16 Years On, I Visited Winchester. The Place I Promised I’d NEVER Return
We all know the age-old cliché: NEVER SAY NEVER
But what about the Buttercross?
At 12 years old, I visited Winchester, Hampshire with my family, for my sister to view a prospective University. As we walked through the city centre, my sister told me not to touch the Buttercross, otherwise I’d be destined to return…
7 years later I enrolled into the University of Winchester and it was the worst 3 years of my life.
Determined to study outside of London, I eagerly looked forward to studying at University. I gathered prospectuses from DeMontfort, Cardiff, Swansea, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Staffordshire University.
Winchester was NOT on my radar.
Media Production and Journalism was my ideal course, as I’d considered myself creative, artsy, and good with words. Film studies didn’t quite cut it for me.
I wanted Journalism.
Media Studies sounded far from my ideal.
I wanted Production.
But still, a naive, 17- year-old me, gambled with my options.
Was I Destined To Choose Winchester?
As time went on, I guess you could say, I came to my senses, or I had an epiphany. I knew it wasn’t right to sacrifice what I wanted to study, just to avoid the only University I didn’t want to attend.
Cardiff University was my first choice but when I didn’t get in, everything in me wanted to accept the offer for my 2nd choice, DeMontfort, but I just couldn’t.
I suddenly knew I couldn’t endure studying Film Studies for three years.
My desire to attend Staffordshire had diminished, and I couldn’t see any sense in selecting anywhere other than Winchester. I already knew what Winchester had to offer.
A few decent pubs, a local Iceland, a beautiful Cathedral, and a couple of tourist attractions I probably wouldn’t visit.
But one thing that prominently stood out to me were the people of Winchester.
The warm smile’s.
The friendly hello’s.
The people of Winchester were lovely.
My student experience on the other hand was not something I wished to remember, so only God knows why I was led to visit the University upon my return.
Thankfully, Winchester is only a stone throw away from London, so that worked to my advantage because I suffered terribly from homesickness at the very same time I was sick of home.
There’s no way I could sum up my 3 year experience in one post, but I can say Winchester taught me a lot. Winchester that taught me how to persevere, how to survive (mentally and financially), and how to exist in a city that felt far from home
I learnt the best things about Winchester.
The quiet windy roads, the student chapel that was often empty, and the places I could escape to, when I just couldn’t get away…
16 years later, I mustered up the courage to visit Winchester. I wouldn’t be able to tell you why I chose to re-visit Winchester of all places, but desperation to get out of London felt thick, and I needed a quick escape.
So, I jumped on the train, and within 1.5hours, I broke the promise I made to myself.
Roaming through some of the quietest streets brought back some painful memories of isolation, but then, I quickly remembered the cheerful people of Winchester smiling warmly at me, saying Good Morning, and offering help when I appeared lost.
I wanted to test how good (or bad) my memory was, by blindly exploring, and to my surprise, I found everything, even the roads my housemates and I sat on while drunk.
Winchester is still as quaint and small as I remembered.
The People You Meet…
A short while spent at the Cathedral resulted in me meeting an extraordinary gentleman named Pascha. Pascha shared his work, his memories of visiting London, and snippets of his experiences as a Musician turned Photographer. It reminded me of how wonderful the people of Winchester really are.
Though I’m no photographer, I learnt skills, tricks, and tips in just a short while from Pascha, and for that I will be forever grateful.
The Best Things To Do in Winchester
If visiting Winchester is on your radar, I would suggest making a weekend out of it by pairing together a visit to Alresford, and maybe some afternoon retail therapy in Southampton. Winchester can fit a variety of budgets and there are plenty of things to do, places to eat, and stay.
Why not explore the beautiful Winchester Cathedral, for an afternoon prayer, an early visit, or even a musical performance.
Winchester City Museum is a great place to start. Why not grab some souvenirs and historic information about the once capital of England!
16 miles away, in the village of Chawton, you’ll discover the iconic Jane Austen’s house. An enchanting cottage where THE Jane Austen wrote her novels. One of the best places to explore. It’s about 30 mins away, but it is something definitely not to be missed. It’s the perfect place to write, reflect, and spend the day.
If you just want a bit of peace, Winchester has some of the quietest, peaceful, and bendy roads – perfect for a morning, afternoon, or evening stroll.
A visit to Wolvesley Castle, is also worth it. It’s literally a stone throw away from the Cathedral. It’s mainly just the ruins, but it’s still a great place to explore especially with the little ones.
Remember, You can’t visit the city centre without viewing the iconic monument – The Buttercross.
If you’re not strapped for time or cash, one of the best day trips you can do is the Winchester, Stonehenge and Salisbury tour!
Getting To Winchester
Winchester is 1.5 hours away from London Waterloo, by the South Western trains.
Don’t worry If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be able to get a Coach from Victoria Station to Southampton, and then a train from Southampton to Winchester, but be prepared to double your journey time.
Where To Stay?
Budget Accommodation
Best For: Families
6 mins to Cathedral
Mid- Luxury
Best For: Couples and Families
Mid Lux
Best For: Wellness and Solo Travellers
Upper Mid Luxury
Best For: Couples
High Luxury
Best For: Families, Weekend Getaways/ Retreats
High Luxury
Best For Families
Where To Eat
In 2009, the only dining place I remembered was Pizza Hut (possibly Dominoes) which is no longer there. Now, the high street is dotted with lots of tasty places to eat, offering the perfect atmosphere. Here are a few places that caught my eye.
The Ivy Brasserie
A sophisticated, stylish and art-deco inspired British Brasserie. Perfect for lunch or dinner dates.
Giggling Squid
Former Slug and Lettuce, this upscale Thai restaurant, (Giggling Squid ) has all the right aesthetics. Unfortunately, as it was still very early in the morning, they weren’t open, (otherwise this would have been my choice for lunch.)
Cote
Cote is a great place for both breakfast and lunch, on my last visit I had a pleasing Vegan breakfast.
Is Visiting Winchester Worth It?
Absolutely, and that’s coming from someone who vowed NEVER to return! Winchester is a lovely, quaint village, with some very friendly people. It’s become a neccesity for me to escape from the chaos in London as regularly as possible, and if it has to be Winchester, so be it! As for my experience studying at The University… that was a whole different ballgame.
Scan The QR Code…
Since March 2006, the Buttercross has been erected for maintenance. So, before you visit Winchester, visit Winchester City Council or simply scan the QR code in the image to get an up-to date estimate of when the works will be complete, and if they are complete, whatever you do…
DO NOT TOUCH THE BUTTERCROSS!
Where in the U.K have you visited? If Swansea is on your list, check out this post first!
And if you want to read about our wonderful beach stay in Newquay, check it out here!
With Love,
Siobhan Patrina xx
