The Clarendon Way

Jacks and I decided to venture forth on another walking weekend, but this time we had some company. We met Eugene and Heidi in Salisbury early on saturday morning, and after having a quick look around the cathedral we made our way out of town. The walk is 40km, give or take the odd detour, and we planned to complete about 60% on saturday. The first thing we came across was a partridge hunt, taking place on the outskirts of Salisbury. I use the term hunt very loosely, because the poor partridges had very little chance. The 'hunters' stand at the base of a small hill. People (the flag holders?) on top of the hill, guide the partridges (out of their pear trees?) out over the hunters below. The hunters, armed with shotguns, have very little difficulty in shooting the birds out of the sky. It is probably about as hard as throwing a tennis ball into a swimming pool from a distance of about 3 feet. Any wounded birds are neutralised by a posse of excitable hounds. In the time that we stood watching I estimate that about 30 birds were shot.

An hour later we found ourselves in a village called Pitton, and we sat ourselves outside at a pub called the silver plough. No partridge on the menu, but a great meal nevertheless. A couple of the rugged hunters arrived a while later, and they attacked the bar with an animal instinct, with one of them ordering a double ginger-ale and tonic water. Tough as nails I tell you.

We then walked and walked, and finally arrived in Kings Sombourne at 5. Our B&B was on a working farm, and Jackie and I had honour of sleeping in the shepherd's caravan. This was like one of those old gypsy caravans, and it was out in a field on the farm. Inside it had a double bed, and a old stove for heat. Without a doubt one of the best places we have had the good fortune of sleeping.

The next morning, after a great farm fresh breakfast, we walked out of the village, and in the general direction of Winchester. Most of the route was out in the country, with very little sign of civilisation. As we approached our goal we seemed to lose the track, but we still made it in the end (using the Wilsher way). Winchester is famous for it's cathedral, but it also has a great old college, and a lot of interesting churches. We had a quick look around one of these churches, called St Swithuns, before ending up at a famous pub called the Wykeham Arms. We rounded off the weekend with a quick drink, and then made our way back to our respective homes.