St Swithun's Way

St Swithun's Way

A walking holiday from Winchester to Farnham through Hampshire and Surrey

4 to 5 nights
35 miles
Easy / Moderate to Moderate

From £560 per person

Find your holiday

About this route

4 to 5 nights
35 miles
Easy / Moderate to Moderate
2nd January to 24th December

From £560 per person

St Swithun's Way

St Swithun’s Way is a historical trail that was named after St Swithun, Bishop of Winchester in the 9th century. The walk departs Winchester on a 34-mile ramble through the Hampshire and Surrey countryside, shadowing the medieval Old Pilgrim’s Way that once connected St Swithun’s Shrine with the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. St Swithun’s Way itself only goes as far as Farnham, but it can be linked with the North Downs Way to complete that epic pilgrimage.

Regardless, St Swithun’s Way is an excellent walking holiday in its own right, combining waterside paths with country lanes and woodland stretches. It passes farms, churches and the home of Jane Austen in Chawton as it weaves through this interesting part of rural England, delving into the little-known Itchen Valley and along the bank of the River Wey.

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© Contours Walking Holidays St Swithun's Way map
Winchester / Farnham
35 miles (56 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday highlights

Starting your holiday with a visit to Winchester Cathedral and the Shrine of St Swithun.

Walking footpaths lined with wheat between welcoming rural villages.

Following the River Wey toward Farnham.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
SSW1 From Winchester to Farnham 4 nights, 3 days walking Moderate £560
SSW2 From Winchester to Farnham 5 nights, 4 days walking Easy / Moderate £695
White horse at Alton Barnes - White horse at Alton Barnes
White horse at Alton Barnes White horse at Alton Barnes
Sunshine on St Swithun's Way - Sunshine on St Swithun's Way
Sunshine on St Swithun's Way Sunshine on St Swithun's Way
Winchester Cathedral - Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral Winchester Cathedral
"Winchester Cathedral" by Sue Daber (2023) "Winchester Cathedral" by Sue Daber (2023)
"Winchester Almshouses" by Steven McDonough (2017) "Winchester Almshouses" by Steven McDonough (2017)
A lantern at the great hall in Winchester - A lantern at the great hall in Winchester
A lantern at the great hall in Winchester A lantern at the great hall in Winchester