The Upper Itchen Valley is a special part of Hampshire

Benefiting from

 

Chalk grasslands, pastures and rolling arable land

Iconic chalk stream River Itchen, chalk aquifers and fishing

Diverse wildlife and habitats.

Genuine community spirit, with idyllic villages, 17th & 18th century homes & cottages, brick & flint buildings and medieval churches, situated between Winchester, ancient capital of England, and Alresford, Georgian market town

Things of interest in the valley.

  • Aerial view of a small residential neighborhood with houses, trees, and a grassy sports field in a rural area with farmland and open fields in the background.

    Community & Built Environment.

    Learn about local history, historic buildings and monuments, four local pubs, six churches, four village halls, local schools, our community sports clubs and our local businesses

    More information
  • A wooden footpath signpost with moss, pointing to the left, against a background of a golden field, trees, and a partly cloudy sky.

    Public Footpaths, Transport & Access.

    Learn about public footpaths, walks and trails, viewing points, parking, public transport to access the valley

    More information
  • A small wooden bridge over a creek surrounded by green foliage and trees.

    Natural & Cultural Features.

    Learn about the landscape, the River Ichen, local flora and fauna/ animals

    More information

Heritage, Built Environment & Community.

  • Aerial view of a small town with houses, trees, and a large grassy field with sports markings, surrounded by fields and farmland under a partly cloudy sky.

    Our villages

    Abbotts Worthy,

    Easton,

    Marytr Worthy,

    Chilland,

    Itchen Abbas,

    Avington,

    Itchen,

    Stoke,

    Ovington

  • A well-maintained grassy field, possibly a golf course, with a large building and houses in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

    Village Halls & Sports Clubs

    Easton Village Hall & Recreation Ground

    www.eastonvillagehall.co.uk

    Easton & Martyr Worthy Cricket Club
    www.emwcc.com

    Easton Paying Fields nr Church

    George V Playing Fields

    Martyr Worthy Village Hall
    www.martyrworthyvillagehall.com

    Itchen Abbas & Avington Village Hall
    www.iaavillagehall.co.uk

    Avington Park Golf Club
    www.avingtongolf.co.uk

    Boules Clubs?

  • A large, historical brick building with classical columns at the entrance, surrounded by a well-maintained lawn and a gravel pathway under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

    Schools

    Prince’s Meade,

    Martyr Worthy Kindergarden,

    Itchen Abbas Primary School,

    Itchen Abbas Montessori School

  • A two-story pub with cream exterior walls, brown shingle roof, and multiple chimneys. It has hanging flower baskets, outdoor seating with tables, umbrellas, and a fenced patio. Signs indicate it is The Cricketers Inn.

    Pubs

    The Cricketer Inn, Easton
    www.thecricketerseaston.co.uk

    The Chestnut Horse, Easton
    www.thechestnuthorse.com

    The Plough, Itchen Abbas
    www.theploughia.co.uk

    The Bush Inn, Ovington
    www.thebushinn.net

  • Exterior of The Chestnut Horse, a village shop, café, and deli, with outdoor seating, potted plants, and a signboard, featuring white building walls, black framed windows, and traditional lampposts.

    Local shops

    [The Chestnut Horse Village Shop, Easton]

    West Lea Farm Shop, Itchen Stoke
    www.westleafarmshop.co.uk

  • A historic stone church with a red-tiled roof, surrounded by trees and a graveyard, under a partly cloudy sky.

    Churches

    St Mary’s, Easton (add picture)

    St Swithun’s, Martyr Worthy (add picture)

    St John the Baptist, Itchen Abba (add picture)

    St Mary’s, Avington (add picture)
    www.itchenvalleychurches.org

    St Mary’s Church, Itchen Stoke www.visitchurches.org.uk

    St Peter’s, Ovington
    www.arlevalleychurches.org.uk

  • An aerial view of a large, historic brick mansion with white columns and multiple chimneys, surrounded by green lawns and trees, under a partly cloudy sky.

    Listed buildings & monuments

    Notable listed buildings, include:

    Avington Park

    Others TBC

    Memorials, include:

    War Memorial at Martyr Worthy

    War Memorial in Avington

    Other TBC

  • Local businesses

    Easton Garage

    Creative Caterers

    Caravan Sight

    Neptune

    Hotel?

