Transport

This section has been updated to incorporate service changes from October 2013.

The route of the Brenda Parker Way was created to link up with available public transport along its course, particularly at the section starts and ends. This enables one or more of the linear sections to be completed with public transport used at the beginning and end. Similarly, public transport can be used for some of the other walks, but here it may be more convenient to use the car parking facilities available.

Seven day public transport is available to access the eastern part of the path. This is provided by trains at Aldershot, Fleet, Winchfield and Bramley, and by buses at Tadley.

In the west, there are bus services serving the path at Kingsclere, Highclere, nearby from Crux Easton and Rag Copse, but not on Sundays or Bank Holidays. Trains can be used seven days a week to access Andover at the western end of the path.

If travelling to the path from outside the local area, Basingstoke provides a good hub, with regular direct train services from London, Hampshire, southwest England, Reading, Oxford, the Midlands and northern England. Locally, trains connect to Aldershot, Fleet, Winchfield, Bramley and Andover. Direct buses connect to Fleet, Sherfield, Bramley, Tadley, Kingsclere, Andover and Newbury. Newbury is also directly accessible by train from London, Reading and southwest England. From Newbury, buses can be caught to Burghclere, Highclere, Crux Easton, Rags Copse and Andover.

Train companies often run to a Saturday timetable on Bank Holidays, but it is essential to confirm this beforehand.

Detailed public transport services are described below for every section start/end as well as for intermediate points that are accessible.

Public transport timetables can change at short notice and rail journeys can be affected by engineering work so it is strongly advised that walkers check and plan their journey times immediately before setting out.

Planning your journey? Just click on the links below for Bus & Train timetables:

For trains (including ticket prices and purchasing):

South Western Railway

First Great Western

Both of these sites will give you times (and ticket prices) for all trains in Great Britain. Their information on planned timetable disruptions is limited to their own services. However, live train departure and arrival information is also available via these sites:

For buses and trains:

Traveline South West

There is an alternative national site at:

Transport Direct

Paying for your journey.

All of the railway stations mentioned have ticket offices and ticket machines which will accept cards as well as cash. If booking online, the South Western Railway  and First Great Western websites do not charge fees for credit cards, unlike other sites such as Trainline.

All the bus services require you to pay the driver (change is given), unless you have an English Bus Pass. Return tickets are usually available and are cheaper than two singles. For bus-passes, the main local bus operator, Stagecoach, now has smartcard readers on the ticket machines. Just place the pass on the reader. No ticket is issued.

Travel Information on the Move

All of the local railway stations have timetables displayed as well as information screens showing the next train times.

The bus stops generally have timetables, except the remoter ones between Andover and Newbury. Traveline South West operates a call centre on 0871 2002233 (code 83). Next bus information can be obtained by texting 84268 with the bus-stop code (see the local transport sections below).

Trains generally keep closely to the timetable, and the station information screens will tell you when they are expected. Buses are not so exact, and can run up to 10 minutes behind schedule, so be patient, keep a look out, and signal for the bus to stop.

Twitter

Both South Western Railways  and First Great Western give service disruption information on Twitter.

Smartphone Apps

National Rail Enquiries have a neat App that gives journey planning information and live departure boards. There is an independent App called RTT which is also good for train information. It is mostly live departure boards, but also gives connections for every journey displayed.

For buses there is UK Bus Checker. This gives next buses for every bus stop, including real-time info where that’s available.

Detailed Transport Information

More detailed transport information is given section by section, including service numbers, frequencies and stop locations. We endeavour to keep this up to date, but services do change, so it is essential to check timetables before setting out.

 

ALDERSHOT has good bus and train connections and these are conveniently located together as the bus station is sited in the forecourt of the railway station.

