Salisbury Racecourse and Golf Course DISTANCE: 12 miles MAP: Landranger 184 - Salisbury & The Plain START: Salisbury Cathedral Close 142295 For a full page road map showing the start point, click here   THE WALK: After spending some time looking at Salisbury Cathedral and enjoying the houses of The Close, walk past the cathedral with its main entrance to your left and follow the gravel track along to the Harnham Gate. Walk under this and out to the road. Walk along to a junction and turn right. Cross Old Harnham Bridge and bear right at the end to pass the Rose and Crown at Harnham   At the next road junction, cross carefully, then turn right then left into Old Blandford Road. Climb the hill until you turn right into Grasmere Close. Then turn immediately left onto the path with the Avon Valley Path sign. Walk along here to reach a set of steps on the left which you climb. At the top follow the path past Bishop Wordsworth's Stone. After a while, look out for a footpath on the left which will take you left through a squeeze stile past houses on the left and fields on the right.   Follow this path to a cross track and turn right here under power lines and descend gently to turn left on a track which leads to the A354 road. Cross this and continue along the track ahead. Nearing the top of the hill, turn right over a stile and follow the path on the left hand edge of the field to reach a road at Dogdean Farm. Turn left and walk past the farm, turning right just past the last building to walk along a footpath which leads towards the River Ebble.   Turn right on a grassy track to reach a minor road. Turn left and after crossing a bridge, turn right over a stile to skirt a pond to cross another stile into a field. Turn left here, crossing another stile at the far end of the field. The next stile is slightly right as you carry on in the same general direction eventually aiming to the right of a house which appears ahead.   Take the path between houses and gardens into a lane which leads to the main road at Coombe Bissett. Turn left, passing the Fox and Goose to reach the church. Here cross the road and take the right-hand of the two footpaths. Follow this path past houses and keep following it in the same general direction until you reach Stratford Tony. Pass the private footbridge and use the river crossing just in front of the church. Follow the road out of the hamlet to carry on ahead when a main road is reached. Ascend the hill ahead and turn right onto a track at a road junction a little way up the hill.   Following the line of the Roman road, pass a barn on the left and continue in the same general direction, ascending the hill to reach a lane at the top. Turn left to reach the race course. Cross the course through gaps in the barriers and begin following the signs opposite which direct you through the golf course. Pass greens and tees to reach a track which runs down the right-hand side of the course. Pass the club house to join the metalled golf course driveway. Follow it down to the main road. Cross the road and go down the track opposite to the left of houses. After passing the garden, turn right and walk along the right-hand edge of the fields until you pass under power lines. Turn right here onto a path which you follow with the River Nadder shortly on your left.   The path ends at a road on which you continue walking in the same direction, passing playing fields on the left, until you can turn left at the Town Path towards the Old Mill public house and restaurant. After enjoying a refreshment, continue along the Town Path, crossing a weir and continuing through water meadows. Cross a wooden bridge with its 'Constable painting' view of the cathedral and bear across the grass towards a childrens' recreation area at the far end. Enter and go through the car park to turn right along the road over the bridge. Turn right by some traffic lights in Salisbury city centre and follow the road back through the High Street gate into the cathedral close.   A guestbook visitor (Sue Giles from Southampton) writes: We did the Salisbury racecourse walk 2 years ago - I copied the directions down from the internet by hand as our printer had expired! We have great memories of that day - especially getting lost at the racecourse! We have since re-walked it and found out where we went wrong. We look forward to trying more of your walks. Home / Salisbury & Wessex / New Forest / Guestbook / Links / Your page / Other Interests