Winchester City Mill

Our 2026 Abertawe Centre holiday was based in Winchester and it was superb. Many thanks must go to Kathleen and Hazel for their planning and Gordon our DJ Thomas coach driver who again made the holiday run smoothly. We visited four different Natural Trust properties and had a day exploring Winchester. Often the houses we visit are inspired by one person. At Mottisfont it was Maud Russell, at Hinton Ampner it was Ralph Dutton, at Hatchlands it was Alec Cobbe and at The Vyne it was John Chute.

But these properties are also set in wonderful grounds. Many of us leant on the bridge at Mottisfont gazing into the river Test at the huge brown trout. The garden talk from Roy, a NT volunteer at Hinton Ampner, was brilliant with his knowledge of plants and the spectacular trees so inspiring. Hatchlands still had their two donkeys and the wildlife in Little Wix Wood and Sheepwash Pond was fascinating. Whilst many of the gardens inevitably suffered from our long hot summer, the walled garden at The Vyne still had some excellent plants flowering and fruiting especially the dahlias and the squashes. This year, we had one day where we were left to explore Winchester. Some met up with old friends, some toured the school and the cathedral, and some had an excellent talk and tour of the City Water Mill with Nick, another NT volunteer. The walk past the school and through the water meadows was a real pleasure on a sunny afternoon.

We stayed in a really good hotel just north of Winchester. The food was good, the bedrooms really comfortable and the staff very friendly and helpful and of course there was the company of our fellow holidaymakers which made for a relaxing and often amusing five days.  I for one am looking forward to 2027 when we will be based near Oxford.