Regular readers of this site will be aware of my fondness for St Catherine's Hill, which was the subject of my first ever web page that wasn't about Morris Dancing. I've been visiting the hill and its Mizmaze for thirty years or more: in the early days this involved taking one's life in one's hands to get access from a layby on the phenomenally busy bypass. The building of the new motorway cutting was controversial, but I think the area has gained more than it's lost. It's possible to walk out gently across the water-meadows: one of the first changes made to the conservation area was the addition of steps at the north (main) access point to the hill. Now, the addition of new steps up from the south side allows a circular walk starting and ending at the railway station. It's perhaps a tad on the long side, but you can take it gently: the strenuous bit is in the middle so there's time to relax afterwards. If you want a shorter, less strenuous walk that still justifies a pub lunch, read about my suggestion here.
Start by turning right out of the main (city side) station exit. Walk along to the end of Newburgh Street, and turn left, away from the bridge over the railway, in front of the white house - it's signed on foot for the Great Hall. Pass the Westgate pub (or drop in for a drink or a snack) and walk through the arch of what is, logically, the old west gate. You can detour to the Great Hall and the painted "round table" with the names of Arthur's knights on it, then carry on to the traffic lights and turn right down the main road out to St Cross. Don't worry, it not all this busy and bustling.
Turn left down Canon Street, after the Green Man pub (also worth a stop, although at the time of writing it's just changed hands and I haven't had chance to sample the food yet), and then right at the bottom into Kingsgate Street. Now you enter the peace and quiet of the college area. There are tours of the college at specific times, which can be arranged in advance with the porter. The calm air after the bustle of the city centre is for me exemplified by the churchyard of St Michael's Church, hidden away on the right hand side of the road. Then pass the Queen pub, my favourite stopping off point, documented here.
When you can tear yourself away, continue along Kingsgate Road and take the next left, which is clearly in the direction of the hill itself. Walk across two river bridges, not forgetting to admire the water-meadows, until you come to a car park by a bridge under the old railway. This is the main access point, but the new steps allow a longer walk without doubling back. Walk along the river (the bridleway is usually less muddy) until the path starts to turn alongside the motorway. On the left, just when you run out of confidence, is a gate with a sign-board.
Walk through the gate, across the neatly re-profiled area that used to be the old road. Yes, the path really does lead up that steep slope, through the woods to a very distinctive clump of trees, known locally as "Arethusa's Clump". Unfortunately it's fenced off, but he winter silhouettes are wonderful and while you catch your breath you're rewarded with a wonderful view that confirms that St Catherine's Hill was a hill fort. The descent from Arethusa's Clump can be difficult in wet weather, so take care and use the less steep paths where you can. Walk to the bottom of the new steps up the side of the hill, and climb them. Take your time and enjoy the views.
At the top, walk clockwise round the trees until you reach a fairly obvious entrance into the clump of beeches. At their centre, and the reason that there's a clearing, are the buried ruins of the Norman chapel of St Catherine, after which the hill is named. On a clear evening in early summer, the sunsets are spectacular: there's another picture here. Now walk out of the other side of the woods to confront the Mizmaze.
Although it may not look it, the track of the maze is about seven hundred yards long, so tracing it all the way in and back out again adds almost a mile to the walk, but it's hard to resist. It may once have been a fairly conventional nine course maze, traversing the four outer corners and then the four inner sections, but it's been re-cut on several occasions and one designer had a sense of humour. It's particularly fun to watch younger children, but do ask them to take care and not damage the turf.
Now you can walk down the other side of the hill. Exit opposite the trees and walk down what was one of the ditches of the hill fort. This sunken path is almost a tunnel in the trees and it's easy to imagine a descent into the bowels of the earth.
One emerges into daylight at the top of what is now the older set of steps. These were wonderful when the were first installed, but they're a bit uncomfortable to walk up now and slippery in the wet, so once again take care.At the bottom, the path turns clockwise and runs between two very distinctive trees before emerging back into the car park.
Rather than retrace the route back into the city, consider taking the new Millennium Pilgrims' Path. This runs along another stretch of the river, past some playing fields and back into the hustle and bustle. Following it all the way takes you into the city centre, but to unwind gently and finish the walk as it began, I suggest turning left at the first brick bridge across the river.
This is College Way. Follow the main route round a right hand turn into College Street and turn right at the Wykeham Arms, to another arch. This is Kingsgate, after which Kingsgate Street is named, and is topped by the quiet and elegant church of St Swithun Upon Kingsgate, for my money the nicest of the city churches that's regularly open. The entrance to the church is through the arch, on the left. Then it's back to the busy city. Walking up St Swithun Street, you'll see the Green Man once again, turn right and you're back at the traffic lights.
Here, right takes you to the centre and the cathedral, left retraces the complex route to the station past the Westgate pub, or straight on is the direct route back to the railway station. If you didn't stop at the Queen to eat, consider Gurkha Chef on the left hand side of this road, for some of the finest Nepalese food I've had outside Nepal.