Odiham, North Warnborough and King John's Castle
Village to castle and back by the canal.
Walk 8 of 8 · 6.3 miles (10.1 km)
Odiham Trail and Ale
A full day out, with seven pubs on the way.
Start point
The Waterwitch, Colt Hill car park, London Road, Odiham
Postcode RG29 1AL
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
- 6.3 miles (10.1 km) circular
- Time
- A relaxed full day (about 3 hours of walking, plus pub stops)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Terrain
- Moderate. Level canal towpath, field and woodland paths that get very muddy, a short stretch of lane and pavements through North Warnborough and Odiham. A couple of busy road crossings.
- Start
- The Waterwitch, Colt Hill car park, London Road, Odiham. Postcode RG29 1AL · Map of the start
- Parking
- Free car park at Colt Hill Wharf, right by the start and finish. Better still, leave the car at home and walk or get a taxi.
- From Laurel Cottage
- About 25 minutes on foot to Colt Hill. Or start with the village pubs and do the loop the other way round.
- Dogs
- Dog friendly all the way, with water at the canal and the ford. Cattle can graze Warnborough Green and the fields near Greywell, so leads on there, and in Butter Wood, which is private woodland with public paths. All seven pubs welcome dogs, at least in the bar or garden, but it's worth checking before you go in.
- Pubs and cafés
- The Waterwitch, at the start, with a big garden down to the canal. The Mill House, our pick for lunch, by the millpond in North Warnborough. The Fox & Goose, in Greywell, with a play area for kids in the garden. The Anchor Inn, a traditional two-bar local on The Street, North Warnborough. The Bell, in The Bury, the village's newest (and oldest) spot, reopened by the community. The Red Lion, on the High Street. Bel & the Dragon at the George, the grand finale, with a lovely garden out the back, and dogs are welcome here too.
This is the big one: a full day out that strings together the canal, the woods, two villages and seven of our favourite local pubs. Take it slowly, stop for lunch at the Mill House and finish with a well-earned drink back in Odiham.
It's an easy one to dip in and out of. You can stop after any pub and walk back, skip a few, or just do the village end. The canal stretches and the Odiham pubs are fine for families, and dogs are welcome on the whole route.
Pubs keep their own hours, and some of the smaller ones don't open until late afternoon on weekdays, so it works best at a weekend. Check opening times before you set off.
A friendly word: it's a long day, so pace yourself. Halves are your friend, drink plenty of water, and there's no shame in a lemonade or two. Never drive afterwards.
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
The Waterwitch, Colt Hill
Start at Colt Hill car park, right by the canal. The Waterwitch is just over Colt Hill Bridge, with its garden running down to the water. Once you've set yourself up for the day, go back to the bridge and head west along the towpath, away from the moored boats.
Along the canal to the Mill House
Follow the towpath for about 2 km as the canal swings round the fields of the old deer park and the edge of North Warnborough. Just before Swan Bridge, where Hook Road crosses the canal, take the path on the right up past Castle Bridge Cottages to Hook Road, turn right along the pavement and the Mill House is just ahead. It's a good spot for lunch, by the millpond.
Warnborough Green and West Lane
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 and follow the lane across the common towards the ford. Don't go through the ford: turn right through the gate by the second cattle grid onto West Lane, an old green lane between hedges, which comes out on Hook Road. Traffic is quick here, so cross carefully.
Through Butter Wood to Greywell
Take the footpath opposite into Butter Wood. Follow the path along the top of the wood for about 350 metres, then bear left onto the waymarked footpath heading south. It's a long, often muddy ride down through the trees to a stony track, Woods Lane. Turn left along it, out of the wood to Hook Road at the edge of Greywell. Turn left along the road for a short way, then take the footpath on the right across the fields. You're walking over the top of Greywell Tunnel here.
The Fox & Goose
The path drops down to Deptford Lane right by the tunnel mouth. Turn right, then right again onto The Street, and the Fox & Goose is just there. It's a proper village pub with a garden and a play area, so it's a nice place for the kids to let off steam.
Back along the canal
From the pub, go back into Deptford Lane and take the footpath down to the canal by the tunnel mouth. Turn right along the towpath and follow it east. The water here is beautifully clear. You cross the River Whitewater on a small aqueduct, and King John's Castle appears on your left.
The Anchor, North Warnborough
Carry on to North Warnborough lift bridge, cross it and follow Tunnel Lane to The Street. Turn right, and the Anchor is just along on your right: a traditional local with two bars and a big garden.
Into Odiham and The Bell
Opposite the Anchor, take the path up past Robert May's School to West Street and follow it east into Odiham. Cross Alton Road at the lights and follow the path beside the churchyard wall into The Bury. The Bell is the little old pub facing All Saints' Church. It was saved and reopened by the village, and it's a lovely spot for a pint.
The Red Lion and Bel & the Dragon
Head up to the High Street. The Red Lion is right there, and Bel & the Dragon at the George is a few doors along: the perfect place to finish, and dogs are welcome here too. When you're done, it's about 15 minutes back to Colt Hill. Walk east along the High Street, then left down London Road to the canal.
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.
Canal towpath to King John's Castle
The easy, flat canal walk.
Greywell Moors, Greywell and the castle
Fen, village pub and canal.
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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