Gallery

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Elsted walk on 29th May 2024

Tim led our 4.4 mile ‘not very hilly’ walk from The Three Horseshoes at Elsted. Despite the extensive rain the previous day, we were blessed with sunshine and warmth. We started off down Elsted Road to take the footpath between the houses, dropping down across a field, the copse at the bottom, gliding through the mud until we reached the wooden bridge over the stream. Crossing over and skirting the next field, across the road into the road to Newhouse Farm. Turning left we crossed two fields with ewes and their lambs before a third field brought us to a gate between Rook Wood and Drencher Copse. Squelching across the next field we turned right onto Brimbrook Lane for a short time, then took the path on the right across fields towards Ditchling. On reaching the top of a hill shortly before Manor Farm we elected to stretch out on the field surrounded by sheep that kept a wary eye on us from a distance while we had our coffee break. Springing up from our supine poses we crossed Manor Farm’s yard and the fields beyond taking care on the descent through the scrub to the stream and slipping up the other side to gain the road at Treyford. Shortly after passing the Treyford Cemetery we took the path north dropping down Westfield Hanger with a final push back up the hill to the Three Horseshoes for our lunch.

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Kirdford walk on 22nd May 2023

We started at the recently refurbished Foresters Arms for our 3.7 mile amble around Kirdford.  The weather forecast was not promising, but Kathryn assured us mud would not be too much of an issue should the heavens open.  Time was taken to read the village history monument and the adjacent inscribed stone set into the old rectory wall warning against drunkenness in no uncertain terms.  Admonished, we carried on up the road until we took the footpath through the Normandie Stud and their well groomed horses and foals and skirted around Boxalland and Kiln Copses and through the woods of Barkfold Rough.  A long bench provided the perfect location for our coffee break near Chandler’s Barn before heading west on paths through fields.  There was a temptation to watch a shepherd training his sheepdog, but the promised rain made an entrance so we scrambled into more rain gear as we headed off.  A short spell on Plaistow Road brought us to the footpath over Great Common past the housing estate under construction and back to the Foresters which was not open.  We retired to The Stag Inn at Balls Cross for a hearty lunch.

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Midhurst walk on 15th May 2024

Celia and Miguel led us on an excellent local 4.9 mile walk around the Midhurst area on a beautiful day for the nine of us.  Starting at the Grange car park we passed South Pond with its ducks, down the Wharf to the River Rother and along the bank to the Cowdray Ruins.  Taking the Causeway, and crossing the main road brought us back to the banks of the Rother still on the Lipchis Way, through the National Trust field with Belted Galloway cattle and the views of Woolbeding House, gardens and the giant glasshouse.  Our coffee break was in the shade under an oak tree with seating on fallen branches.  With thirsts quenched we carried on downhill, crossed the A272 and up onto Midhurst Common.  A short climb up to Sunset Hill with a stop to take in the view across the heath and South Downs before turning around and taking the path passing the Cemetery.  The route passed the old station building at the Bepton Industrial Estate and onto the Jubilee Path back to South Pond and the carpark.  We adjourned to Fratelli, the Italian Restaurant in Midhurst for lunch.

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Stedham walk on 8th May 2024

The 4.9 mile ‘old bridges’ route led by Jay and Lindsay around Stedham started at the Hamilton Arms in Stedham, took us along the footpath from School Lane to Iping Lane which we walked north on until we reached the footpath east before the bridge.  Turning off the road we walked between the fields to the River Rother bank, crossed the Grade II listed Stedham bridge picking up the footpath at the river’s edge at Bridgefoot with a fine view of Stedham Hall across the water to Stedham Mill where we posed for a team photo.  We strolled along the river bank some more until Jay’s ‘undulation’ heart attack inducing hill took us up close to Brambling Farm when a right turn with downhill slopes and an excellent coffee spot redeemed Jay’s reputation.  The National Trust field where the old oak tree had split and fallen was boggy but we made it to Brambling Lane where we crossed the medieval multi-span bridge at Woolbeding which is a Scheduled Monument, then up the hill, crossing the A272 onto the woodland of the Severals.  We picked up the Serpent Trail where we needed some mountain goat skills to skirt the muddy path to reach Woolmer Bridge.  At this point the intended path was waterlogged so we deviated to the main road taking the footpath that came out beside Stedham School and back to the Hamilton Arms where a welcome guest turned up and we dined in style.

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Fernhurst Long Walk 10th May 2024

The six long walkers met up at the Fernhurst Green recreation park car park for Jay and Lindsay’s walk. All the wet weather kit, fleeces and jumpers were left at home because they had picked glorious sunshine and warm weather for us.  The walk was in two halves, up Blackdown in the morning to the Temple of the Winds before coming back for lunch at the Red Lion the second leg in the afternoon we headed up to Marley Heights before descending to Shulebrede Priory and returning  through Oakreeds Wood. 

Heading north we took the footpath up the hill until we reached Copyhold Lane continuing the climb to veer onto the footpath through the woods at Upper Sopers, crossing Fernden Lane, still climbing past Lye Wood into the woods at Ridden Corner.  The climb slackened off as we turned onto the Sussex Border Path on Black Down.  The landscape opened to heathland where we encountered our first Belted Galloway cattle grazing beside a pond.  Turning south we arrived at the Temple of Winds admiring the views joined by a Belted Galloway calf for our coffee break.  The path back down to Fernhurst proved exceptionally muddy, needing a small detour to avoid it.  Our al fresco lunch at the Red Lion hit the spot, turbo charging our afternoon walk.

 The second stint took us alongside Vann Common and up into Kingsley Copse on Marley Heights before descending to the remains of the Augustinian Priory of Shulbrede.  Walking through Oakreeds Wood we came out near Greenhill House where we admired the red Hawthorn bushes in the garden.  Crossing fields and a lane we came to Vann Road and hence back to our start.

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