Each time we go home, we divide our time between friends and family, usually both in London and Hampshire… This time we spent the first half in London relaxing in unexpected sunshine, catching up, appreciating and reintroducing the Small People to once loved places (and English food stuffs!), and all the while patching up those all important soul-plasters.
Hampshire involved much of the same, but included treasured visits to my Grandparents, time spent in sacred spaces, and unwinding in the places where I know that I belong (don’t ever take that sense of belonging for granted will you? It’s of the things I find hardest to deal with in this nomadic life!)…
When in Hampshire, my Mum (Granny) often takes the reins, this time being no exception – which left us time and space to explore and daydream about where we might re-put down roots one day in the dim and distant future…
Winchester is one of those places I like to imagine us living (amongst thousands of others!), and is also somewhere we would both visit when we were small. To me it forever holds memories of cathedral visits and cream teas (both of which we tried to re-enact unsuccessfully on this particular day spent wandering – the Cathedral was closed for the Good Friday service, and the cream tea shop we could find that was open was packed to the gills!).
It hasn’t changed much despite evolving fashions and changing shop-fronts – England’s once capital city still remains a place full of character and of characters. One day perhaps, one day…
I highly recommend The William Walker (named after the diver who saved Winchester Cathedral) for a really decent English pub lunch (above!) with friendly staff to boot. And if your sweet tooth leaves you craving, then look no further than the newly opened Ginger Gelato (opposite it’s sister restaurant Ginger Two)… Where not only is the rum and raisin some of the best that I have ever tasted, you will also be asked to confirm that you are over 18 to buy it. If that doesn’t make your year, then I am not sure what will!
We live not far from Winchester but rarely visit as is often the case with places on your doorstep. When Bigger Miss was a baby we visited a few times but these days we don’t tend to venture so far just for shopping. Having said that OH drives past it every day to and from work – the A272 is a very familiar road for us. I think I should probably make the effort just for that ice-cream!
It will be worth it for the icecream alone! Promise! :)
A sense of belonging is so important. I’ve been once to Winchester and I thought it was lovely. I found a really fab interiors shop – Hambledon and basically, I’ve wanted to go back for that reason only. I also imagine shopping in Winchester without a small person in tow would be a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
Thanks Gemma, it really is. You lose quite a bit of your “voice” and your sense of identity when you have lived abroad for a certain amount of time… And, Hambledon is still there! :) xx
Judging by your photos Emma, Winchester looks like a great place to do some imaginary living. Even if you should decide t make the move in reality, this charming old town with all its characters seems to be not only a beautiful, but also a quite delicious place to spend some time living… :)
Thanks so much for the great comment Dennis! :)
It’s not a place I know at all, but you really make it sound worth visiting. Lovely pictures too.
Must be exciting talking about where you might put down roots, even if it’s possibly a little while off xx
Thank you T. Quite quite far off, but it’s nice to daydream! :D x
I can sense your feelings of wistfulness in your words. I wonder where you will eventually settle ?
Some great studies in your photos as always, Emma x
Thank you Trish! I spend half my life wondering that! :D xx
ooooh. Feeling Hampshire sick again… Winchester is one of my favourite palces. Did you get a look in Dinghams?
The William Walker happens to be opposite Dinghams, so I did call in there afterwards yes! :D Hope you are all OK, and settling in! xx
I’m not sure if I’ve been to Winchester… You’d think I’d know! Having memories of a wedding, but that could have been somewhere else entirely! Anyway, it looks lovely, and I am loving the thought of that ice cream :) And, I know just what you mean about making the most of the visits home x
Thanks Sara… :) x
Beautiful photos of a beautiful place – but if find out you were so close by and I didn’t see you I will go totally mentalarama…
:D I always think of you when I am at my Mums… You should bring K&O over to meet the Alpacas one day when I am home! :)
I’ve not been to Winchester but it looks just lovely, maybe one day….. Mich x
Thank you Mich! :) x
I have family in Winchester, your photography has given me a kick up the pants to go and visit!
You must. Go for cream tea in the Cathedral Cafe too, one of the best in the country apparently! :) Thank you x
I’ve had various friends live in Winchester but I don’t think I’ve ever been into the town itself. It looks lovely! And good grief, how I miss the pub. (And no amount of thinking about David Cameron is going to turn that around ;) )
I do love a good bier hall, but you are right, nothing but nothing can beat a real British Boozer! :D
I don’t think I’ve ever been to Winchester….. but you make it look very appealing. I just licked that ice cream! X
It was sooo good! Thank you S xx
Sadly I am now going to have to look at a map to see where it is!! I know I want to go visit though.
