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Name:Beacon Hill
Hill number:18365
Height:261m / 856ft
Parent (Ma):2906  Walbury Hill
RHB Section:42: South-East England & the Isle of Wight
County/UA:Hampshire
Catchment:Catchment Boundaries, Test, Thames
Watershed:Greater Thames Estuary, Land's End to Dover, Dover to Cape Wrath, The Solent
Class:Tump (200-299m)
(Tu,2)
Grid ref:SU 45834 57292
Summit feature:no feature: ground 5m N of trig point
Drop:73m
Col:188m  SU452576  
OS map sheet(s):(1:50k) 174
(1:25k) 144W
GPS data:show GPS entries for this hill

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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way.  Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass.  Please quote the hill number and hill name.

Logged Descriptions  (logged by 91 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all)ByDate of Ascent
Starting from free carpark just off A34 roundabout, continue to end of road then take path off to right straight up to the fort ramparts. Steep at first and after previous days heavy rain very muddy around impromptu steps formed by tree roots. Half way up the path turns to grass after a gate and hillfort sign. As you reach the top trig pillar comes in top view clearly on high natural ground within the ramparts. Descended same way but took alternate routes off to left after gate to avoid muddy path.mntainman17/02/2024
Revisit in passingRHW11/02/2024
Tick number eleven of the 46 hills named Beacon Hill listed in England, Scotland and Wales. A short break on the way home from M's funeral in Portsmouth. Parked in surfaced carpark beside the A34. Sonja waited in car while I followed muddy slippery path through a wood then open grassland up to summit trig. Impressive hillfort with prominent well-preserved ditch and banks; extensive views over the North Wessex Downs.Skip26/09/2023
Litter and dog poo, an unfortunate sign of popularity. And a nearby tomb of an Egyptian-grave robber.Martin R27/06/2023
From carpark to east. Bone dry path (what a difference 6 months make). Fine top in old fort.Alan Moore07/07/2022
From car park to east. Very muddy and slippy but fine top in old fort.Campbell Singer05/01/2022
Star Inn to St Mary's Church, Kingsclere.Smudge12/11/2021
Easy walk up from the car park, mist just covering the summitColin Crawford17/10/2021
From the car park at the bottom of the hill, just off the A34. With JT.Sprog23/08/2021
From car park by A34. Very muddy in the woods, pleasant grass path/track to summit. Also visited Lord Carnarvon's grave.CreakingHiker22/06/2021
A small diversion on the way home after a socially distanced visit to my parents. Parked by the noisy A34 and enjoyed the steep assent. Beautiful evening and lovely views. Enjoyed the sight of a hot air balloon in the distance and a visit to the grave of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon and the link to Howard Carter and Tutankhamun.Buck18/04/2021
Easy summit on steep hill with hillfort on public landfreethehilltops14/04/2021
From car park off A34.PGCE30/10/2020
Third of the day. Much more popular than its neighbour to the West, beautiful area with views of Highclere Castle/Downton Abbey!lerritt16/08/2020
Beacon Hill WalkBasingstone23/07/2020
Run: Cottington's Hill -> Caveley Hill -> Beacon Hill -> Sidown Hill -> Ladle Hill -> Watership Down. Straight up from CP.maclrc01/03/2020
From A34 car park.jimbloomer04/11/2019
From carpark to north east next to noisy A 34 on way home. Steep walk up obvious and well-used path through woods to grassy top and hill fort with trig. Lovely sunset.Denise 18/09/2019
Steep ascent of chalk/grass path from car park. Superb warm, calm evening with clear skies. Great views.RichardM18/09/2019
A short steep climb from the car park.Dugswell203/09/2019
