Midhurst Footpath Companions
Walking in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

Eartham Walk on 3rd June 2026

We don't often get rained on, but Jennifer and Kathryn's walk proved to be the big exception. We started out from the Eartham Wood car park and soon found ourselves on the Monarch's Way, previously known as Stane Street in Roman times. After half a mile a little rain descended, which gradually increased to stay with us for the rest of the walk. We walked through Eartham Wood until we came to a junction of 5 footpaths and luckily we only had to carry on in a straight line. This was the old Roman road which took us as far as Gumber Barn/Bothy. This is also a campsite owned by the National Trust and has a large covered picnic area which we made good use of.  Accomodation is available, see :-   Gumber Barn   It is especially useful for people travelling The South  Downs Way. 

We were very patient, but the rain failed to go away, so we carried on with our planned walk. When we reached Warren Barn we headed through the woods to reach Great Down and walked along the side of the field before taking a sharp right turn through fields and North Wood (with some remarkable wood carving) before finding Stane Street once again. We eventually reached our cars and at last could avoid the weather, which was still very wet.  A nice lunch was served up in The George in Eartham village, where certain juvenile members hilariously tried to answer questions that stumped AI.  The walk was 5.6 miles.

Ready to go, no rain yet!

OK so far

On the South Downs Way - and maybe it's getting a little damp?

Yes, definitely damp

The meeting of The South Downs Way with the curiously named The Rise of Northwood Ramble.

Well, that looks simple enough..................

Is that where the Hobbit lives??

The splendid Gumber Barn

Checking the wet weather gear for leaks!

Still looking damp out there

That barn seemed so nice

Warren Barn, let's take the left fork

By great fortune we found this building called the Littlewood Lookout, with recent carvings to celebrate 10 years of the National Trust restoring fields to woodland in North Wood

The badger and stoat keeping an eye on the passing walkers

5.6 miles

Recent galleries

History

2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
1997