Walk Report

Go West From Winchester, Saturday 9th April 2011
27 walkers, 24 miles - leader Jerome Ripp
A record crowd of 27 gathered at Winchester, was it the glorious summer weather, the lovely countryside or possibly the charm and caring consideration of this modest leader as many of the ladies thought. The tricky bit was getting out of Winchester on the south through the wealthy leafy suburbs but once on the Clarendon way it was plain sailing and we climbed up and over Compton Down for the first of many superb views. A break at Hursley church for nutritional and spiritual sustenance and then forward now on the Monarch's Way into a vast woodland and finally north curving round through some lovely valleys to a well-deserved lunch stop at King's Somborne. We had done 23k in just over 4 hours. A long break was enjoyed by all at the pub or on the benches of the common or just meandering round this pretty town. Return on the Clarendon Way through more woodland and views which each place being better than the one before. A stop at Farley Mount to see the monument to the horse and then we steamed on for the final section round the golf course on Teg Down and so back to Winchester achieving the return of 6.20 having covered 24 miles.
Photographs by David Clewley

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