The first time we climbed the steps from the bottom of Magdalene Hill we were visiting Winchester looking for somewhere to live. It was proving harder than we had expected after accepting a promotion we had decided to relocate from Rutland.
With our young family we climbed the steps up through the trees glad for a respite from trailing around the estate agents. The children raced ahead and soon we all reached the top exhausted. We collapsed in the sun and lay on the grass simply enjoying the sky, the view and pleasant surroundings. I sighed and said, “this is the sort of place we should live”.
It was two years later after renting north of Basingstoke that we eventually found and bought a house we felt we could call home. By a happy coincidence it was just 200 yards along the road from the park. It has since been our home for more than 35 years.
Whilst the children were growing we often came to the park. A favourite activity was kite flying in the wind that often blows. One got caught in the trees where it hung like a decoration for several years. We have happy memories of picnics and sports days with our friends and neighbours.
As we grew older my wife and I measured our fitness by which route we would choose to take on our way home from the town and how tired we were at the top.
Several year ago I became seriously ill and for a while was confined to a wheelchair. Gradually I learnt to walk again and walking to the park became a goal. It took several months but eventually it became possible and the walk to watch the sunsets has been a frequent activity ever since.
Every season is different. The spring bulbs dance in the breeze, in the summer there are picnics and wild flowers, in autumn the colours of the trees and mist swirls around whilst crisp winter days can bring a clarity to the sky that makes the views exceptional.
Comments