Walking The Test Way Part 1 - Inkpen to St Marybourne
- Claire
- Oct 26, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 10, 2024
Yesterday was my birthday - not a special one, another notch towards the next big one; however I have decided to embark over the next decade 50 things to do before I'm 50, and here is another one, to walk a long distance trail. Prior to today the longest walk I have marked was 9 miles and today we were looking at 20 miles as we were walking home after St Marybourne. Not only is this a 50 before 50 thing, inspired by reading the Salt Path, my friends and I also wanted to do this to raise awareness for Sophies Journey and help to raise money for Sophie.
We started at Inkpen at 8:30am after driving down and dodging, I swear, over a hundred pheasants! The weather forecast was sunny with intermittent rain showers, so we came prepared (and slightly more laden than I would have liked). What I did notice about this leg was the marked absence of said River Test, however the high views and sweeping dales made this a magnificent walk nonetheless.
The Test Way begins in the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Berkshire, before crossing into Hampshire at Coombe Wood. Inkpen Beacon is high up at 280m and the panoramic views right from the beginning are tremendous.
Initially you climb up to the top of Combe Gibbet on Gallows Down. Combe Gibbet stands 25ft high on the summit of Inkpen Beacon and is unusual as it’s a double gibbet, reportedly erected for the hanging of a man and woman who were secret lovers!
Then you follow the track surrounding fields to Combe Wood. Then some lovely woodland walking before reaching the village of Linkenholt, then onto Ibthorpe before reaching Hurstbourne Tarrant. Here we stopped for refreshment at the George and Dragon, which boasts great draught beers and a lovely food menu.
After feeling refreshed and blowing out my birthday candle set in a Twirl, we head off toward St Marybourne. This part of the walk has plenty of woodland and rolling farms with glorious views.
We were lucky as we seemed to out walk the rain clouds which were always threatening on the horizon. We ended our walk with a curry and I got home and jumped in a hot bath to soothe the muscles and slept soundly for 10 hours! A day very well spent with some lovely ladies, all for a very good cause.
If you would like to embark on the Test Way, follow this link
If you would like to stop for refreshment at the George and Dragon, book here
What an incredible piece — Stanislav Petrov's story is one of those rare historical moments that genuinely makes you pause and reflect. The fact that he wasn't even supposed to be on duty that night, and yet his calm, analytical thinking under unimaginable pressure is what prevented a nuclear catastrophe, is both humbling and fascinating. What really stands out is how his decision went against rigid Soviet military protocol — he trusted his gut and his engineering knowledge over a flashing alarm system, and that instinct potentially saved billions of lives. It's a sobering reminder of how fragile peace can be and how a single individual's judgment can carry the weight of the entire world. Stories like this deserve to…
I really enjoyed reading about this section of the Test Way. The way you described the route, scenery, and experiences along the walk made it feel like I was following the journey with you. It reminded me of a demanding semester when every milestone felt like another stage of a long path, and Write My Tort Law Assignment was something that helped me stay focused while managing several academic responsibilities. Posts like this are a great reminder that meaningful progress often comes one step at a time.