SWC 254: Midsummer Special -- Salisbury Circular T=swc.254
Length: 20 miles/32.2 km -- with various shorter options available (16.6 miles/ 26.8km; 15.5 miles/25km or 10.6 miles/17km) -- see walk description for details.
Train: Take the 9:31AM Great Western Swansea bound train from London Paddington (NOT Waterloo), changing in Reading (arrive 9:45; depart 10:12) to arrive in Salisbury at 11:18. Return trains are at 17:59; 18:44; 19:27; 20:21 and 21:21 -- some of these trains require a change.
Difficulty: 7 out of 10
This walk explores the Chalke Valley in the Cranbourne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It features a fine historic cathedral, pretty villages, atmospheric downland and water meadows. There are various options to reduce the length to suit most tastes. More information on the walk and its instructions and GPX can be found here.
Lunch: Looks like we will be spoiled choice -- as there are a selection of charming pubs along the route -- see walk notes.
Tea: The recommended tea/post walk refreshment spot is the Old Mill at Harnham -- about 1 km before the end of the walk.
1 comment:
Just a select group of n=3 on this really rather excellent walk. We all enjoyed it and thought it possibly one of the more under-posted delights of the extensive SWC library. People (and posters) should not be put off by the 20 mile headliner as the shorter routes would also be enjoyable. In fact, we opted for the 16.5 mile/26.8km version which was fabulous and did include a substantial portion of the dramatic coombes featured on the full length route. Two of us had a very pleasant lunch in the garden at the White Hart in Bishopstone and were joined by our picnicker for a coffee. We all set off for afternoon together and enjoyed the grand views and dramatic scenery. We arrived at the lovely tea stop in Harnham at 18:30 which was most unfortunate (for me anyway) -- as we had just enough time to make the 18:44..... so sadly on we went.... had we only been 5 or 10 minutes slower...there would have been no reason not to stop to wait for the next train.... A glorious day out in w=mostly-sunny-conditions with group cohesion at 100%.
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