Discover Steep: Landscape, Trails and History

Steep combines distinctive landscapes with walking trails and a rich local history. The village lies entirely within the South Downs National Park, on and among the wooded slopes known as the East Hampshire Hangers. Anyone planning a trip that brings together nature, culture and historic sites will find a range of ways to structure their days here.

Wooded Slopes and Trails through East Hampshire

The East Hampshire Hangers associated with Steep form part of an area of exceptional natural beauty, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This gives the landscape a distinct character of its own: wooded slopes and open sections of trail are central to exploring the area. For families or travel groups with different interests, it makes sense to plan outings according to the desired pace and focus, without separating the natural landscape from the local history.

Several named trails make Steep appealing for active days. The Shipwrights Way is a 50-mile long-distance trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. It connects the towns and villages of East Hampshire with the surrounding countryside. Another specific option is the section of the Hangers Way from Hawkley to Steep, which leads via Lutcombe Bottom to Steep. Anyone wishing to combine different ways of getting around during one trip can therefore consider the Shipwrights Way as well as the Hangers Way section.

Edward Thomas and the Circular Walk

Steep is also closely associated with Edward Thomas. He eventually moved to the village of Steep in Hampshire, where he turned to writing poetry. A memorial stone to Edward Thomas was erected in 1937, and the hillside was also dedicated to his memory. This connection gives a walk through the landscape an additional cultural perspective, without requiring nature and literature to be considered separately.

The Edward Thomas Circular Walk begins at Steep Church. Limited parking is available for this route on Church Road. Those arriving without a car can include the connection from Petersfield Station in their plans: Steep Church can be reached on foot via Tilmore Road and the Hangers Way footpath in around 30 minutes. This information helps you organise your journey and walking day as one connected itinerary.

Historic Places in the Village

The local architectural and memorial sites are also worth exploring away from the walking trails. The Harrow Inn in Steep is a roadside inn dating from around the 18th century and is listed as a Grade II building. Inside, it retains a partly preserved timber-frame structure, a smoke hood, an open hearth and ceiling beams with stop-chamfered ends. These details make the building a tangible part of the village’s history.

All Saints Church is a parish church with elements dating from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries, as well as from 1838 and 1875. Its churchyard contains the graves of members of Jane Austen’s family. Together with the memorial stone to Edward Thomas, this creates a cultural tour through different eras and personal stories, which you can combine with a stay in the countryside.

Steep as a Starting Point for Planning Your Trip

When looking for a holiday cottage or holiday home in Steep, you can first decide which part of the village and its surroundings should be the focus: the trails through the East Hampshire Hangers, a section of the Hangers Way, the longer Shipwrights Way or Edward Thomas’s connection with Steep. If travelling by train and on foot is important to you, the route from Petersfield Station to Steep Church should be included in your plans, along with the limited parking on Church Road. This way, your choice of accommodation is guided by the itinerary you want rather than by just one individual attraction.

Discover More Destinations

If you would like to explore more local pages for planning your trip alongside Steep, you can find them here: Hound, Ellingham, Bordon, Nursling, Waterlooville, Stroud, Sarisbury Green and South Hayling.

For the higher-level travel overview: Hampshire.