Overview:
We need to car share for this leg as there are no viable public transport options to reach the start, however we do not need to shuttle the cars as we can return to the start by bus. This is one of the longer legs of the Project Walk and it appears to be one of the most picturesque stretches. The walk follows the Itchen (a beautiful chalk stream) for some of the way and it could be damp and muddy in places, especially after rain (hopefully it will not be flooded!!).  We will probably be home after 7pm, but it depends on buses etc. The walk does not have any large climbs, but there could be some uphill sections.

NB this walk will not have been recced.  The information about facilities etc has only been researched via the internet and could be inaccurate. In addition, the walk has only been plotted "virtually" so everyone will need to be a bit flexible if things go wrong!

Please sign up at least 5 days before the walk to allow time to plan the car share.  When you sign up, please indicate if you are willing to drive.  Car share costs are estimated at £15 each.

Travel: 
Car share leaves Ashford at 9.00am. Everyone drives initially to the Arlebury Long Stay Car Park (Recreation Centre, The Avenue, New Alresford, SO24 9EP).  It should be £2 to park each car for the day.   We should arrive around 10.00am.

At the car park, we all boot up and take everything that we need for the day. It is a short walk to the Tiffin Tea Rooms where we will all meet up for tea/coffee/loo (See detailed map for locations). 

We will start the walk when we are all ready (at around 10.45am). There are a number of possible stops en-route (we don't have to do them all!):

• Bush Inn (pilgrim stamp and possible loo stop) after 3 miles
• St Mary's Church in Itchen Stoke (unique architecture)
• St John the Baptist (pilgrim stamp) after 5 miles
• St Swithun's Church (pilgrim stamp) after about 6.5 miles
• St Mary's Church in King's Worthy (pilgrim stamp) after about 8 miles
• The King Alfred pub in Hyde (pilgrim stamp) and St Bartholomew's church after around 10 miles

We will have lunch at the Plough in Itchen Abbas at around 1pm. This serves sandwiches, soup etc for just under a tenner and has a pilgrim stamp. The menu online is just a sample, so we will have to hope for the best when we arrive! ALL walkers have been included in the lunch booking, so please let me know if you do NOT want to be included).

We end the walk in Winchester, just before we reach the cathedral. As this is a long leg, the proposal is that we either have a final drink at the King Alfred pub in Hyde or just find a coffee house or pub in Winchester and then head for the bus back to the start. The bus will probably be the number 64; it leaves from The Broadway (Stand 5) and runs every 20 minutes.

Facilities:
There are toilets in the cafe at the start, at the Bush Inn (if we are desperate), at the Plough (after 5 miles) and at the end when we are in Winchester.

Lunch:
Ideally we will all buy lunch at the Plough. If anyone really wants a packed lunch, there may be somewhere to eat it nearby while the rest of us eat in the pub.

Leaders: Mike and Della