Alton Walking Festival, now in its 13th year, is a truly friendly walking event, ideal for enthusiastic walkers, relaxed wanderers and curious explorers of all ages. Situated at the source of the River Wey and enjoys a stunning rural backdrop at the gateway of the South Downs National Park, Alton is known by many as ‘Jane Austen Country’ with its close ties to its charming neighbouring parish of Chawton. The festival is the ideal opportunity for the local community and visitors from further afield to meet like-minded people, explore the Town and its surrounding villages and discover the superb Hampshire countryside with its abundance of wildlife and rich cultural heritage. You’ll be spoilt for choice!
Alton Walking Festival 2025 will celebrate Rail 200, marking 200 years of railway history, by including special Railway Walks in its festival programme. These walks will explore the rich railway heritage of the area, including historic routes, disused railway lines and connections to the Mid Hants Railway, also known as the “Watercress Line”. Participants will have the chance to learn about the impact of the railway on local communities while enjoying scenic countryside trails.
For the Alton Walking Festival, Walking Post a free-to-download walking routes around London and the South East along with monthly guided walks, have put together a 46-mile route (4 separate walks over 2 weekends) that takes in iconic viewpoints from Winey Hill to St Martha’s Hill and Newlands Corner along the North Downs Way. It’s a long-distance walk out over stunning countryside, through Surrey to Hampshire and it starts in suburban London. All walks finish and start at a train station.