Climbed with daughter and nearly 4 year old grandson. Bottom of hill had lots of tree roots 'steps' and a handful of varying height man made steps. Top part straight forward and fairly steep. Great views from the top.Angel Lisa04/08/2019
Muddy track from free carpark. Lovely views from top, pity about traffic noise.Ramblingpaul26/12/2018
Straight up and down from free car park to the east. With Pete.Dangerous Dave26/11/2018
Visited on my way home to Essex from Salisbury. I came for the Virtual cache, but enjoyed the memorial and views. I was also joined by two Chinook helicopters. Now that came as a surprise!nathanjhunt21/11/2018
Kingsclere (bus from Basingstoke) - Cottington's Hill - Watership Down - Ladle Hill - Beacon Hill - Sidown Hill - Caveley Hill - Kingsclere.Mark Jackson20/10/2018
Walked from Highclere Castle to Sidown Hill, Beacon Hill and Windbolts Hill. About 2 hours.clivevilla08/08/2018
Six Trig tour with Minnie, very warm all day, Hackpen Hill from hilltop parking plus White Horse & a bonus crop circle, then Walbury Hill sheep pasture from parking to East then Pilot Hill, roadside parking to SE, Beacon Hill- steepest of the day, then Wabbit hunting on Watership Down, finally a wander on Greenham Common, not a listed top but found the trig.apricorum24/06/2018
Solo.Mickeyfinn02/04/2018
Straight up an down from CP in the east. Muddy but straight forward.Moorponder04/12/2017
16th of 38 Beacon Hills on Hill Bagging.ngthack17/08/2017
Proper car park and picnic site just behind the A34 accessed from a slip road off it. Easy path to the summit.moorsman02/07/2017
From car park by A34, with Gill.ADT15/06/2017
Climbed up from the car park - on our '25 Trig Points in a Day' half term challenge.DanMaisieBex17/02/2017
Fading light, frosty. Tourist route. Shapely hill.Wycombe Wanderer27/12/2016
From the car park just off the A34. Good views on clear day.PeterD13/11/2016
A 6 hill,15 km jog/walk circular in 2:50 from Old Burghclere. From summit my first glimpse of 'Downton Abbey' - binge watched with L during our Swiss Xmas holiday in 2015. Rain shower swept in -ran down for tree shelter. Later the relief of the large fort banks and field systems stood out well in low afternoon sunlight from Ladle Hill.The 5th Earl of Carnarvon is buried within the ancient summit fort overlooking the famiy seat at Highclere. He it was who sponsored Howard Carter to find Tutankhumun.Chris Pearson12/10/2016
with TJB from car park. Steep but straightforwardtrimarc208/07/2016
A short Birthday climb up in glorious sunshine.DanMaisieBex17/04/2016
With Tommy & Joe, Tommy in backpack. Very steep climb to the top from carpark at the foot. Cold day with a strong biting wind. Amazing views from the top, also bagged a geocache.fnem19/03/2016
Parked at the Beacon Hill car park next to the A34 straight up & a walk round the top & back down no other public footpaths for a different routephilhythe15/11/2015
A night time walk in the rain & mist. Great fun.DanMaisieBex27/10/2015
Great little hill off A34 looking down on Highclere CastleGordonAdshead16/08/2015
Walk with the family from the car park.satkin5525/05/2015
Up and Down from A34, decent enough climb.rhalstead15/03/2015
Straight up from A34 car park Walked around he hill fort and back down.marketherton01/12/2014
Walked with mum and Thomas and dadthepounds19/07/2014
Climbed with Grinny Granny & cousins Charlotte & Ciaran. Alas, no photographsDanMaisieBex01/05/2013
Short, sharp hill. Used it for 3 Peaks training. Climbed numerous times.Mc101p30/04/2013
hobble on recently broken ankleAndyS16/03/2013
What a busy (and interesting) landscape ...driving back from Marwell Zoo, and a visit to my father in Winchester I felt sleepy - as a precaution I pulled over at the next exit and parked up in a small carpark adjacent to the A34. What a surprise and what a treat - so much going on (or has gone on in this landscape).M3WDD31/08/2012