Days out in Alton

1. Take a ride into the countryside

Take a ride on the Mid-Hants Railway Watercress Line, Hampshire’s heritage railway. Large steam engines haul many of the trains along 10 miles of track through beautiful countryside to Alresford. Restored period stations like the one in the village of Ropley are along the line. The railway can offer lunch or cream tea on the train.

2. Explore Alton

There are plenty of opportunities for exploring the town of Alton itself. The Curtis Museum, at the top of the High Street, is known as ‘the little museum with the big reputation’. Across the High Street and along Church Road is the Allen Gallery, housing a fine collection of porcelain and showing temporary art exhibitions.

Nearby is St Lawrence Church, site of intense fighting at the Civil War Battle of Alton in 1643.

A walk down the High Street and up Market Street into the Market Square reveals a variety of specialist shops and places to eat.

On Wednesdays and Saturdays you can take advantage of guided walking tours of the town that give an insight into its fascinating history. These leave Alton Station and the Tourist Information Centre. Contact Alton TIC for details (telephone 01420 88448 or email tourism@easthants.gov.uk).

3. Alton’s literary heritage

Jane Austen lived in the charming village of Chawton just south of Alton. You can visit the house where she wrote or revised her novels, now maintained as a museum. Walks in the area retrace Jane’s footsteps and St Nicholas’ Church contains architectural treasures.

Continue to the village of Selborne, where you can visit the house and fine garden of Gilbert White, the 18th century naturalist. Walks from the village take in the zigzag path built by White up Selborne Hanger, and National Trust maintained land.

There are welcoming pubs and tearooms in both villages where you can enjoy lunch, afternoon tea or an evening meal.