Whitchurch is nestled in the upper reaches of the River Test valley and sits on the southern edge of the North Wessex Downs, it is Hampshire’s smallest town.
From a nice brekkie to a countryside walk and a visit to a heritage mill, we make the most out of everything Whitchurch has to offer!
Breakfast at Kudos Coffee
We started our day with some brekkie and coffee at Kudos, in the centre of the town. There’s plenty of seating, available which was unexpected! They offer various pastries, light bites and other sweet treats, but we opted for the savory option – bacon bagels. The drinks selection is great too with hot, cold and iced options as well as smoothies. We couldn’t resist a beautiful latte.
We always try to support independent shops and businesses wherever possible, so it was an easy choice for us, plus this one has a very nice vibe. We weren’t surprised to hear they have another popular branch in nearby Stockbridge too.
Kudos Coffee – RG28 7AD – 1 hour
Whitchurch Mill trail
Ready to roll after breakfast, we head out on the Whitchurch mill trail and so pleased we did. The walk crosses over the crystal clear river Test many times and so there is plenty of wildlife to spot. The famous trout were easy enough to find whenever we got near the river. The walk took us in the forest, open fields and had stunning landscapes. The adults loved admiring all the old cottages on route, while the kids enjoyed a snack and play break in a great playground in Laverstoke (which is also home to Bombay Sapphire Distillery).
We walked the full route, which was around 10km, but shorter loops of roughly 6km are also an option.
We found the details on the walk with a simple Google search and this guide was handy, although signage on route isn’t great so we used Google Maps to keep on track!
https://www.hants.gov.uk/rh/walking/mill-trail.pdf
Whitchurch Mill trail – 2-4 hours – 7 mile, 4.5 mile or shorter routes
Whitchurch Silk Mill
After a long walk, we enjoyed lunch in the café at the silk mill. We really wanted to spend time there as it is the oldest silk mill in the UK still in its original building. The kids were given activity packs and enjoyed exploring the building and learning a bit more about the process. Not only was it a lovely day with beautiful surroundings, but it was educational, too!
The highlight for them and many others was feeding the friendly ducks. Don’t feed the duck bread! You can buy duck feed from the shop for just £1.
Whitchurch Silk Mill – RG28 7AL – 2 hours
🅿️ We parked up at Silk Mill Car Park for the day which was free – RG28 7AJ
https://maps.app.goo.gl/o4yALMRVUNCkNjpH9?g_st=ic
There’s also a nearby train station.
A 1-minute tour of Whitchurch
Kudos Coffee
Whitchurch Mill Trail
Whitchurch Silk Mill
Wildlife Spotting
