The best running trails around Twyford

If you’re looking for a peaceful escape with some of the best views in Hampshire, St. Catherine's HillClick to open side panel for more information is a fantastic spot. Managed by the Wildlife Trust, this 58-hectare chalk grassland sits just on the edge of Winchester and offers a mix of ancient history and quiet nature that feels worlds away from the city center. The "Climb": To get to the summit, you’ll likely tackle a long set of over 100 wooden steps. It’s a bit of a workout, but the reward is a 360-degree panorama of Winchester Cathedral, the surrounding water meadows, and the rolling South Downs. The Mizmaze: Near the top, tucked beside a clump of beech trees, is a rare 17th-century turf labyrinth. Unlike a traditional maze with dead ends, this is a single, winding path cut into the chalk. It’s a local tradition to "toll the labyrinth" by walking the entire 600-meter path to the center. Iron Age Roots: The hill is actually an ancient hill fort. As you wander around the top, you can still clearly see the massive earthwork banks and ditches that were dug over 2,500 years ago. Wildlife Spotting: If you visit in the summer, the hillsides are famously covered in wildflowers and at least 25 species of butterflies, including the bright blue Chalkhill Blue. You might even run into the "resident" British White cattle used for conservation grazing. Pro-tips for a relaxed visit: Parking: The small car park on Garnier Road is the most convenient, but it fills up fast on weekends. A good alternative is using the St. Catherine’s Park & Ride and taking the scenic footpath along the river to reach the base of the hill. Coffee & Cake: At the bottom of the hill on Garnier Road, check out The Handlebar Café. It’s a cool, cycle-themed social enterprise made from old shipping containers that serves great coffee and snacks—perfect for a post-climb treat. Accessibility: If the steps sound a bit much, there is a much gentler, flatter route that winds around the back of the hill via "Plague Pits Valley."

St Catherine's Hill is a prominent chalk downland hill on the outskirts of Winchester, notable for its layered historical and ecological importance. Now a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed as a nature reserve, its summit is ringed by the impressive earthworks of a univallate Iron Age hillfort dating back over 2,000 years. The top is marked by a distinctive copse of beech trees, known as 'The Clump', which contains the scant ruins of the 12th-century St Catherine's Chapel, while the hillside features a turf-cut labyrinth known as the Miz-Maze; the entire site provides spectacular views over the city, the Itchen Valley, and supports a rich variety of wildflowers and butterflies, including the protected Chalkhill Blue.

Stop and find a place to to take a good pic of the Church along this section. The Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty in Winchester is one of England's oldest continuing charitable institutions, founded around 1132 by Bishop Henry of Blois to provide relief for thirteen poor men and food for many others, a mission later expanded by Cardinal Henry Beaufort. Renowned for its beautiful medieval and Norman architecture, including a magnificent church described as a "cathedral in miniature," it functions today as an almshouse providing accommodation for around 25 elderly men, known as the Brothers, who wear traditional black or claret gowns. Visitors often seek the traditional Wayfarer's Dole, a small cup of beer and a piece of bread offered to any traveller upon request, continuing an ancient tradition of hospitality.

There is a cadence cafe an the entrance,

Lovely village pub to have lunch

This pub has a big garden and we stopped there many times for a break during a long walk through the surrounding countryside. Food and drinks all great.

Waters are crystal clear!

Great view of St Cross along this pathway for a good 200m