A NEW stunning 24-mile landscape trail has been launched in Whitchurch.

The trail starts from Whitchurch Railway Station and leads walkers through the stunning North Hampshire landscape that author Richard Adams so loved to wander and where he told his tale of the rabbits of Watership Down.

The launch event was jointly held by Whitchurch Conservation Group (WCG) and Whitchurch Walkers are Welcome.

Waymarking discs and trail leaflets have been funded by WCG and a team of volunteers from Whitchurch Walkers have dealt with path issues, installed all the waymarking discs and produced all the mapping for the trail. 

The trail has been mapped to take walkers to some of the book's locations; the ancient Harroway where Efrafa is located at the ‘crossing point of two bridle paths’, Nuthangar Farm, Watership Down and Hampshire’s famous River Test chalk stream where the rabbits made their way to safety on a raft.

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Jackie Browne from Whitchurch Walkers are Welcome said: “It’s taken seven years and there have been many hurdles to overcome, but a successful collaboration between two local community groups, the Whitchurch Conservation Group and Whitchurch Walkers are Welcome has finally seen the project completed and what better time to launch the new trail than the 50th anniversary of the book publication and the 50th anniversary of the creation of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the setting for the story."

A celebratory illustration has also been commissioned by artist Jo South and prints are available on her website. 

This new trail is an important part of a wider initiative which looks to build on Whitchurch's rural tourism identity and encourage more staycation visitors to the town.

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Whitchurch's tourism assets include the River Test and the Mill Trail connecting five historic mills. Whitchurch is the Southern Gateway Town to the North Wessex Downs AONB.

The new long-distance walking trail is a welcome addition and builds on the group's recent 2022 grant success in achieving funding through the Test and Loddon LEADER scheme to upgrade Mill Trail infrastructure as well as marketing materials for the Mill Trail as well as another long-distance walking trail.