CAMINO INGLÉS – Day 5: Friday 28 August 2026 – MARTYR WORTHY to EASTLEIGH (12.5 miles)
What great fortune Rachel and I enjoyed today, in having local residents Karen and George as tour guides for our memorable walk through the historic City of Winchester. Karen is vicar at three churches in the city, so is not just knowledgeable about the locality but also very much a part of the heart and the history of this place: we took in the three churches – St Bartholmew’s, St Lawrence’s and St Swithun’s, together with the Cathedral and many other city sights. The fifth day of our Camino Inglés certainly proved to be a deep and fascinating dive for the two of us, into the past and present of one of England’s finest medieval centres.
Our morning walk saw us continuing to follow the River Itchen downstream, before touring the streets of medieval Winchester . . .. . . ahead of a more straightforward afternoon ramble southward down the valley to Eastleigh
Without further ado, here are the pictorial highlights of our day.
Diversion avoided: the local farmer helped us out with reassurance that his bullocks are harmless: ‘just tap ‘em on the nose with ya walking pole’!So, it was with some relief that we made it, hotfoot, to the light at the end of the M3 underpassI took these originally as impressive sloes but, on reflection, they are probably wild damsonsSunlit teasels . . .. . . at the sanctuary of Kings Worthy’s St Mary’s Church . . .. . . for the day’s first Pilgrim Passport stampFishing on the Itchen – as well as herons, collectively we have spotted several kingfishers over the last few days – all far too quick for a camera shotApproaching Winchester, once more by the banks of the Itchen, I happened upon this curious tableau – though everyone seems to be happy enoughIn the northern outskirts of Winchester our path left the river, to reach St Bartholomew’s Church in Hyde . . .. . . where we were warmly welcomed by the Vicar!Karen is very much part of the fabric of this church . . .. . . whilst others have also left their mark . . .. . . since the building’s founding in 1110A colourful group photo-call by the granite mouteira in the churchyard, donated by the Galicians of northern Spain just last yearOur walk continued, under the arch of Hyde Abbey . . .. . . to Winchester’s hectic centreKaren’s second church, St LawrenceThen we made it to the magnificent gothic Cathedral, founded in 1079 with additions up to the early 16th CenturyInside, the nave is lined by an awe-inspiring forest of columns – and at 170 metres it is the longest medieval cathedral in European historyPilgrims would enter through a dedicated door – a route which we felt bound to followOutside, in Cathedral Close, this statue of Jane Austen marks the connection with the author’s life and work in HampshireSt Swithun’s, a single upstairs room over Kingsgate, is the third of Karen’s churches . . .. . . and an absolute gem to beholdLeaving the city and heading southward, we passed (without climbing!) the chalk mound of St Catherine’s Hill, the site of a one-time Iron Age fort, and now a biological SSRI (Site of Special Scientific Interest)We just beat a heavy rain shower to the Hospital of St Cross, and its medieval almshouses . . .. . . where we took lunch and sampled the pilgrims’ dole of bread and ale . . .. . . before following the signs . . .. . . back to our walk by the ItchenSurveying the river . . .. . . and its tributariesTranquility under threatening skies (that were soon to see us dash to the Platform One café at Shawford Station to escape the next downpour) . . .. . . before resuming our riverside walk . . .. . . to the falls at AllbrookThrough the undergrowth on the day’s final mile . . .. . . then a last meander . . .. . . brought us back from fantasy to the reality of Eastleigh
Today, our fifth day on the Camino Inglés, we were blessed once again – by Karen on the steps of St Bartholomew’s, and also in somehow managing to stay dry despite the heavy rain showers. But tomorrow the skies are forecast to be grey, with more prolonged periods of rain expected through most of the day. And the week of exertion is catching up on our bodies too, with a few aches and blisters to report – meaning that we decided to drive, rather than to walk, into the centre of Winchester tonight in search of sustenance, before hitting the sack a little earlier than usual. Let’s see what the morrow brings.
‘Winchester Cathedral’ is my obvious song title heading for today’s Blog. The short ballad under that name is a quirky piece of work from 1966 by the New Vaudeville Band, a British novelty group established by the song’s composer Geoff Stephens who was a big fan of the old Music Hall tunes. The work was suitably delivered in traditional style with vocalist John Carter singing through cupped hands in order to replicate the megaphone effect of erstwhile vaudeville artists. Though it hit the top of the US chart (and reached No 4 in the UK), I am favouring on my playlist Petula Clark’s version from the following year, a rendition that is perhaps a little easier on the ear.
Replacing some precious lost calories at the Pasta Evangelists restaurant in Winchester tonight
One thought on “Winchester Cathedral”
Lovely photos Nick…. and of course the aforementioned Geoff Stephens lived in Potten End
Walking for Fun, Challenge and Charity! 
Lovely photos Nick…. and of course the aforementioned Geoff Stephens lived in Potten End
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