You can get the train from London, doesn’t take too long! :)
That statue of the rider on a horse… I am sure there is one JUST like it in London and I love it!
I am sure there is, it’s by Elizabeth Frink, one of my favourite artists! :) Thank you!
It’s a beautiful place isn’t it, we popped in on our way home from somewhere last summer and ate in the ASK restaurant in your photograph. Very family friendly.
I think that used to be a tea rooms when I was little! :D Thank you…
Wow posh bin men they have there!
Gorgeous photos as always.
He looked very proud of his work! I wondered if he had a wedding to go to afterwards so he didn’t have time to change, but apparently he likes to dress smart! :)
And Grannie lives in Wiltshire! Just on the border! x
Who knows Mum, that would be lovely. Not for a few years though! :D xx
i very nerly wen to university in winchester, a very lovely place indeed x
I wish I had done now, it looks lovely! Thanks V! :) x
Ohhh I do not believe I have ever been to Winchester before – it looks stunning!
Thank you, it is lovely! :)
I have never been to Winchester, your photos look amazing and definitely make me want to visit!!
Thank you Donna! :)
Have never been to Winchester, reminds me of York a little…looks lovely :) I spend most of my time planning to escape the place I live, even though it is perfectly lovely – if that is any consolation…
It has been so many years since I have been to York, I totally know what you mean though! Thanks Penny! :) x
what a fantastic city! never visited it but now i just want to.
Thanks Otilia! :)
Lovely visit and photos.
I have only been there once. xx
Thank you FW! :) x
It does look a lovely place. I’ve never been. That’s my husbands favourite ice cream flavour as well. He can have one of those whilst I take photos ;)
That sounds like a good deal to me! :D Thank you!
We lived in Winchester, my son was a chorister in the Cathedral. It’s lovely to see photos of it as we haven’t been back for about 4 years. We lived up on Oram’s Arbour for the last couple of years and the route you have photographed is the one I followed a couple of times a week as I went to listen to him at Evensong. IF you do ever think of living there – forget about driving! We went down to one car while we were there because I just gave up trying to get anywhere on time, the traffic was horrendous. As was parking. Apart from that, it was a wonderful place to live in.
Thanks so much for commenting Jane! I love the sound of walking to hear Evensong, sounds idyllic! Thanks also for the parking warning. Believe me at this rate, they will have invented flying cars by the time we move back! :D
Amazing photos (as usual), I’m loving the architecture, simply beautiful.
Thanks so much! :)
It looks gorgeous – your photos, as always, are works of art. I have never had a sense of belonging that you mention – never lived anywhere long enough as a child or an adult. I do much better here in Seoul where none of us expats really belong. I always struggled in the US, because I was never ‘from’ any of the places I lived, both as a child and as an adult.
Thank you for the lovely photo comment! That must be such a strange feeling Caroline. I hope Seoul is treating you well x
I’ve never been to Winchester but I always willing to travel for a good pub lunch (one of the things I missed most when living in CH). Hope you had a fab time at home and you’re soul feels the benefit x
I think that one was worth travelling for! Thank you x
We haven’t been to Winchester, but it’s been planned many a time. Maybe a drive this summer.
And yes – to not taking that sense of belonging for granted. One of the precious things to have; but one that you can only get a sense of when you leave.
I think it’s only other people who have experienced this who really understand what it can be like. You must visit Winchester, CM would love it – the round table is there too – and I know she would love the icecream! :) x
Oh it looks wonderful and what lovely photos
Thank you Becky! :)
Ooh, sounds like you had a wonderful time. And I do so know what you mean about that sense of belonging. I think that just about sums up the main drawback/difficulty to expat life, for me anyway.
It’s the one thing I really hate… Thank you Mary x
i havent been to Winchester for years not since i was about 10 on a visit with my Nanny to the cathedral, i was a bit bored at the time but i would love to return
you have taken some wonderful photos x
Who knows, we could have walked past each other! Thanks Jenny! :)
Winchester is only down the road from me but I have never been!
from the look of these pics I am seriously missing out.
I think you would like it T… Thank you! :)