We plan to organise car shares in advance, so will not meet at West Town Car Park.
Park on Attwood’s Drove, Compton, postcode SO21 2AX, grid reference SU465260 (or safely on Compton Street) and meet at the junction of these 2 roads for walk start at 10 a.m.
The walk goes into Winchester via Oliver’s Battery, St. Cross and the water meadows. There are plenty of opportunities for coffee and/or lunch in the centre of Winchester. We return alongside the Itchen where there is another opportunity for coffee and a toastie at the Handlebar Cafe, roughly two thirds of the way through the walk. We then cross the Hockley Viaduct on the way back to the cars.
If the preference is for a late lunch, we can adjourn to The Bridge Inn at Shawford, which serves food all day.
It should be generally dry underfoot but there may be a few muddy and puddly spots after heavy rain, and there are a couple of short stretches which might be a bit slippery so walking poles may be useful.
The total distance is 8.2 miles, with 560 feet of total height gain.
This is the planned route...
This is an alternate route that deviates from the viaduct to go via Compton Lock. We'll use it if we think conditions are good enough.