Winchester Plus, from Above | 3.8 miles (Walking Weekend)

This delightful circuit offers a wonderful contrast, combining Winchester’s rich history with the beautiful countryside and vistas that lie within a stroll of the city centre. 

 Did you know Winchester is surrounded by seven hills, just like Rome? On this walk, we will tackle just one and a half of them, rewarding us with spectacular views of the city, the surrounding hills, and the best parts of our rivers and water meadows.

Starting at the Cathedral, we walk out through the historic Inner Close, passing so many beautiful buildings that this short stretch deserves a little explanation. We’ll pass Jane Austen’s final home and what is thought to be Britain's oldest bookshop, before heading down to College Walk and the River Itchen. After following the river for a short while, we climb St Catherine’s Hill, where the panoramic views are truly special. We will trace a route around the hill, then descend to the Itchen Navigation to head back towards the city. Next, we walk halfway up St Giles’ Hill, following the contours to reach some of the finest viewpoints over Winchester. From there, we head back down to the centre, passing the ancient, working City Mill, and returning to the Cathedral via Abbey Gardens and some fascinating, lesser-known back paths.

The walk is a steady, informal stroll of approximately two hours, moving at a relaxed pace of about two miles an hour. Apart from a few pauses to admire the views, there is no scheduled tea break. There are no public facilities along the route until we reach Abbey Gardens near the end, though we do pass a café at the foot of St Catherine’s Hill both before and after our climb.

We walk this route regularly; while most people don’t find walking poles necessary, your leader will be using them, so please feel free to bring yours if you wish. The route includes a number of steps; they are not overly steep, but please note they do not have handrails.

Please remember to bring a bottle of water with you for the journey.