There is an hourly direct bus service from Aldershot bus station to Fleet Station (Mondays to Saturdays except Bank Holidays). This is Fleet Buzz route 72, destination Reading or Elvetham Heath. After Fleet the bus also serves Hartley Wintney. Farnborough (Main) station and Camberley are served from Aldershot bus station by Goldline 1. This runs every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday and half-hourly on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Guildford is served by Stagecoach route 20, running every 15 mins Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Farnham is served by Stagecoach services 4 & 5 running every 15 mins Monday to Saturday and every 2 hours on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

South West Trains run 7 days a week from Aldershot Station. The main route is to London Waterloo via Woking in one direction and to Farnham and Alton in the other. Normal frequency is half-hourly (hourly on Sundays). Portsmouth can be reached by changing at Woking. Fleet, Winchfield and Basingstoke can be reached by changing at Brookwood. Andover, Winchester, Southampton and southwest England can be reached by changing at Woking. Reading is most easily reached by alighting at Ash Vale and walking to North Camp station on the North Downs Line (First Great Western). Main line trains to the south and west can also be accessed by taking the Goldline 1 bus route to Farnborough (Main) station which has four trains per hour (hourly on Sundays).

There is one other route at Aldershot station which runs to Guildford in one direction and Camberley and Ascot in the other. This is also half-hourly (hourly on Sundays).

FLEET has good local buses, most of which stop at the railway station. Fleet Buzz route 72 runs to Reading via Hartley Wintney in one direction (hourly except Sundays and Bank Holidays). It runs to Aldershot via Fleet town centre in the other direction. Fleet Buzz route 30 runs to Basingstoke via Fleet town centre in one direction and to Farnborough in the other (Hourly Monday to Saturday except Bank Holidays). There are several routes connecting the station with the town centre (about five per hour except on Sundays and Bank Holidays).

South West Trains run 7 days a week from Fleet station. Monday to Saturday, there is a half-hourly service to Winchfield and Basingstoke in one direction and to Farnborough, Woking and London Waterloo in the other. Additionally, there is also an hourly service to Basingstoke, Winchester and Southampton in one direction and Farnborough (not Woking) and London Waterloo in the other. The only Sunday train service is the hourly stopping service between Basingstoke and London. Aldershot can be reached by changing trains at Brookwood. Another route to Aldershot is to change at Farnborough on to the Goldline 1 bus (also runs 7 days a week).

HARTLEY WINTNEY is served by a bus route, Fleet Buzz route 72, which serves Fleet and Aldershot in one direction and Reading in the other. The frequency is hourly (except Sundays and Bank Holidays). Also, very occasional Stagecoach route 100 buses serve Hook in one direction and Blackwater and Camberley in the other. This only runs Mondays to Fridays (except Bank Holidays). For Fleet, Aldershot (and Blackwater & Camberley), catch buses at Swan Court on the north side of the main A30, just west of the junction with Fleet Road (traveline code hamgtang). For buses to Reading (& Hook), use the Swan Court stop on the south side of the A30 (traveline code hamgtand).

WINCHFIELD Station has regular South West Trains services, half-hourly Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays. These run between London Waterloo and Basingstoke, stopping at all stations between Woking and Basingstoke, including nearby Fleet and Hook. Connections can be made at Woking for Guildford, Aldershot and Farnham, and at Basingstoke for Andover, Bramley, south Hampshire towns and Reading.

SHERFIELD ON LODDON village is less than half a mile south of the route where it crosses the A33 road at Floods Farm. The road verge is safe to use (if somewhat noisy) as far as the Reading Road which leads to the village centre and bus stops. The bus service is Stagecoach route 14 between South View via Basingstoke bus station in one direction and Bramley, Silchester & Tadley in the other. The frequency is hourly in each direction with no buses on Sundays or Bank Holidays. The bus stop for Basingstoke (Traveline code hamgjapt) is beside the White Hart pub. The bus stop for Bramley, Silchester & Tadley is opposite, outside the Post Office (Traveline code hamgjapd). The stops are officially known as Sherfield Post Office.

BRAMLEY has both trains and buses. Bramley station is very close to the start of the section to Tadley, on the main village street. It has regular First Great Western trains, half-hourly Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays. These shuttle between Basingstoke and Reading where there are connections to long-distance trains as well as to services to other points on the Brenda Parker Way. One hazard to be aware of is that there is no footbridge at the station, and the level crossing gates can close just before the train arrives. So allow time to cross over if you need to!

There is also a bus service to Silchester & Tadley in one direction and to/from Basingstoke in the other. This is Stagecoach route 14. Services are hourly during the working day Monday to Saturdays only (except Bank Holidays). It runs to South View (Basingstoke) via Sherfield and Basingstoke bus and rail stations. There are bus stops either side of Bramley level crossing. The Traveline codes for the The Bramley Inn stops are hamgdjta ( to Basingstoke) and hamjmata ( to Tadley).

