Mizmaze


 
St Catherine's Hill
is one of my favourite places.

The hill in the distance

It's just outside Winchester (UK). The hill has a very distinctive stand of Beech trees on the top (the left-hand one on the horizon above). My main reason for going there is to see the 'mizmaze', a turf cut maze that may date from the 17th Century.
You can get to the hill by walking across the water-meadows from the St Cross area of Winchester: since "They" built the new road, access on foot is easy, it used to be fairly dangerous. Or, if you want, there's a car park at the bottom now, drive along the St Cross road until you're roughly level with the hill. Then either turn down Norman Road and left onto Kingsgate St, or down Romans Road and turn right. The road you want is marked "Household Waste Recycling": drive across the watermeadows and the car park is on your right.
Find Your Way in the Woods  

My preferred access to the hill is from the car-park, under the old railway bridge, and between a pair of trees which, if you're feeling romantic, look like guardians of the space...


 

Read the sign-boards, which are fun, then walk between the trees and along the path.

Soon, on the right, you'll find the steps Hampshire Conservancy have made, which go right up to the top...

Steps, take a deep breath