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Plan Visit
We hope these notes will encourage you to visit St. Giles Hill. The park has a large open grassy area at the summit flanked by steep wooded slopes to the South and West. There is a maze of paths, many of which are not paved and many flights of steps. If you have any mobility issues visit our accessibility page.
The Park is a natural open space and home to a famous viewpoint with iconic views of the ancient capital of England. The park is popular with both locals and out of town visitors. A wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors and nature.
The mornings are quieter with locals mainly exercising and walking their dogs. It is busiest in the afternoons when visitors come to the viewpoint and in summer when small informal groups gather to hang out or picnic and young families come to play games. Couples often come after work to stroll and sit and enjoy the last of the sun.
Morning Light on Winchester Abbey
Sunset from the park's Upper Viewpoint
A Night View of the City
Tourists and photographers wishing to admire the City and its Cathedral will appreciate the early morning when the sun highlights the ancient stone buildings. Sunsets can be spectacular at any time of year and the City comes alive as the lights come on in the shadows below as the light fades.
The park is a haven for wildlife with bird song peaking in the Spring - a mobile phone app such as Merlin will help identify the birds. Bats are seen from shortly after sunset from April to October and Autumn colours across the Itchen valley put on a show.
Visitors regularly rate the viewpoint as one of the Top 10 Best free things to do in Winchester and many locals describe it as their “happy place”.
The park has a rich history, the Glade was once home to a Roman building - possibly a temple and in medieval times the top of the hill was the site of an international trade fair.
Taking time to explore can be rewarding. Interesting features and curiosities include four further viewpoints, an old water fountain, the wrought iron “Fox” bench dedicated to Paula Moran, an old stone inscribed “BS 1836”, and fence posts that were first laid as part of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Great Western Railway.
Wrought iron "Fox Bench"
Boundary Stone
Water fountain
Railway fence posts
Birds, bats, bugs and butterflies, grey squirrels and owls are all to be heard or seen at the right time of day and season of the year. See our programme of nature events here.
Nature lovers can extend their visit by going on to nearby nature reserves - Magdalen Down Butterfly Reserve or the HIWWT reserves of Winnall Moors or St. Catherine’s Hill. For those interested in history their visit can easily include the 12thC Church of St. John’s, Joyce Gardens and St Giles Hill Graveyard, which dates back to Saxon times.
The Friends organise guided walks during the Garden Festival in June and the Heritage Open Days (HOD) Festival in September. Led by Chairman Dr. Harry Mycock, a Chartered Horticulturist and historian these walks give a fascinating insight into the design, heritage and nature of this remarkable park, Check out our events page and the festival web sites for more details. Garden Festival here and HOD here
We also organise tours for local groups. For enquiries email: sghparkfriends@outlook.com
Our volunteers work hard all year round to help maintain the park and keep it nice for everyone who comes. If you would like to support them please make a donation or become a Friend for free – we will send you a monthly newsletter to keep you updated on events and activities. You can unsubscribe at any time.
For more information you can also visit:-
The Visitor Information Centre in the Guildhall have a leaflet on their “Sunset Walk”.
Winchester Tourist Guides provide occasional walking tours of St. Giles Hill and another to the Chesil Railway. See their website for dates and prices here.
A self-guided tour by local guide Lorraine Estelle can be downloaded here. This includes a visit to the St Giles Hill Graveyard and a route to include the Chesil Railway sites. Enough to fill a pleasant ½ day.
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