Winchester has always been one of my favorite places to visit.
The first time I ever travelled to England, Joe took me to the little character filled city and my heart swelled. I couldn’t get over the beautiful buildings, the whimsical high street and the stunning Cathedral in the middle.
And surprisingly, aside from a quick work trip over the summer, it’s actually been a few years since I’ve properly been back to explore. So on one of the many snowy days that hit the UK, that day we’d been down visiting Joe’s family in Southampton. So we journeyed up to Winchester from the south coast. Stopping off for an afternoon visit and a wander through this cute city on our way back to London.
And let me say, it’s seriously got character.
I felt like we’d stopped in at an incredibly magical time. The snow fall started to wisp around our hair, landing gently on our coats, and freezing our bare hands. The ice making it slightly difficult to walk through the streets.
So it wasn’t long before we ventured to a pub to take shelter. The Wykeham Arms is located a stone’s throw away from the Cathedral. A little bit out of the ‘centre’ of town, but well worth the 10 minute walk.
A roaring fireplace adorns the centre of the pub, alongside a sweeping bar filled with taps, tankards and pint glasses. It’s an earthy old world pub. Filled with fire logs, wooden tables and ornamental rugs. The kind of place you can sit in for hours, slowly soaking in the smoky aroma, watching tourists and locals alike catching up over a drink or two.
It’s beautiful. I immediately fell in love with it. There’s just something about a good old pub, isn’t there? Perhaps it’s being American and never growing up with that sort of thing around. Probably why I relish in it now.
So we sprawled out into an area most certainly designated for more than two people (but my camera, handbag and general equipment can round it up to at least three of us). And then we sat for a few hours. We set the world to rights while watching the snowfall outside.
Until the snow started to fall heavier and heavier. And then we knew we had to make our way back to the great city of London.
Of course, taking the scenic journey back.
Have you ever been to Winchester? What are some of your favourite places to go? I’m looking to try and go more frequently in the next few months and create more thorough guides to the city.
Kelly xoxo