Hampshire South Downs Events Diary 2012

About the Hampshire South Downs   Hampshire’s South Downs - located around Chawton where Jane Austen and her brother lived – has quite a different feel from the rest of the new National Park. With its steep wooded hills and hidden valleys of watercress farms (Alresford), lavender fields (Alton), vineyards (Medstead), hop gardens (Alton) and trout-filled streams (Alresford), its delightful villages (Chawton, Medstead), peaceful market towns (Alton, Alresford), and cathedral city of Winchester, this is one of the loveliest parts of rural England. This is great walking, cycling and riding countryside. Invigorating long-distance trails and circular routes dip and rise through ancient  woodlands, and out onto the tops of the Downs.  Image:  The poet Edward Thomas loved these wooded chalk hills. So did Britain’s first naturalist, the great Gilbert White. When, in the 18th century, he described Selborne as a ‘rural, sheltered, unobserved retreat’, he could have been writing about the area today.   There’s a rich cultural life here, with contemporary arts and crafts thriving in small studios and galleries, live performances, festivals and events in and around the market towns and villages. And, only 40 miles from London, it's got a cosmopolitan feel when it comes to places to eat and shop. So there are wonderful pubs with open fires, classy restaurants, all serving delicious locally produced food, beers and wines.