🔴 Challenging🐕 Dog-friendly

Clarendon Way (Salisbury Section)

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Distance

26 miles (full); 9 miles (Salisbury to Pitton section)

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Duration

2–3 days (full); 1 day (Salisbury section)

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Difficulty

Challenging

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Start

Salisbury Cathedral

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Best Season

May–September for best conditions

26 miles of ancient trackway — walk the route from Salisbury Cathedral to Winchester

The Clarendon Way is a 26-mile walking route linking Salisbury Cathedral to Winchester Cathedral — two of England's greatest medieval masterpieces connected by ancient downland paths, woodland tracks and river valleys. The Salisbury section is one of the finest stretches of the route.

Starting from Salisbury Cathedral, the route heads east through the Avon Valley before climbing onto the open chalk plateau of Clarendon Park — once a royal hunting forest beloved by medieval kings including Henry II and Henry III. The ruins of Clarendon Palace, a favourite 13th-century royal residence, lie off the main route and are well worth a detour.

The path offers a brilliant mix of landscapes: river meadows, ancient woodland, chalk downland and wide valley views. The full 26 miles can be split into sections — the Salisbury to Pitton stretch (about 9 miles) makes an excellent day walk with a return by taxi.

Route Details

🚏Start pointSalisbury Cathedral, The Close

🏁End pointWinchester Cathedral (full route) or Pitton village (day section)

🥾TerrainMixed — river valleys, chalk upland, woodland tracks, some steep sections

🅿️Parking nearbySalisbury city centre car parks (various). Central Rail Station for train return from Winchester.

🌤Best seasonMay–September for best conditions; April and October also excellent

🏛️Nearby attractionClarendon Palace ruins (off route, 3 miles east of Salisbury)

Map & Start Point

🧭 Open full route in Google Maps →

Route Highlights

✓Two UNESCO Cathedral cities connected by ancient paths

✓Clarendon Palace ruins — abandoned royal medieval palace

✓Clarendon Park — ancient woodland and deer park

✓Wide views over the Avon and Bourne Valleys

✓Traditional Hampshire and Wiltshire villages along the route

Local Tips

→Download the OS map of Explorer 130 (Salisbury) before setting out

→The Clarendon Way is waymarked with oak leaf signs — follow these carefully

→Pitton village has a good pub (Silver Plough) for the day walk endpoint

→For the full route, book accommodation in Broughton or Kings Somborne the night before Winchester

→Start early from Salisbury — the route has no facilities for the first 5 miles

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the full Clarendon Way take?

The full 26-mile route typically takes 2–3 days to walk. Strong walkers complete it in a long 2-day hike. The Salisbury to Pitton day section (9 miles) takes about 4–5 hours.

Can I get a train back from Winchester?

Yes — the train from Winchester to Salisbury runs frequently (South Western Railway) and takes about 50 minutes. A great option for a one-way walk.

Is the Clarendon Way well signed?

Reasonably well — look for oak leaf waymarkers. An OS map (Explorer 130 and 132) or a GPS download is strongly recommended.

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