New steps completed to protect St Catherine’s Hill and improve access 

Visitors to St Catherine’s Hill Nature Reserve in Winchester can now enjoy a safer climb following the installation of new steps.

The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust led the project after the old steps, installed almost 30 years ago, had become worn and hard to maintain.

Poor conditions made walking difficult and caused some people to leave the main path, damaging the chalk grassland and increasing erosion around the historic site.

The new steps are made from durable timber with an anti-slip surface.

They are expected to last at least another 30 years and will help people enjoy views and wildlife safely, while protecting the habitat.

By encouraging people to stay on the path, the Trust hopes to reduce disturbance to wildlife and prevent further damage to the hillside.  

Andy Reeves, reserves officer at the Trust, said: “We’ve used different materials this time, which are stronger, larger, and should help through the winter months.

“Our hope now that we have these steps in place is for people to stick to the footpath where they can, to avoid further scars in the hill.

“For people to come out of the city centre and enjoy a space like St Catherines Hill is incredibly important.” 

During construction, all materials were carried by hand to avoid vehicle damage.

A small area of the meadow beside the hill was used temporarily for storage.  

The project was supported by Winchester College, Natural England, Historic England and the South Downs National Park Authority.