Odiham Common and the canal
A short woodland loop for dogs.
Walk 4 of 8 · 3.2 miles (5.2 km)
The Mill House, Butter Wood and Greywell Tunnel
Common, woods and the tunnel.
Start point
The Mill House, Hook Road, North Warnborough
Postcode RG29 1ET
How to get there
Follow the route in an app
Works with AllTrails, OS Maps, Komoot and most walking apps. Import the file and follow along.
- Distance
- 3.2 miles (5.2 km) circular
- Time
- 1½ to 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Terrain
- Moderate. Mostly flat, but the woodland paths get very muddy. Expect field paths, gates and a short stretch along a lane.
- Start
- The Mill House, Hook Road, North Warnborough. Postcode RG29 1ET · Map of the start
- Parking
- The Mill House car park is really for customers, so ask first if you're planning to eat or drink there. Otherwise, there's a small car park on Mill Lane, close to the castle.
- From Laurel Cottage
- About 25 minutes on foot to the Mill House.
- Dogs
- Cattle graze Warnborough Green, and there may be a few animals in the fields near Greywell, so keep dogs on leads there. Butter Wood is private woodland with public footpaths through it, so keep to the paths and keep dogs under close control. Take care crossing Hook Road twice. There's water at the ford and along the canal.
- Pubs and cafés
- The Mill House, at the start and finish, with a garden by the millpond. The Fox & Goose, a short detour into Greywell from the tunnel.
A properly varied walk for its size. It starts and finishes at the Mill House, crosses the open common of Warnborough Green, heads into the oaks of Butter Wood and comes back along the quietest stretch of the Basingstoke Canal, past the mouth of Greywell Tunnel and the ruins of King John's Castle.
Save time at the end for a drink by the millpond.
Route map
The numbers on the map match the directions below.
Download GPX
Start point on OpenStreetMap
Open the GPX file in your favourite walking app to follow the route on your phone.
Directions
Across Warnborough Green
With the Mill House behind you, walk a few steps north along Hook Road and turn left into Mill Lane. Go through the gate beside the cattle grid onto Warnborough Green, part of the Bartley Heath and Warnborough Greens nature reserve, and follow the lane across the common to the ford over the River Whitewater.
West Lane to Hook Road
Don't go through the ford. Turn right through the gate beside the second cattle grid, past a few houses, onto a narrow path between hedges and through a strip of woodland. This is West Lane, an old green lane. It comes out on Hook Road, the road between Greywell and Hook. Traffic is quick here, so cross carefully.
Through Butter Wood
Take the footpath opposite, under the power lines and over a small access lane, into Butter Wood. Follow the path along the top of the wood (you'll hear the M3 beyond the trees) for about 350 metres, then bear left onto the waymarked footpath heading south. It's a long, often muddy ride down through the wood. At the bottom it meets a stony forest track, with Nap Pond hidden in the trees close by.
Woods Lane to Greywell Tunnel
Turn left along the track, Woods Lane, out of the wood to Hook Road at the edge of Greywell. Turn left along the road for about 100 metres, then right into Dorchester Way and straight away right again through a gap into the field. Follow the footpath across the fields until it drops down to the canal beside the mouth of Greywell Tunnel.
Along the canal to the castle
Follow the towpath east, away from the tunnel. The water here is beautifully clear, fed by springs inside the tunnel. After about a kilometre you cross the River Whitewater on a small aqueduct, and King John's Castle appears on your left.
Back to the Mill House
Keep going along the towpath past North Warnborough lift bridge and under the brick arch of Swan Bridge, which carries Hook Road over the canal. Shortly after, a path and then a little lane on the left take you up to Hook Road by Castle Bridge Cottages. Turn right along the pavement and the Mill House is just ahead.
Before you set off
We've drawn these routes from OpenStreetMap and checked them against Hampshire County Council's public rights of way map, but the countryside changes. Paths get diverted, bridges close for repairs and fields fill up with crops or cattle. Please treat our directions as a friendly guide, not a guarantee, and follow the signs and waymarks you find on the ground.
- Take a map or app. OS Explorer 144 covers the area, or load our GPX file into your favourite walking app.
- Expect mud. The Common, the moors and the field paths get very wet between autumn and spring. Wellies or proper boots make a big difference.
- Cattle and livestock. Close gates behind you, keep dogs on a short lead near animals, and let go of the lead if cattle chase you, so you can both get to safety.
- Roads. Some routes cross or follow busy roads, including the A287. Take care, keep dogs on leads and walk facing oncoming traffic where there's no pavement.
- By the water. The canal is deep in places, and the towpath edge can be crumbly. Watch little ones and keep an eye on dogs that love a swim.
- Leave it as you found it. Bag and bin your dog's poo, take your litter home, and follow the Countryside Code.
You walk these routes at your own risk. If you spot something that has changed, we'd love to hear about it at [email protected].
More walks around Odiham
See all 8 routes on our Odiham walks page, or browse our local guide for pubs, cafés and things to do.
Dogmersfield Park and Broad Oak
The longer canal and parkland loop.
Odiham village heritage trail
Stocks, plague house and coaching inns.
Stay with us at Laurel Cottage
Fancy a walking weekend? Our dog-friendly cottage is a short stroll from Odiham High Street, so several of these walks start almost from the door. Muddy boots and muddy paws are both welcome. Book direct for our best price.
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