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Named green and white discs with shell/two croziersSt Swithun's Way

Hampshire, Surrey

55 km / 34 miles
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.

The route also links with the South Downs Way at Winchester. Some six miles are coincident with the Allan King's Way in the stretch between Winchester and Ovington.


Details:

Waymark: Named green and white discs with shell/two croziers
Path Type: Paths Marked on OS mapping
Waymark: Named green and white discs with shell/two croziers
Attributes: Average Gradients
Downland/Wolds
River
Heritage
Pilgrimage
Start: SU481292 - Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire View on StreetMap
Finish: SU844465 - Farnham, Surrey View on StreetMap
Open Date: 2002
Web Sites: Hantsweb - St Swithun's Way Jason McDonald's Walking Pages - St Swithun's Way [blog] St Swithun's Way [YouTube video] St Swithuns Way - Winchester to Farnham [YouTube video]

Publications, Badges and Certificates:

Guidebook St Swithuns Way  (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform  - 2015 )
Guidebook Pilgrim routes of the British Isles  (Crowood Press  - 2016 )

Maps:

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Show Connected Path Outlines
National Trails (England & Wales)
Paths Marked on OS mapping
Other Paths

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2016.
© OpenStreetMap contributors under Open Database Licence.
Rights of way data from selected Local Authorities.
Large scale digital mapping is provided by John Thorn.
At high zoom levels the route is indicative only.
Purchase Ordnance Survey Maps (path is named on OS maps):
OS Landranger 185, 186
OS Landranger Active 185, 186
OS Explorer 32, 33, 144, 145
OS Explorer Active 32, 33, 144, 145
Other Paper Maps:
Map (Other)
St Swithun's Way (Hampshire County Council - 2017)

Walking Support Providers:

Support Providers
Support Providers
Baggage Handling and Self-Guided Walks (Walk & Cycle Britain Limited)
Support Providers
Baggage Handling (Eco Friendly Deliveries)
Support Providers
Self-Guided Walking Holidays (Contours Holidays)

Connected Paths:


Downloads:

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GPX Route File
St Swithun's Way GPX Exchange Format Route File
Last Updated 03/09/2020 17:18:10
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(Members Only)
MemoryMap Route File
St Swithun's Way Memory Map Route File
Last Updated 03/09/2020 17:18:10
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Tracklogs Route File
St Swithuns Way Tracklogs Route File
Last Updated 03/09/2020 17:18:11
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Route Profile:

53.7 km (33.4 miles)
691 m (2,267 ft) ascent
214 m (702 ft)  maximum height

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