What to see
Whatever the time of year, there is always much to see and do at the Watercress Line.
Suggested Itineraries
Use our suggested itineraries to help plan your visit and make the most of your day out at The Watercress Line.
Alresford Station
Is only a two minute walk from the High Street of this beautiful Georgian market town lined with independent shops and pubs and the home of Hampshire’s watercress industry.
Check out our gift shop downstairs in the Old Goods Shed selling fabulous gifts, stationary, toys, books and more. Or grab something delicious to eat or drink from our West Country Buffet.
Otherwise, simply watch the trains arriving and departing from our south facing picnic area and take a wonderful rural walk and explore the Watercress Way or Millennium Trail.
Ropley Station
A country station famous for its topiary, once housing only a small goods yard, it has now become the engineering hub of the Watercress Line.
Investigate our impressive engineering sheds and enjoy brand new interactive interpretation displays in the viewing galleries and around the site, as part of the Heritage Lottery funded Canadian Pacific Project and see preservation in action in the Carriage Workshop.
Visit the station building on Platform 2, which houses a restored ticket office and a representation of a typical station master’s parlour, and ride on our Miniature Railway, which runs during every special event and every Saturday in April up to the end of October, and is included free in your Standard Travel ticket.
Finally, enjoy a picnic in the orchard and walk in Harry Potter’s footsteps over the railway footbridge where he received his Hogwarts Express ticket – the King’s Cross bridge is now here in Ropley.
Medstead & Four Marks Station
A typical country station, it is smaller and more peaceful than our other stations.
Though the steep 1 in 60 gradient on either side of Medstead & Four Marks Station is often described as going ‘over the Alps’. Visit a photo exhibition in the waiting room illustrating the history and transformation of the station. Or view our Goods Shed exhibition ‘Delivering the Goods’ all about goods handling on the railway.
Alternatively, there are lovely walks from Medstead station to Alton through beautiful countryside, where you can also see Jane Austen’s House in Chawton village.
Alton Station
Alton is the eastern tip of the Watercress Line, where we share the station with South Western Railway (who use Platforms 1 & 2).
Beyond the London end of the station is one of our Wagon Group restoration bases and the Railway’s three steam cranes are also maintained here.
On the platform, we have a kiosk selling tickets, drinks, snacks and souvenirs, plus a waiting room.
The town centre is a short 10 minute walk from the railway station, offering a variety of pubs, restaurants and high street shops. As well as the Curtis Museum with a large local history collection and the Allen gallery which houses a ceramics and pottery collection.
Jane Austen’s House in Chawton village is just a couple of miles away, easily accessible by taxi or take a short walk along the Jane Austen Trail spotting other important Austen locations along the way like Chawton House and gardens that are well worth a visit.
