My Trip to Winchester
My Trip to Winchester
It’s another weekend with fine weather and pleasant temperature. After the visit to my friend’s cousin in Winchester last weekend, my friend and I decided to
go and explore the historic place more. From the local Hampshire event magazine,
I found potentially there is a four-hundred-acre farm and park to explore. So after some consideration, we decided to head for the farm.
Once again it was interesting to see how far twenty-minute train could take us.
Winchester looked very different from Eastleigh, or maybe the opposite is true.
Winchester, like many other England cities, looks calm and green in summer. Houses and buildings are dotted around either green wood or grass fields. There was
a college walk to visit, historic cathedrals to admire, and more importantly loads of foot paths to explore, which could lead you to different parts of the city
at different directions.
Soon after getting off the train, my friend and I headed for Southwest direction
where the farm is located at. We passed a few ancient architectures, spotted a
bakery shop by its smell on the way, and there we bought two yummy Cornish pasties and two sausage rolls. Strange enough the city center, where the bakery shop
is located, though crowded didn’t look bad at all. Shops were well laid out and no one stared at me as those in Eastleigh did. More manners, that’s what it is.
With our map we soon spotted the right lane and left the city center. Because of the gentle wind and that the sun only came out intermittently, it was very pleasant to walk along the residential lanes. Thanks to my friend’s sound navigation skills we soon reached the edge of the city and entered into the wood, where
there were shades and soft soil to welcome us.
Later the wood was replaced by open fields. There I spotted a few pretty wild flowers blooming among the yellow butter cups and couldn’t help picking and putting one on my tiny pony tail and feeling really vain. But that was not the best part of the story. After treading and almost battling through a narrow path where
nettles and wild roses are overgrown, we bumped into a field of red poppies, so
bizarre yet so beautiful.
To the left of the poppy field there was unlimited green space in the distance.
Both my friend and I were leaning towards the nature and temptation but eventually our ration stopped and urged us to follow the map and look for the farm. But
what a disappointment it turned out to be. The so called manor farm and park were recently changed to a golf ground. We had to stick to our path in order not to
run into the danger of being hit by golf balls!
But anyway there was no grudge, as there would be always longing and wondering if we hadn’t checked it out. After the golf ground we headed back to the city center via a different route. We passed lovely wood, thick wheat fields, streams
and rivers, and believe it or not a lovely hill. On the top of the hill you could have an overview about the layout of the city.
Though my legs were dropping off when we were back to the railway station, I was
very happy for what we came across during the day. I believe walks like this can always give one a gist of the place. If you enjoy the walk the first time it
is definitely worth coming back and exploring more.
|
轻松英语