64 Winchester – Alton

The 64 provides one gem after another, from the treasure trove of English Heritage that is Winchester with more than 1,000 years of history in its Cathedral, the longest of its kind in Europe to the delightful rustic Alresford and Alton, including the famous steam railway and the beautiful countryside of Ropley Dean.

It’s a bus that winds its way across the Sussex and Hampshire border, past quaint independent shops, delightful pubs and cottages with floral displays and buildings resplendent in medieval history.

There can be few better starts to a day out than a visit to Winchester Cathedral and discovering the beautiful illuminated Winchester Bible, 12^th-century wall paintings, medieval carvings, contemporary art, all within this magnificent building. Tours of the Cathedral are highly recommended to help capture all its glory. The Cathedral Café has a lovely garden and open-air terrace and the chance for a great coffee and pastry before setting off on the bus.

On board the 64 and the first stop is to alight at New Alresford and the 2-mile, self-guided Spy Mission treasure trail which is great fun for all the family. Folk can solve the cheeky clues put on buildings, monuments and features to crack the code just like a secret agent. Or maybe a visit to the remarkable St. Mary’s Church with its fantastic stain glass windows which make it a spell-binding, dazzling kaleidoscopic wonderland. Then it’s back on the bus all the way to the bustling market town of Alton and experience the nostalgic sights, sounds and smells of steam through the beautiful Hampshire countryside to Alresford which is where the watercress that gave the line its name was sent all over the country by train from the goods platform that you can see behind the signal box. There’s a great gift shop with railway memorabilia, goodies and models on sale before getting on the bus back to Winchester where, if it’s nearly evening time, a stop off at ‘No Man’s Land’ and the Chichester Planetarium and Science Musuem for a starry display is an unforgettable end to a fantastic day, but not before hopping back on the 64 for 6 minutes to take you back into the centre of Chichester.