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51°08′N
1°14′W
/
51.14°N 1.24°W
/
51.14; -1.24
The
Hampshire Downs
form a large area of
downland
in central southern England, mainly in the county of
Hampshire
but with parts in
Berkshire
and
Wiltshire
. They are part of a belt of chalk downland that extends from the
South Downs
in the southeast, north to the
Berkshire
and
Marlborough Downs
, and west to the
Dorset Downs
.
The downs have been designated a
National Character Area
(NCA 130) by Natural England, the UK Government's advisor on the natural environment. To the north lie the
Thames Basin Heaths
, to the east the
Low Weald
(
Western Weald
), to the south the
South Hampshire Lowlands
and the
South Downs
, and, to the west,
Salisbury Plain
and the
West Wiltshire Downs
.
[1]
The northern boundary of the Hampshire Downs follows a line from just north of
Walbury Hill
in Berkshire to
Basingstoke
and
Farnham
, forming a ridge and dramatic escarpment which rises to over 290 metres, overlooking the
Thames Basin
. In the east the boundary runs from Farnham to
Alton
, then swings southwards to
Petersfield
, forming an escarpment at the western edge of the
Weald
, including an area known as the
East Hampshire Hangers
. In the south the boundary runs westwards to
Winchester
, south to
Twyford
and
Otterbourne
, then west-northwest to
Michelmersh
; and in the west from Michelmersh through the Wallops to
Ludgershall
in Wiltshire, and back to Walbury Hill.
[1]
The main rivers of the Hampshire Downs are the
Test
and
River Itchen
. The main settlements in the area are
Andover
, Alton, Basingstoke and Winchester.
20% of the area (the
North Hampshire Downs
) falls within the
North Wessex Downs
AONB
, and around 6% within the
South Downs National Park
.
[1]
Highest hills
[
edit
]
Walbury Hill
is the highest point on the Hampshire Downs, but lies in the county of Berkshire.
Pilot Hill
is the highest point on Hampshire's section of the Downs and Hampshire's
county top
. Prominent hills in the Hampshire Downs include:
References
[
edit
]