If you’re new to the area, or just don’t find the time to go out and explore the beautiful river and download countryside around Winchester, then June’s Winchester Walking Weekend from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd June could be just the thing for you. Now in its second year, this free weekend event features 18 different guided walks of various distances, routes, and paces around the local area.
The program of walks has been put together by the local Winchester Group of “Ramblers”, the UK’s walking charity, and with the support of Winchester City Council. All of this year’s specially chosen walks will leave from outside the front of Winchester Cathedral and will be led by an experienced local walk leader from either Winchester Ramblers or Winchester City Tourist Guides.
Highlights this year include the beautiful water meadows that inspired Keats’ ode “To Autumn”, the crystal clear River Itchen, which inspired Charles Kingsley to write “The Water Babies”, and some stunning panoramic walks including St Giles Hill, Magdalene Down, and St Catherine’s Hill. There are leisurely City walks on offer, as well as more briskly paced downland hikes, and some of the longer walks are “bring a picnic” to stop and eat along the way. For those more interested in the history of the local area, there are shorter walks that will be led by a local archaeologist and by local history experts.
These walks are open to everyone over the age of 16, and well-behaved dogs are welcome on most of our walks, except those that cross restricted nature reserves. You can pick up a program at Winchester’s Visitor Information Centre, or look online and reserve a place at WinchesterWalkingWeekend.org.uk
Winchester Ramblers Group runs around 5 walks of various lengths every week throughout the year, in the Winchester area and further afield. In addition to these and the Walking Weekend, this summer there are added attractions of Evening Walks, Jane Austen walks, and in collaboration with the “Every Step of the Way” South Downs art exhibition currently showing at The Arc, we are excited to be hosting “Walks with Artists”, accompanied by some of the exhibiting artists.
Members of the public are welcome to join up to three Ramblers walks without commitment, before deciding whether to join the Ramblers. See our website WinchesterRamblers.org.uk for further details of all our walks and activities around Winchester and all over the UK.