SILCHESTER has recently regained a regular bus service. This is the Stagecoach 14 route, hourly to Tadley in one direction (Stagecoach 14) and to Bramley, Sherfield and Basingstoke (bus station and South View) in the other, Mondays to Saturdays only (not Bank Holidays). The stop is outside The Calleva Arms and the Traveline codes are hamgamja for Tadley and hamgamgt for Bramley and Basingstoke.

 

TADLEY is very well served by Stagecoach’s Jazz 2 buses. These run from Basingstoke bus and train stations and the A340 (destination Baughurst). Buses run every 15 minutes both ways during the working day Monday to Friday, every 20 mins on Saturdays, and every 30 mins during the day on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The most convenient bus stop in Tadley is Fairlawn Road on the A340 at Tadley Hill (Traveline code hamdwgwm).

If you want to return to Bramley or Sherfield, Stagecoach route 14 runs hourly, Monday to Saturday only (not Bank Holidays) from the New Inn. This is in Rowan Road about ½ mile north at GR 604 615. (Traveline code hamdwgmj)

There are no convenient services to rescue you midway to Kingsclere!

KINGSCLERE has a half-hourly bus service to and from Basingstoke train and bus stations (Monday to Friday). The same service connects with Newbury bus station hourly. On Saturdays there is only the hourly service between Basingstoke and Newbury, calling at Kingsclere. It is a Stagecoach route marketed as The Link (no route number!). There is no Sunday or Bank Holiday service.

The most convenient bus stop in Kingsclere is St Marys Church (Traveline code hamdmjwd for Basingstoke and hamdmjwa for Newbury). This is on George Street near its junction with Swan Street. If you catch a Kingsclere-only bus from Basingstoke then that may drop you at Wellmans Meadow, which is ¼ mile west along the Newbury Road.

BURGHCLERE is now served by Stagecoach routes 21/22/23/24 from Newbury bus and train stations. The exact routes vary, but luckily, all come together at Burghclere. There are six buses per day, Monday to Saturday only (except Bank Holidays), but the last bus to Newbury is in early afternoon. The best bus stop in Burghclere appears to be the one where Well Street forks off the walking route at GR 472 613. This is known as Burghclere, Harts Lane. Confusingly, buses going in either direction will get you to Newbury, so to get the time of the next bus you will need to use both Traveline codes (hamdgjmw (east side) & hamdgjmp (west side). Journey times vary from 14 to 40 mins.

HIGHCLERE is served by Stagecoach route 7 connecting with Andover and Newbury bus stations except on Sundays and Bank Holidays. This runs roughly two-hourly in both directions, but the Andover and Newbury buses are conveniently evenly spaced, so if you are flexible, there is not too long a wait for a bus to a transport hub. There are then regular trains and buses available for getting home. The bus stop is on the A343 at The Red House pub (code hamawmpm for Newbury, hamawmpw for Andover).

 

CRUX EASTON is also served by Stagecoach route 7 connecting with Andover and Newbury bus stations except on Sundays and Bank Holidays. This runs roughly two-hourly in both directions, but the Andover and Newbury buses are spaced out so if you are flexible, there is not too long a wait for a bus to a transport hub. There are then regular trains and buses available for getting home. The bus stop is on the A343 near the top of Red Hill at its junction with Cross Lane, at GR 428 573 (Traveline code hamawdwj for Newbury, hamawdpd for Andover). The official name for the stop is Cross Lane, Crux Easton.

 

Those completing the section to Sidley Bottom and wishing to catch the bus from Crux Easton could leave the Brenda Parker Way at GR 402 570 and follow the road up into Ashmansworth. In the village, take the second road on the right, Cross Lane, and follow this to its junction with the A343. An alternative but longer route would be to take the footpath north and up from the kennels at Sidley Bottom to join the road through Ashmansworth and then follow the first right along Cross Lane to the A343.

 

To start the next section from Sidley Bottom, walkers could leave the bus at Crux Easton and retrace the route above. Alternatively, to rejoin the route near Lye Farm, take the footpath along the track on the south side of the A343 as far as the minor road. Turn right here and then right again after Field House along the footpath to meet a road opposite the Crux Easton wind engine (for more information on this click here) and cross this road to follow the track to a junction of bridleways. Turn right here as far as where the bridleway veers left towards Sladen Green, here join a footpath continuing along the ridge to meet the Brenda Parker Way amongst trees at GR 413 552 just north of Lye Farm.

