Season of mist and mellow Winchester hike and Christmas market - 18km

GRADE: Beginner – c.18km / 11 miles circular walk through beautiful and historic Hampshire downland (around 4.5 hours of walking time) with one hill, plus additional distance if you choose to explore the Christmas market afterwards.

We start the hike in historic Winchester, founded by the Romans near a major Iron Age fort, rising to capital city status of Alfred the Great’s Saxon kingdom of Wessex, and home of the resplendent Winchester Cathedral, the last resting place of may notable figures including author Jane Austen. Leaving the city's picturesque streets, we follow the beautiful River Itchen and climb up to St Catherine’s Hill, the Iron Age hillfort, which offers sweeping views back over the city.

The route then takes us across Hampshire downland before descending into ancient watermeadows. Making our way back up onto the downs with distant views of the Cathedral, we then descend past the ancient Hospital of St Cross, an area said to have inspired John Keat's 'Ode to Autumn', along the watermeadows past Winchester College and to the bright lights of the famous Winchester Cathedal Christmas market. We'll finish at around 16:30 and you'll be free to explore the market with some warming mulled wine in hand (closes 20:00) or head home.

COST: £10 organiser fee paid on RSVP

MEETING POINT and TIME: Waterloo station ***Windrush memorial statue near platform 18*** on the main concourse (to avoid confusion with other groups travelling at the same time!). Meet at 08:30 for the 09:05 train.

TRAVEL: 09:05am train from London Waterloo arriving at Winchester at 10:04, journey time 59 minutes.

HIKE STARTS: 10:10 from Winchester station. If you're meeting us at Winchester station, please be sure to PM me beforehand so that we don't miss you.

Return tickets from London to Winchester get more expensive closer to the travel time – advance return tickets cost £24.70 as of 13 October.

RETURN: There are 3 trains an hour from Winchester back to London on 20 December, leaving at 18, 48 and 53 minutes past the hour.

LUNCH: Packed lunch

HIKE FINISHES: approximately at 16:30 at Winchester Christmas market, a 12-minute walk from the station. Finish times always depend on pace of the group on the day and are a rough estimate.

HIKE LEADER: Natalie

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