Footpath Number 16
End: A327 (near Brickhouse Farm and St Mary’s Church)
Distance: 1 Mile
Map: 2 –Central
FP 16 is a veritable highway of the local footpaths, you’ll often meet people on it, as it connects so many of the other footpaths leading from one side of the village to the other.
This path starts at the corner of Hollybush Lane where the access road to Hollybush Farm is situated, (the same place as Footpath 20). To the right of the main farm gate, you’ll see a small metal “kissing gate” perched amongst the hedgerows.
This then, is the understated starting point of one of the main paths in Eversley. Walking through the gate you’ll see a small track through the fields with fencing either side. Largely following the line of the overhead electricity cables, you’ll walk along this narrow path (it can be quite overgrown at times) until just near the pylon where you’ll see FP 19 joining from the left. To the left of the field gate, Footpath 16 continues along the edge of Eversley Copse, again following the overhead electricity cables. This stretch of path can become quite muddy following damp weather.
At the end of the field, footpath 18 joins from the right, but footpath 16 continues straight ahead across a stream with a narrow bridge and then through a gate. Diagonally to your right is footpath 17, but again you continue straight ahead keeping the hedge to your left. At the end of the hedgerow, turn left looking up towards Brickhouse farm.
The path continues alongside the hedge in the shelter of some large oak trees. There are often horses loose in this field so do take care where you place your feet! At the top of the field in the left-hand corner, go through a small wooden gate and turn immediately right following the line of the field and trees as it gradually bears to the left, passing through another wooden gate.
In the top right-hand corner of the field you pass a small paddock, where for the last number of years a small number of Shetland ponies have been kept. You follow this to another gate, beyond which is the main A327. This is the end of FP 16, but across the road is St Mary’s church and access to the heathland beyond via Footpaths 10 or 8.
BE CAREFUL if you are crossing here as the cars do go by very fast.
Alternatively turn left and keep to the verge towards Brickhouse farm where you can pick up FP 15 towards Up Green.
