A pleasant walk across Botley's countryside to Durley Mill, a Grade II Listed watermill and millhouse built in the late 18th century. A waterwheel from 1875 is still in place in the complex, which is now a single residence.
From Botley Square, walk north into Winchester Street, turn right along the footpath after the parish allotments, across the fields and under a small tunnel under the railway. To the right is the River Hamble hidden amongst the trees and it is possible to make out the arches of the railway viaduct over the river. Continue ahead to reach Newhouse Farm on your right hand side. Cross a small stream ahead join Maddoxford Lane at Hollytree Farm.
Turn right to cross a small tributary of the River Hamble and then turn immediately left into Netherhill Lane. At the top of the hill, a footpath appears on the right just beyond the wooden clad house (Greywood). Cross the stile and continue ahead crossing two more stiles before entering woodland with the river on your right. This delightful small wooded valley is particularly attractive in spring. The path descends to a lane where you turn right. Ahead is the former Durley Mill. Before the mill turn right onto a footpath. This crosses the river over two wooden bridges and into a green lane that once brought carts to the mill. This soon brings you to the former Botley to Bishop's Waltham Railway track.
Turn right 10 metres before the railway track and after about 200 metres (220 yds.), the path turns left over the former rail track across a stile and into farmland, with woodland to your left. Continue ahead and then turn left and then right to hug the woodland side of the field. At the field edge follow the path right and then left onto a track which continues past large glasshouses and sheds to Wangfield lane.
Cross the lane, over a stile and follow the stream on your left hand side. This part can be extremely muddy in wet weather! Cross a small bridge by a farm gate and continue on a path with a wired fence on the right and occasional gardens on the left. After two stiles and where the field appears to narrow, look out for a stile at the woodland edge to your right (south-west direction). Proceed through the woodland and shortly cross the railway bridge by Botley railway station. Look over the bridge to the north and note the redundant railway curving away to the right towards Bishop's Waltham.
The path continues past industrial buildings to the left and emerges on a track near to Sherecoft House. Turn left and immediately right to reach the main road (A334) and turn right to cross the river and pass Botley Mills, returning into the Square.
Alternatively, when you arrive at the lane on which Durley Mill is on, turn left and walk up a small hill, at the top as road bends to left, follow footpath straight ahead. Drop down the hill into Durley, at the bottom of the hill turn left along the lane. When the lane divides keep straight on (do not turn off to the right) you come to woodland on the left hand side. Further down the lane there is a path dropping down from the road through the woods and stream where you will come out at a point on Botley Park Golf Course. Follow the marker signs across the fairways (watch out for people playing golf) the path leaves the course and leads you across one last field back onto Maddoxford Lane. Cross over the road and walk back down Crowsnest Lane to Winchester Road.