Newbury hosts around 30 days of racing each year (Flat and Jumps). Salisbury hosts around 16 flat days’ racing.

There are several well known gardens on the area. Two of the best are at Mottisfont Abbey (30 minutes’ drive) (https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont) and Longstock Water Garden (20 minutes’ drive) (https://leckfordestate.co.uk/water-garden). Mottisfont Abbey is an historic priory dissolved by Henry VIII. Now a National Trust property the walled rose garden is home to the National Collection of old rose cultivars. Longstock is part of the Leckford Estate belonging to the John Lewis Partnership. The Water Garden is known as the finest water garden in the world.

The nearest supermarkets are in Ludgershall (8 minutes’ drive – small Tesco and Coop) and Andover (15 minutes - Waitrose, Sainsbury, Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Lidl). Hungerford (15 minutes) is an attractive town on the Kennet & Avon canal with many traditional shops (eg. antiques arcade, bookshop). Marlborough (30 minutes) is a wonderful example of an English market town. With one of the widest High Streets in the country it hosts markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

 See map for locations