Page 14 - Dec 2022

Wednesday took us seven miles away to Alresford for a steam train
ride on the Watercress Line, so named because it was used to
transport watercress from fields to markets. In typical British fashion
the steam locomotive broke down on the first stop of the trip and was
replaced by a diesel unit. We had a really nice lunch at the Horse &
Groom pub before catching the bus back to Winchester.

This time we had to take public transportation as our coach driver was
required to take 45 hours off but that couldn't have been better. Buses
and trains run often and are inexpensive once you get used to them.
Thursday was "on our own" since we had no coach so we spent the day
walking around Winchester and took a tour of the massive Winchester
Cathedral (that's our photo at right) the beginnings of which date back
to the 7th century.

Winchester is a great city to spend time in and it worked beautifully as
a hub for our coach tour. It was no more than an hour from any of our
destinations so we weren't on the coach too much. We also toured the
Winchester City Museum and The Great Hall , a 13th century building
that features a very large round table linked to King Arthur. That
afternoon we enjoyed a proper English tea service in the hotel's
private, walled garden.

Friday we were off to the Goodwood Revival, racing cars from 1948 to
1966 ,as well as live bands, countless vendors, another aircraft display,
helicopter rides, a recreation of the Earl's Court Motor Show, and much
more. Many spectators drove their classic cars and you could easily
spend a day walking through the parking fields just looking at them.

A large number of spectators dressed in period costume (including us--
that's our group's photo over on the right). We could have gone back to
the revival on Saturday but, since Cindy's Fitbit said she had walked
17,000 steps on Friday, we decided to take it easy and hang out in
Winchester again on Saturday.

We walked a few blocks from the hotel to The Westgate Museum, a
medieval gate dating back to Roman times, and stumbled upon a small
car show! We also visited the Winchester City Mill , a working corn mill
with an undershot water wheel that was built on the Itchen River
during Saxon times. Continues on page 15

Left : At Christmas time a
traditional British market sets
up in the shadow of the 7th
century Winchester
Cathedral. Both images of the
14 cathedral by iStock