Easy
Jane Austen - Winchester to Alton Walk
This two day / three night Jane Austen walking tour in the beautiful Hampshire countryside takes you to the area that was the inspiration for the works of Jane Austen, author of Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility and many others. The inspiring walk takes you past the house where the authoress lived and which is open to the public. Furthermore, you may like to make use of the picturesque Watercress railway line, that runs between Alresford and Alton. This Jane Austen walking holiday holiday can run on any day, subject to accommodation availability, but you may like to check the opening hours of Jane Austen's house and the timetable of the railway from the links below.
Jane Austen Walking Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Travel to Winchester for overnight in the ancient capital of England with its historic town centre and magnificent cathedral.
Day 2: Walk to Alresford. Starting at Winchester Cathedral, the route weaves its way east through the picturesque Itchen Valley. You will pass through several pretty and unspoilt Hampshire villages, offering oppurtunities to visit numerous churches with pilgrimage connections and welcoming country pubs. The beautiful village of Alresford for overnight. 9 miles/14.4 kms
Day 3: A pretty walk across country and through woodland, passing through several little villages to finally arrive at Chawton, Jane Austen's ancestral home and thence the last stretch into the town of Alton, from where you return to Alresford for overnight. 12 miles/19.2 kms
Day 4: Departure after breakfast. Return to Winchester either by taxi (arrange locally) or by bus (regular services to Winchester, 15 minute journey).
Price:
£375.00 per person based on two people sharing one room
Single supplement on request
Jane Austen Walking Tour Practical Information:
USEFUL LINKS FOR THE JANE AUSTEN WALKING TOUR
www.watercressonline.co.uk/index.php
http://www.jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk/
ACCOMMODATION:
A selection of carefully chosen B&B's or Inns – all rooms with private bathrooms. Upgrades are possible and it is possible to mix and match the accommodation if you wish – please ask us.
WHAT TO TAKE
Sturdy walking boots and walking socks (with a change of socks in rucksack), rucksack/day pack, 1 x water bottle with 1 litre capacity, insect repellent, sun glasses, sun hat, sun block/cream, compass, torch, first-aid kit
WHEN TO GO
April to October. Accommodation will be difficult to obtain on UK national holidays unless booked well in advance (and may require an alteration to the programme).
GETTING THERE:
The nearest airports are London (Heathrow) or Southampton
RAIL: The walk begins in Winchester, which is on the main railway line from London (Waterloo). There are also direct services to Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournmouth, Weymouth, Leeds, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester and others.
INCLUDED:
3 nights B&B with private bathrooms, luggage transportation each walking day, route notes and maps, local back-up.
NOT INCLUDED:
Lunches, dinners, drinks, insurance, anything not mentioned in programme.
INSURANCE
We recommend that you take out appropriate holiday insurance covering you against illness, injury, and loss or damage to luggage. This insurance should also cover the possibility of your having to cancel your holiday for whatever reason.