SIDLEY BOTTOM no longer has bus stops at this point, walkers using public transport are advised to connect with the bus stops at Crux Easton (see above). Although the bus stops were in use when the route was devised in 2010, in 2012 the bus company, with the agreement of Hampshire County Council, has withdrawn them for safety reasons.   

ST MARY BOURNE has a dial-up bus service to/from Andover bus station, CANGO routes C3 & C8. The two routes run on different days, but in combination provide a six-day service to/from Andover.  The services are irregular with no buses on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The timetables and route maps can be accessed by clicking here. Click on the tab Andover. The phone booking no. is 0845 6024135. The central bus stop in St Mary Bourne is The George Inn (code hamatwpa or hamatwpd).

 

RAG COPSE is served by Stagecoach route 7 connecting with Andover and Newbury bus stations except on Sundays and Bank Holidays. This runs roughly two-hourly in both directions, but the Andover and Newbury buses do not cross, so if you are flexible, you can reduce the wait and travel either way. There are then regular trains and buses available for getting home. The bus stops are on the A343 less than half a mile north at GR 369 517 near the entrance to Bourne Park. They are officially called Doles Lodge (Traveline code hamapmjp for Newbury and hamapmpa for Andover).  

 

HATHERDEN has an infrequent dial-up bus service to/from Andover bus and rail stations, CANGO C6. This runs two/three times on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Timetables and maps can be accessed by clicking here. Click on the tab Andover. The phone booking no. is 0845 6024135. The bus stop is by the road junction near the school.

 

PENTON MEWSEY has a dial-up bus service to/from Andover bus & rail stations, CANGO route C5. This runs two/three times a day with no buses on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Timetables and maps can be accessed by clicking here. Click on the tab Andover. The phone booking no. is 0845 6024135.  The bus stop is at the bottom of the village at the junction of Foxcotte Lane and Harroway Lane. A much more frequent service can be found at Penton Corner (see below).

 

ANDOVER outskirts. Escape by bus is possible from the route at Penton Corner on the edge of Andover. After Penton Mewsey, walk down Harroway Lane all the way to the A342, about 300 yards beyond the point where the path turns off. Turn left along the main road to the bus stop. Route 8 (either Stagecoach or Salisbury Reds) runs three times per hour to Andover railway and bus stations. Sunday and Bank Holiday services run every three hours. The Traveline code is hamamatp. There are also regular buses (not Sundays or Bank Holidays) at Andover Hospital on Charlton Road south of the route at GR 354 463 (code hamamwjt).

 

ANDOVER is served by Stagecoach route 7 from Newbury which also connects with the Brenda Parker Way at Highclere, Crux Easton and Rag Copse. This bus runs roughly two-hourly in each direction, but not at all on Sundays and Bank Holidays.The C3 'hail and ride' service would also be useful and is cheaper.  Along with all other bus services in Andover it can be boarded at the bus station. This is hidden at the back of the Chantry Centre shopping precinct which is on the west side of the pedestrianised High Street. Walk through the shopping centre to reach it. As well as Newbury, regular buses go to Salisbury (three times per hour) and Basingstoke (Stagecoach route 76 -hourly) as well as local destinations. The only Andover buses that run on Sundays and Bank Holidays are those to Salisbury (about every three hours). (Note: At the time of this revision, there were temporary bus stops on Western Avenue, replacing those at the bus station.)

Andover is well served by rail (South West Trains), including on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The normal service is twice an hour (once an hour on Sundays) to Basingstoke, Woking and London Waterloo in an easterly direction and twice an hour (once an hour on Sundays) to Salisbury in the westerly direction. Hourly trains (seven days a week) go on to Yeovil and Exeter, and of those, three trains a day (two on Sundays) split at Salisbury for Bath and Bristol.

Andover Railway Station is not in the town centre, but is about 0.75 mile north-west of there. The most obvious walking route from the southern end of the High Street is to go west on Bridge Street and Western Road, then northwest on Junction Road, turning west on Station Approach. Alternatively, from the bus station, the Salisbury (route 8) service runs to the station three times per hour.