    Jemma Wheeler

    Winchester Garden Machinery (is it in area?)

    Twilight Trees (?)

    Kevin Rosewell

    Lucy Wolfe Voiceovers

    Avington Park

    Camping (Stents)

Heritage, built environment & community

  • Abbotts Worthy

    Easton

    Marytr Worthy

    Chilland

    Itchen Abbas

    Avington

    Itchen Stoke

    Ovington

  • Easton Village Hall & Recreation Ground
    www.eastonvillagehall.co.uk

    Easton & Martyr Worthy Cricket Club
    www.emwcc.com

    Easton Paying Fields nr Church

    George V Playing Fields

    Martyr Worthy Village Hall
    www.martyrworthyvillagehall.com

    Itchen Abbas & Avington Village Hall
    www.iaavillagehall.co.uk

    Avington Park Golf Club
    www.avingtongolf.co.uk

    Boules Clubs?

  • Prince’s Meade

    Martyr Worthy Kindergarden

    Itchen Abbas Primary School

    Itchen Abbas Montessori SChool

  • The Cricketer Inn, Easton
    www.thecricketerseaston.co.uk

    The Chestnut Horse, Easton
    www.thechestnuthorse.com

    The Plough, Itchen Abbas
    www.theploughia.co.uk

    The Bush Inn, Ovington
    www.thebushinn.net

  • [The Chestnut Horse Village Shop, Easton]

    West Lea Farm Shop, Itchen Stoke

    www.westleafarmshop.co.uk

  • St Mary’s, Easton (add picture)

    St Swithun’s, Martyr Worthy (add picture)

    St John the Baptist, Itchen Abba (add picture)

    St Mary’s, Avington (add picture)

    www.itchenvalleychurches.org

    St Mary’s Church, Itchen Stoke
    www.visitchurches.org.uk

    St Peter’s, Ovington
    www.arlevalleychurches.org.uk

  • Notable listed buildings, include:

    Avington Park

    Others TBC

    Memorials, include:

    War Memorial at Martyr Worthy

    War Memorial in Avington

    Other TBC

    [PICTURES FOR EACH TO BE ADDED]

  • Easton Garage

    Creative Caterers

    Caravan Sight

    Neptune

    Hotel?

    Jemma Wheeler

    Winchester Garden Machinery (is it in area?)

    Twilight Trees (?)

    Kevin Rosewell

    Lucy Wolfe Voiceovers

    Avington Park

    Camping (Stents)

River, footpaths, cycling & transport

  • Aerial view of a winding river flowing through a landscape of grassy fields, trees, and some houses in the background.

    The River Itchen

    The River Itchen is both the main artery and heart of the Upper Itchen Valley.

    The source of the river is XXX and it meanders through our valley from Ovington, through, Itchen Stoke, Itchen Abbas, Avington, Chilland, Martyr Worthy and Abbots Worthy.

    [THIS SHOULD LINK TO A MAP SHOWING THE RIVER AND DIFFERENT RUNS IN THE VALLEY, PLUS LOTS OF PICTURES]

  • A weathered wooden footpath sign with the word 'FOOTPATH' cut out, leaning in a field under a cloudy sky.

    Footpaths and Bridleway

    Our valley has numerous footpaths/ bridleways and cycling routes, including:

    Walks

    Watercress Way
    www.thewatercressway.org.uk

    St James’ Way, from Reading to Southampton, an accredited part of the Camino de Santiago
    www.

    St Swithun’s Way from Winchester to Fareham
    XX

    Three Castles Path from Winchester Great Hall, Hampshire to Windsor Castle, Berkshire, via the ruins of Odiham Castle.
    Comes through Itchen Abbas, Martyr Worthy and Easton.

    South Downs Way is a 100 mile walking or off-road cycle trail from Winchester to Brighton
    XX

    Cheesefoot Head (also known as the Matterley Bowl) is at the Western end of the South Downs National Park at 173 m above sea level. The bowl was shaped by the meltwater from the last Ice Age (approx 110,000 years ago) eroding the soft chalk.

    Micheldever Woods walks

  • A cyclist riding on a gravel path through a lush green area during daytime, carrying a camera around their neck.

