In December 2021 I decided to walk the St Swithuns Way. The minimal daylight made this more of a challenge especially as I was wild camping and would be spending about 15 hours of darkness in my tent.
From the LDWA website " This historic walk takes a rural path from Winchester, the capital of Saxon England, where Swithun was bishop in the ninth century. It can be considered as the first part of a modern Pilgrim's Way since at Farnham it joins the North Downs Way National Trail that takes the walker on to Canterbury.
With its shrine to St Swithun and tomb of Alfred the Great, Winchester was the first principal place of pilgrimage but later Becket's shrine at Canterbury became more important and pilgrims would have visited both. Much of the original Pilgrim's Way here follows the busy A31 road so this walking route uses rural paths and some lanes or minor roads along the same broad line. From Winchester it passes through the Itchen river valley, with attractive villages and interesting churches, then passes the market towns of Alresford and Alton, and Chawton, home of Jane Austen. The final section along the River Wey leads to Farnham.""
20 сен 2024
