The paper for Bank of England banknotes was made near Overton for centuries. The Portal family founded a mill on the River Test in the early eighteenth century, and their watermarked paper became the currency of the empire; the business, later part of De La Rue, still operates here. It is a curious claim to fame for a quiet Hampshire village of brick and flint houses, but it says much about the clear, fast chalk streams of this part of England.
The Test is one of the world's most famous chalk streams, rising just to the east of Overton and flowing south through Whitchurch, Stockbridge and Romsey to Southampton Water. Its clear water and abundant trout have made it a legend among fly fishermen, and its valley is a gentle, green landscape of water meadows, thatched cottages and old mills. Whitchurch, a few miles west, has a working silk mill on the river, a charming stop.
The riding here is pleasant and unhurried. The roads follow the valleys and cross the chalk downs, with gentle curves, rolling hills and wide views. The B3400 through Overton and Whitchurch is a pretty route, and the roads north towards the Berkshire Downs and Watership Down, of rabbit novel fame, are quiet and scenic. Watch for tractors, horses and cyclists, and for mud and flint on the lanes.
Overton has a few pubs, cafés and shops, ideal for a lunch stop, while fuel is more easily found in Whitchurch or Basingstoke. A pint and a sandwich in a village pub, sitting by the river, is the essence of a ride in Hampshire. Northwards, the route eventually leads to the Peak District, a long ride away through the heart of England.