Stunning
Walks on the
South Downs
by
Andy
Dulson
Copyright 2011 Andy Dulson
Smashwords Edition
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Introduction
Walk
Locations
Walk
1 The Trundle 5.1 Miles Time 2hrs 20
Walk
2 Kingley Vale 5.3 Miles Time 2hrs 40
Walk
3 Levin Down 3.1 Miles Time 1hr 35
Walk
4 Bignor Hill 5.4 Miles Time 2hrs 45
Walk
5 Harting Down 5.1 Miles Time 2hrs 30
Walk
6 Hooksway 6.0 Miles Time 3hrs
Appendix
Introduction
This ebook is intended to give you easy to follow walks, with interesting and often stunning views, and hopefully not one that gets you lost in the first 20 minutes. By using a combination of finger posts, way marks, compass directions and map references getting lost will not be an option. For those not familiar with finger posts and way marks, these are directional sign posts put up in this case by West Sussex County Council or The South Downs National Park authority. The directional arrows on the finger posts and way marks in this instance are colour coded using 3 colours, Yellow for public footpaths, Blue for Bridleways and Purple for restricted bridleways. If you require more information on this subject you can go to http://www.naturalengland.org.uk. Don’t be surprised to find livestock grazing on public footpaths please treat all animals with caution and respect.
All the walks in this ebook are circular walks in the South Downs National Park in West Sussex, and based on the Ordnance Survey Landranger Series map 197. Although the maps in this book are detailed, they are very small and you could easily wander off the map and get lost. It is advised that you buy this map and familiarize yourself with the use of a good compass, as directions in this ebook rely on compass bearings. For more information on using a compass you can go to http://www.silvacompass.com, where you can find tutorials on using a compass. For this text compass directions will be abbreviated meaning South South East will be abbreviated to SSE and North West to NW. Map coordinates will be given in an 8 figure reference which locates a point within a 10 metre square. Distances to way markers will be given in yards, if you use a GPS there are directions to a web site in the Appendix, where you can download waypoints and track data for each of the walks in this ebook.
Follow the countryside code at all times, you can get information on the code at http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/enjoying/countrysidecode/default.aspx. Please leave gates as you found them, and exercise caution on wet compacted chalk when going down steep hills as it can be extremely slippery, also exercise caution on wet stiles too. Take all your rubbish with you. Please keep your dogs under proper control, and wear appropriate footwear.
We hope that you enjoy these walks without mishap, but urge you to exercise common sense at all times. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts responsibility for any misadventure which may occur during or arising from these walks.
This is a map showing the locations of the 6 walks that are included in this ebook, and showing some of the roads that can be used to get to them. Not all the roads are shown, but all roads that have a road number are displayed. The shaded area defines the South Downs National Park boundary.
The Trundle, old English Tryndel meaning circle, is the location of an Iron Age hill fort around 3000 years old, which is partly overlaying a Neolithic causewayed enclosure. With stunning views over the city of Chichester and the Solent to the Isle of Wight. The route consists of high views and tranquil valley walking.
This circular walk is 5.1 miles long, and includes a visit to a pub The Selsey Arms. To get to the car park at the start of the walk from Chichester take the A286 North to Singleton. Just before entering the village, turn right off the A286 at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, and follow the road uphill and round to the left. The triangle shaped car park is on the left hand side as the road levels out about 1 mile from the A286. Map reference SU8795 1133, parking is free.
Leave car park via SE corner, cross road and up flag stone steps, yellow finger post on right hand side. Head for gate in SW corner SU8794 1129, about 43 yards from car park. Go through gate, following path South up hill, at top of hill climb up onto the top of the earth work bank at SU8786 1112, about 206 yards from gate. You are now on the bank of an Iron Age hill fort some 3000 years old. From the top of the bank if you look down on your left, you will see Goodwood Race Course used for flat racing in the summer months. Continue heading SSE and follow the path on top of the earthworks round to your right, until you are facing West at SU8777 1093 about 230 yards from where you climbed up onto the bank. If you now look left you should have a stunning view over Chichester with its Cathedral spire and the sea with the Isle of Wight on the horizon. Continue to follow the earthwork bank round to the right until it descends. At the bottom of the bank turn left and head towards the gate.
At the gate SU8758 1102, about 226 yards from where you last stopped, head West downhill on the flint track towards another gate at the bottom about 375 yards away at SU8724 1100. Continue down track through the gate passing a small car park on your left hand side, till you reach a finger post on your right hand side at cross roads SU8716 1100 about 79 yards from last gate. Follow sign to Binderton, continue heading West past memorial stone to John Green on your right, and a ‘No vehicle access’ sign.
Continue past The Rubbing House on your right hand side, at blue finger post on left hand side at SU8707 1099, approximately 106 yards from last finger post. Continue west along edge of field, ignore path on right hand side. Continue ahead to brow of hill, where there are views ahead of the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth’s Spinnaker tower in the distance. Path now starts to drop downhill, as the field ends you come to a gate at SU8594 1081. A blue way mark post is on the right hand side of the gate about 1256 yards from last finger post. From the gate you can see across the Lavant valley with the river meandering along the bottom. Go through the gate and follow the path WSW down the hill through the meadow, to the blue finger post at the bottom of the hill about 384 yards away.
At the blue finger post turn right heading NNE and follow hedge row on your left hand side, consisting mainly of hawthorn, blackthorn, and dogwood, interspersed with old man’s beard. Passing chalk mine workings on your right hand side to a gate 269 yards away at SU8573 1087. Go through the gate and continue NNE to next gate about 265 yards away at SU8583 1109. The path turns more North and a large flint wall should now come into view ahead. This is the boundary wall of the West Dean estate. Continue North for about 820 yards to blue finger post on left hand side, just before flint wall at SU8599 1182. At finger post, part of the Monarch’s way, turn left down track heading NNW, following flint wall on your right hand side to a bridge over the River Lavant about 450 yards away.
Cross the bridge at SU8553 1220, a blue finger post on your left hand side and turn right, heading north with the river on your right, follow tarmac road as far as lamp post 138 yards away. At lamp post SU8584.1233, turn left up tarmac road heading WNW for 152 yards. The Selsey Arms pub is on your right hand side at the corner of the road junction at SU8573 1241.