We are the Winchester Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
Harry M.
Jane Austen spent the last eight years of her life at Chawton Cottage next to where we start this walk. We are able to step out into the countryside that Jane knew and walked. Whilst in Chawton she revised and added to her works and finally had the breakthrough in being published with Sense and Sensibility in 1811, Pride and Prejudice in 1813, Mansfield Park in 1814 and Emma in 1816.
We head South to Farringdon, a village where Jane would walk to pay visits before looping back mainly through farmland to Chawton.
Though there are short stretches of country lane the walk is largely through mainly arable farmland with a section of about 1.5km along a disused railway.
This walk is free and in conjunction with the Beyond the Bonnets: Working Women in Jane Austen’s Novels at The ARC, Winchester from 26 July to 2 November 2025 and the walk needs to be booked on the ARC’s web site, arcwinchester.org.uk. Simply scroll to the date in the What’s On section. https://www.arcwinchester.org.uk/event/chawton-jane-austen-celebration-95-45-mile-walks
Please wear appropriate footwear for a country walk. Bring the layers needed for the English summer. Bring along plenty of drink and picnic refreshments for the day. We will stop for a mid morning break and lunch.
The green opposite Jane Austen’s House, Chawton. There is an adjacent CP or parking is on the roadside in the village, this mainly along the dead end part of the Winchester Road right along to further free parking towards Chawton House (not to be confused with Jane Austen’s House Chawton near our start point).
