A NEW bus route is opening this summer to link two Hampshire towns.

Bluestar will be offering a Sunday bus route linking Romsey and Andover to give locals and tourists a chance to visit the Test Valley's picturesque villages.

The "Test Valley Rambler", which will operate from Sunday July 21 to Sunday September 15 – as well as the August Bank Holiday on Monday August 26 – will take the scenic route, visiting plenty of landmarks and attractions along the way. 

Highlights along the route include Mottisfont Abbey, Houghton Lodge Gardens, Stockbridge, Danebury Iron Age Hill Fort, Army Flying Museum and the Hawk Conservancy Trust.

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(Image: Stu Martin)

Single tickets are £2 – more information about pricing can be found on Bluestar's website.

Bluestar will cooperate with Hampshire Community Rail Partnership and Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership – with funding from the South Western Railway Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF) – to bring the new service to passengers.

Bluestar general manager Richard Tyldsley said: “We’re looking forward to running this attractive bus route, which is an excellent addition to our already existing Winchester to Petersfield service, the South Downs Rambler.”

“It will be easy to connect to this service, either at Romsey bus station with the Bluestar 4, rail services at Romsey railway station, or in Andover from the railway station and other local bus services. 

“There really couldn’t be a better time of year to explore this beautiful part of the country. The Test Valley Rambler is perfect for those looking to discover a new place, heading out for a walk or seeking a tipple in a quaint pub. 

“We’re expecting the service to be well-used throughout the summer. And, any single journey along the whole or part of the route is capped at £2, as part of the Government’s Help for Households scheme. Concessionary passes are also accepted."

Nick Farthing, from Hampshire Community Rail Partnership, added: “It has been our aspiration for a number of years to introduce a car-free day out, linking bus and rail through the Test Valley, following the route of the old ‘Spratt & Winkle' railway from Romsey-Stockbridge-Andover. We are delighted to have partnered with Bluestar to run these buses and are indebted to South Western Railway for funding from its CCIF. We hope the Test Valley Rambler will be as popular as our other ‘Rambler’ bus-rail link also run by Bluestar, linking Winchester Rail Station with Petersfield Rail Station, which runs to similar dates as the Test Valley route.”