WALKS IN HAMPSHIRE at ST CATHERINE'S HILL, WINCHESTER (INC THE HOCKLEY VIADUCT & ITCHEN NAVIGATION)
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- Опубликовано: 28 окт 2021
- This is another video in my series “ Walks in Hampshire” accompanied by my Whippet (Logan). In this episode, I visit St Catherine's Hill at Winchester and explore the surrounding area.
My 5 mile circular route takes me from a free car park at the foot of St Catherine's Hill (located just to the East of the city) up to the top where there are the remains of an iron age hill fort. There was once a small chapel at the top - now long gone - but there is a fascinating mizmaze to investigate!
After enjoying some great views of Winchester city to the West & Twyford Down to the East, I head down some steps to meet the Itchen Navigation - a disused canal system. I then head South, following the course of the disused Didcot, Newbury & Winchester railway line which was closed in the 1960's.
I take a small detour to cross over (and back!) the impressive 33 arch Hockley viaduct that used to carry the old railway line across the River Itchen & the water meadows. Back on my circular walk, I head West towards the city and over the enchanting River Itchen and then North past the Hospital of St Cross & Almshouses (with it's impressive church). The route continues past the cricket pitches of Winchester College and along the banks of the river until I start to turn Eastwards again and over the Black Bridge which is the actual start of the Itchen Navigation.
My homewards leg takes me along the side of the canal back to the car park at St Catherine's Hill where Logan & I enjoy light refreshments at the cafe.
Although I was filming in August, I did start the walk early in the morning and it took a while for the sun to come out - so some of the earlier footage may appear a little dark (Gopro cameras are well known for not being that great in poor light!).
Map courtesy of Google Maps.
For further videos in the series, please go to: / @daveford or my website at daveford5966.wixsite.com/website
My Facebook page is: / davescountrysidewalks
I use a GOPRO HERO 7 or 8 Black Action Camera (sometimes with a Gimbal) & a Rode microphone (either a “Shotgun” or a Rode Wireless Go) together with a Canon Powershot SX530 HS.
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beautiful places along the walk, St Catherine’s Hill so enchanting
You get some great views from the top on a clear day!
Oh Dave and Logan.... That was a fab treat of a walk!
We enjoyed it so much and we smiled lots with you and Logan having your adventures!😊
My didn't Logan enjoy that bacon! That treat looked very tasty! Hope he left some for you!😊
Thank you!
Logan loves bacon!
Just recently discovered your excellent channel.Unfortunately my wife has Multiple Sclerosis so unable to do these wonderful walks now so please remember that for those unable you are providing a wonderful service.
Thank you Paul. Glad that you are enjoying the series. Thanks for watching.
Just a delight Dave, thanks for this! Glad Logan got a crispy bit of bacon too.
Thanks Ian. Logan had that "give me the bacon" look in his eyes!
Nice one Dave and Logan, thanks
Thank you Robert
Nice one Dave. Keep the videos coming.
Thank you and indeed thanks for watching.
Your videos are great, i'm originally from Hampshire, my wife thinks you must be or were a geography teacher because you do such a good commentary. We are in Aus. but were in the UK for 5 months in 2019/2020, great place.
Thanks for watching. No, I am not a geography teacher but I did get an A level in the subject at school! Hope the videos bring back memories of Hampshire for you. Great to have a viewer from Australia.
On my to do List of walks,
I can certainly recommend it, Stephen.
Lovely walk and lots of history, those alms house look so interesting and of course the river views. Sad about the road noise but that is the price we pay for progress! Nice walk Dave.
Thanks Peter. I knew that you would like the River!
I always remember stumbling across the mizmaze some 30+ years ago and painting it. The landscape around is stunning, pity the motorway ploughed through the countryside there, I was involved in the protests to stop the destruction there, but you and Logan certainly walked through some beautiful areas. I think this mizmaze is unique in that it is the grooves rather than the grass that form the pathways. Another theory is that they were created for the purpose of meditation. My favourite mizmaze is the one in Breamore.
Sorry I missed going on Kevin's walk (hope to do his next one in November) otherwise you would have met Logan!
@@DaveFord That was a real shame. It was a great walk and Logan would have loved it! Another time.
Many thanks Dave and Logan, loved visiting St Cathrine's hill and doing the maze as a child. You take care.
Thanks Christine. It is great that you can "walk" the maze there. The one at Breamore has a fence around it.
Thank you Dave. You pack so much into these videos. Very interesting things to see along the way. Brilliant. 😀
Thank you Rachel. There was a lot to see on that one for sure!
What a really beautiful walk with Logan.
The River Itchen looks lovely especially those swans.
Nice little paddle for Logan!
Thank you. Yes, Logan does love a dip .... provided it is not too cold!
How do i get to the ton bridge car park if i want to do the walk in reverse ? . We enjoyed your video very much , well done and keep it up . Elaine
Hi Elaine. The start (and end) of the walk was at the Garnier Road car park which is at the foot of the hill and indeed just by Ton Bridge (see map at 1 min 25 secs into the video). Doing the walk in reverse, you basically come off the hill on the Western side, past the cafe and to the car park (which is by Ton Bridge).
Hello again Dave. I’ve done that walk a few times, although nowadays I tend to miss out the climb up to St. Catherine’s hill. ( Well, I’m now 80 so that’s a good enough excuse). I do know that walking up from cafe and railway bridge is extremely difficult and steep. Coming down that section is easy enough so long as it’s not wet and greasy. I’ve got a very short video on RUclips of some white cattle I encountered on that slope. The miz maze looked a little overgrown compared the normal. Did you and Logan get right around it? Coming down those steps can be very hard on the knees.
My favourite way to do that walk is to catch the Southampton bus up to the top of Twyford Down and then make my way down, over the viaduct and follow the river back into Winchester. There’s always something different to see every time. That cafe is very useful, but it only opened three or four years ago. We’ve also been into the church of St. Cross. Met some of the Brothers and had a light refreshment. Keep meaning to go back into the church again, as that is well worth another visit. It’s also nice for dogs to have the frequent spots where they can get into the water as Logan did.
Over several different occasions, I’ve walked the Navigation from Eastleigh up to Winchester. Great video Dave
Thanks Lionel. With the Hill Fort, the river, the disused railway line, the canal / navigation, the church, the views, the viaduct etc ...... there is certainly lots of different aspects to enjoy on the walk, that is for sure. As always, thanks for watching.
@@DaveFord Yes Dave. It’s a great way to spend a couple or so hours on a nice day.