The best way to understand why this valley is worth protecting is to walk it. Here are three circular routes through the water meadows, woods and villages of the Whitewater.
Each route is published by another organisation and opens on their website; take the guide with you, wear boots after rain, and please keep to the paths and leave gates as you find them.
A circuit from Odiham High Street that picks up the Whitewater at Greywell Moors, the nature reserve near the river’s source, before returning along the Basingstoke Canal towpath past the ruins of Odiham Castle. Field paths and riverside walking, with a few stiles and some mud after rain.
The longest of our walks, crossing rare lowland heath before dropping to the Whitewater. The river is crossed by footbridge twice, at Lea Farm and again at Alder Moor Farm where alders line the bank, with Hound Green and Mattingley village on the return. Gentle hills and a few stiles.
A level walk through the water meadows near the northern end of the valley, following the Whitewater along a boardwalk across marshland and crossing it at bridges and fords before striking out to the Blackwater and Bramshill Forest. Few stiles and no real hills, so a good one for a wet-weather day with boots.
A linear station-to-station walk that alternates between the Whitewater and the Basingstoke Canal, following the river towards Greywell Mill and crossing its branches at fords in North Warnborough, with Odiham’s Georgian high street on the way. Trains at both ends make it an easy day out without a car.
Routes are published and maintained by others, and conditions on the ground change. Please check the guide before you set out, and let us know if a link stops working.