    Cycling

    Various road and off road cycling routes, come through the Upper Itchen Valley:

    South Downs Way is a 100 mile walking or off-road cycle trail from Winchester to Brighton
    XX

    King Alfred’s Way 350 km off-road cycle route
    [Find Link]

    Itchen Valley Cycle Route (road)

    National Cycle Route

    Cheesefoot Head, a 15-20 mile route from Winchester up to Cheesefoot Head with amazing views of the South Downs

  • Inside a city bus with purple seats and red poles. Passenger wearing dark clothing and a beanie is seated, facing away from the camera, with sunlight coming through the windows.

    Bus Stop & Routes

    There is one bus route (No XX) that comes through the valley and there are X bus stops as follows:

    XXX

    link to bus timetable

River, footpaths, cycling & transport

  • The River Itchen is both the main artery and heart of the Upper Itchen Valley.

    The source of the river is XXX and it meanders through our valley from Ovington, through, Itchen Stoke, Itchen Abbas, Avington, Chilland, Martyr Worthy and Abbots Worthy.

    [THIS SHOULD LINK TO A MAP SHOWING THE RIVER AND DIFFERENT RUNS IN THE VALLEY, PLUS LOTS OF PICTURES]

  • Our valley has numerous footpaths/ bridleways and cycling routes, including:

    Walks

    Watercress Way
    www.thewatercressway.org.uk

    St James’ Way, from Reading to Southampton, an accredited part of the Camino de Santiago
    www.

    St Swithun’s Way from Winchester to Fareham
    XX

    Three Castles Path from Winchester Great Hall, Hampshire to Windsor Castle, Berkshire, via the ruins of Odiham Castle.
    Comes through Itchen Abbas, Martyr Worthy and Easton.

    South Downs Way is a 100 mile walking or off-road cycle trail from Winchester to Brighton
    XX

    Micheldever Woods walks

  • Various road and off road cycling routes, come through the Upper Itchen Valley:

    South Downs Way is a 100 mile walking or off-road cycle trail from Winchester to Brighton
    XX

    King Alfred’s Way 350 km off-road cycle route
    [Find Link]

    Itchen Valley Cycle Route (road)

    National Cycle Route

    Cheesefoot Head, a 15-20 mile route from Winchester up to Cheesefoot Head with amazing views of the South Downs

  • There is one bus route (No XX) that comes through the valley and there are X bus stops as follows:

    XXX

    link to bus timetable

Nature & environment

  • Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with houses surrounded by trees, a green sports field, and expansive farmland in the distance.

    Countryside

    Description of countryside and some notable viewing points

    Cheesefoot Head

    Cowdown

  • A well-maintained golf course with striped green grass under a partly cloudy sky, featuring a clubhouse with large windows and a residential area with houses and trees in the background.

    Flora

    The River Itchen supports clear chalk-stream waters with aquatic plants like water crowfoot, bordered by reeds, sedges, and willows. Along the valley are wet grasslands and traditional water meadows that support diverse wildlife, while surrounding farmland is mainly arable fields and grazing pasture, reflecting the river’s long connection with agriculture.

  • A large historic building with a classical style entrance featuring tall columns, surrounded by a well-manicured lawn and shrubbery, under a partly cloudy blue sky.

    Fauna

    Our diverse wildlife, includes:

    Brown Trout, Grayling, [ask Simon Fennell for other fish], Otter, Water Vole, White-clawed Crayfish;

    Kingfisher, Heron, Egret, Barn Owls, Buzzards, Kestrel, Sedge & Reed Warblers (sedge, reed & Cetti) and Wetland Birds;

    Wide variety insects, Southern Damselfly; and Badger, Fox, Roe Deer, Muntjac Deer, Hare, Rabbit and Pipistrelle Bat

Nature & environment

  • Description of countryside and some notable viewing points

    Cheesefoot Head

    Cowdown

  • Describe natural plant life, grasslands and agricultural

  • Our diverse wildlife, includes:

    • brown trout, grayling, [ask Simon FFennell for other fish], otter, water vole, white-clawed crayfish;

    • kingfisher, heron, egret, barn owls, buzzards, kestrel, sedge & reed warblers (sedge, reed & Cetti) and wetland birds;

    • wide variety insects, Southern Damselfly; and

    • badger, fox, roe deer, muntjac deer, hare, rabbit and pipistrelle bat