5 of the Best Winchester Walks in Hampshire, UK
5 Minute Read
This guide includes information on the top 5 best Winchester Walks. Winchester is the old Saxon capital of England. It’s home to the incredible Winchester Cathedral, one of the largest in Europe and one of the longest Gothic cathedrals in the world.
This old city is lined with cobbled streets and packed with historic architecture. It’s also famed for its picturesque English countryside surroundings being on the edge of the South Downs National Park, one of the most popular National Parks in the UK.
Winchester is the starting point for the 100-mile South Downs Way – a National Trails walking route stretching through Hampshire and Sussex. It also boasts one of the most pristine chalk streams in England, the River Itchen.
Clearly, there’s a great deal to explore in Winchester, whether it’s architecture, history, or nature, this gorgeous city has something for all. Due to its relatively small size, there’s no better way to see its sights than on foot. With this in mind, I’ve created highlights of the top 5 best Winchester walks for you to do:
- Winchester Cathedral and Grounds
- Keats’ Walk and the River Itchen
- St Catherine’s Hill
- St Giles Hill
- Winnall Moors Nature Reserve
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See also:
Top 5 South Downs National Park Walks
How to Walk the South Downs Way
Day Hiking Gear Essentials
1. Winchester Cathedral and Grounds
Walking Time: 45 Minutes
This walk begins at the King Alfred The Great Statue. This monument pays testament to the Saxon king who ruled over Winchester and made it his capital nearly 1,000 years ago. It’s also aptly positioned at the base of the high-street and marks the effective entrance to Winchester.
Walk up the high-street, past the Guildhall, until you meet a curious ornate statue called the Buttercross. This monument was built in the 15th-century and pays tribute to famous figures of the time.
Then take a left under the arched walkway and straight ahead of you will be the entrance to the cathedral grounds. Spend some time walking around the lovely gardens and admiring the cathedral’s architecture. You can take a tour of the cathedral to learn more about its history – book tickets here.
Continue your walk around the cathedral and beside the cloisters, past Pilgrim’s School, following the signs to Winchester College and Wolvesey Castle. You’ll pass beneath 2 lovely old gates before reaching an intersection, take a left on College St and walk past Winchester College to the Pilgrim’s School playing fields.
Your route will then take you along a path called The Weirs which runs beside the beautiful River Itchen and around the stone walls of Wolvesey Castle. This will take you up to the bridge leading into Winchester, completing your walk near the King Alfred’s statue.
2. Keats’ Walk and the River Itchen
Walking Time: 1 hour
A lot of the best Winchester walks can be linked together. This allows you to see as much of the city as you want, depending on your time frame and walking desire.
This section of the Keats’ Walk and the River Itchen can easily be added to the walk above. On many of the signs in the city, you’ll see directions pointing to the Water Meadows which are another name for the Keats’ Walk. As you reach the Pilgrim’s School Playing Fields, take a right along College Walk and continue to follow the signs to the Water Meadows shortly after.
This section of the brilliantly clear river was frequented by the famous poet John Keats. It so inspired him that he actually wrote the poem “To Autumn” about this section of the river.
As the bed of the River Itchen is chalk, it filters out any impurities and makes the water extraordinarily clean. Along its upper reaches, watercress grows wild, and wildlife blooms along most of its banks. For these reasons, it’s famed for being one of the best places for trout fishing in the UK.
You can either choose to walk along some of the path and double back to where you came from or continue to Garnier Rd which intersects the river. At this point, you can follow the signs and loop back into the city centre. Alternatively, you can cross over the road and continue walking out to Five Bridges Rd, past The Hospital of St. Cross, and even up to the Hockley Railway Viaduct before looping back.
3. St Catherine’s Hill
Walking Time: 1 Hour
St Catherine’s Hill is one of the best Winchester walks because it acts as your first foray into the South Downs National Park. There are also sublime views down over Winchester, the surrounding hills, and the water meadows leading away from the city.
As with many of the best Winchester walks, this can be added on to your itinerary above and included in the Keats’ Walk. When you reach Garnier Rd, turn left and walk until you reach Garnier Road Car Park – which is where you should park if you’re driving.
Now for the long climb. Follow the signs and steps leading you to the summit of this 43-hectare site of Special Scientific Interest. The hill-top used to be the location of an Iron Age Hillfort and with its panoramic views, it’s easy to see why.
Go for a stroll around the ring-path at the top and take in the surrounding views. It’s worth stopping off to try and spot some of the features in the city below and is a great place for a picnic on a sunny day.
You can either walk back the way you came or follow another set of steps down the far side of the hill. These steps will bring you to the base of the hill where it meets the Itchen Navigation. Here, take a right turn and walk alongside the river which takes you back to the car park at Garnier Rd.
BONUS TIP: The Handlebar Cafe is a good place to stop for a coffee before or after your hill climb!
4. St Giles Hill
Walking Time: 30 Minutes
I was lucky enough to once call this area my home so it’s no surprise it makes it onto my list of best Winchester walks. The St Giles Hill viewpoint is closer to the city centre than St Catherine’s Hill yet still holds fantastic views looking up the Winchester high street and across the city.
There’s a lovely park at the top where lots of people have picnics and take their dogs on walks. Unfortunately, just because it’s closer to town doesn’t mean it’s easier to get to: there are still plenty of steps to climb to reach the top!
If you’re standing looking at King Alfred’s statue face-on, the forested hill behind his head is St Giles. Simply walk away from the high-street and cross over the bridge which leads in and out of Winchester.
At the roundabout, follow the signs which point you up a steep path into the woods. At first, the route is a tarmac trail leading upwards which soon turns into a seemingly endless number of steps.
Once you reach the top, take a right and after a short walk, you’ll reach the St Giles Hill viewpoint with glorious views over the city. From here take a breather and enjoy being in the lofty space above the rooftops yet so close to the city centre. I consider this a best-kept secret that most tourists don’t do so hopefully you can see why it’s one of my best Winchester walks.
5. Winnall Moors Nature Reserve
Walking Time: 45 Minutes
I would describe this as being one of the most underrated walks in Winchester. In fact, despite living in Winchester, it’s only recently that I’ve appreciated how lovely this area really is.
It’s tucked away slightly towards the outer edge of the city in a very unassuming place, but don’t let that put you off. It’s an incredibly idyllic setting hidden away behind the trees. The path opens up to bucolic fields that stretch away from the city and you feel like you’ve stepped into another world.
You get this amazing sensation of being in a secret garden and a little hidden nature spot. The Nature reserve is packed with wildlife and I’ve seen roe deer, water voles, and numerous fish and birds on my walks.
The Winnall Moors also exhibits some of the deeper flowing parts of the River Itchen. If you follow the nature trail it takes you along a boardwalk that crosses over low-lying meadowland bristling with reeds.
This walk follows a nice flat path and is only 5-minutes from the King Alfred Statue.
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