Walk Report

WWW Wintry Winchester Walk, Saturday 22nd January 2011
20 walkers, 21 miles - leader Jerome Ripp
Twenty gathered at Winchester station, with the weather right on target for this advertised wintry walk; cold wind and the odd burst of sleet. Through the town and soon we were striding out on the south downs way and by the time we had reached Cheesefoot Head we had grown to 22 as Don and Jenny, having missed a train connection, had made a heroic effort going at challenge walk pace to catch us up. The briefest of stops and then a brisk pace to reach our lunch stop at Milbury's pub before noon, a record for this leader who is more well known for late lunches. The sign at the entrance proudly announced "barman of the year" but was rather a puzzle as the gruff monosyllabic publican did not seem to fit such a description. However the food was good and came quickly and we were all rounded up and out within 50 minutes. A longer afternoon on the Monarchs Way with a superb view over Stephen's Castle Down and a break at Upham. We left the Monarchs Way, bade farewell to Dave, our Wessex guest and strode out round Marwell Zoo, nothing much to see despite the signs of exotic animals. Via Twyford to our finish at Shawford just in time for the train having covered 21 miles during the course of an excellent walk.

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