Christmas spirit in Winchester ~ 14km/9 miles

Go with the festive flow as we immerse ourselves on a varied walk, steeped in history, with lovely views of Winchester and a heart-warming finale at the Cathedral and Christmas Market.

Hike facts
Approximately 14 km /9 miles.
Duration: actual walking time, circa 4 hours.
Hike grade: Easy to Moderate (there are some hills)
Weather: see here
Donation: £5 cash on the day
What to take: a packed lunch and plenty of water.
Also, we're not insured, so please have your own insurance for this type of activity.

Walk description
Starting from the station, we'll pass the town clock and the statue of Queen Anne, presented to the city in 1713. Next, we'll visit the historic 'Butter Cross' before moving on to King Alfred's statue. We'll then take a brief stop at the Visitor Information Centre to grab a free City Walk leaflet.

With the city bridge and city mill in sight, we’ll follow the River Itchen to St Catherine's Hill for great views of the city. Our journey continues along the Itchen Way to our halfway point and lunch break at Shawford. After lunch, we’ll pass the medieval Hospital of St Cross and the ruins of Wolvesey Castle.

As we head back towards the city, we'll see Winchester College and the house where Jane Austen spent her final weeks. Just a few steps further, we’ll find the medieval Cheyney Court before passing through Prior's Gate and towards the Deanery.

Prepare to be revitalized as we reach the Cathedral and Christmas Market. Here, you can spend 30 minutes exploring the market and the nearby historical sites, or catch an early train home.

We’ll then regroup and head to a pub for a drink or two before making our way back to the railway station and saying our goodbyes 😊

Meeting at
Winchester railway station. We'll be outside the station exit holding a GOSH banner, please see the photo below. Meeting time: 10.35 am. We'll leave at 10.40 am.

TRAVEL

• by train from London Waterloo

Catch the 935 from Waterloo, arrives into Winchester at 10.32 am.
There are 3 trains an hour going back to London.

Booking ahead, two singles maybe cheaper than a return. Using a Network railcard or Groupsave will save you a third off the ticket price.

Plan your journey here: Trainline & TFL

• by car
  Winchester has 'Park & Ride' options.

KEY INFORMATION
YOU MUST READ THE THREE SECTIONS BELOW - if you join this trip, you're confirming that you have.

1. The perilous bit
2. Our FAQs, including an explanation of Groupsave tickets which will save you money.
3. See here for what to wear and take

AND FINALLY

• We're raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children: https://www.gosh.org
  We’ll deduct Meetup fees but all the profits will go to GOSH. After each hike, we’ll let you know exactly how much we’ve all raised. And if you’d like to join us and raise money by leading some hikes, please get in touch – the more the merrier 😊
• We're volunteers hoping to establish a community of friends, so please go with the flow and help out where and if you can.
• If you need to get in touch on the day, you can call Colin on 07941 646 035 or both of us via Meetup.