Midhurst Footpath Companions
Walking in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

Lodsworth walk on 3rd April 2024

We were promised a 4.5 mile muddy walk, which delivered in bath sized quantities to earn the title of muddiest walk this year. Eleven of us met up at the Halfway Bridge Inn and headed up the hill through a field towards Lodsworth coming out on Church Lane. Staying on roads for a while along The Street, Gills Lane and School Lane we entered Vining Copse on paths new to us. A short drop down a valley to cross a stream only to climb up the other side on Hoe Hill where we turned onto the Serpent Trail, stopping for coffee overlooking Snapelands Copse. We stayed on the Trail walking at the edge of the field beside Snapelands Copse before heading across the Redlands Farm and crossing the field heading to Smithbrook. This path brought us onto School Lane to walk up hill back to Shepherds Lane to drop down to The Street before taking the footpath down to Old Copse. A tree had fallen, breaking the handrail of the bridge over the stream and we discovered the elevated walkways stopped short of a particularly muddy section. More downhill took us to Eel Bridge where the stream was the highest we have ever seen. Walking up into River Wood we followed the river back to Beggars’ Corner and the Halfway Bridge Inn where a lovely meal rewarded our efforts.

Come on then, where is this mud you promised us?

We do advertising as well, very reasonable rates!

Posing in clean gear before the mud

New hip joints are supposed to allow you to do this

Leader lending a helping hand

There were water features to admire as well

Looking across the field of rape towards the South Downs

Your moustache needs trimming, but you could scrub up OK

Mud, mud, glorious mud

And there is even more from where that came from

Coffee with the Snapelands Copse behind

We can cross rivers in a single stride. Bring on the mountains and tall buildings

Anybody seen the handrail that was here last time?

Why did they stop the elevated walkway here?

There is so much mud on my boots I have to lift my legs this high

River in full flow at Eel Bridge

It’s slipperier than you think

Lunch at the Halfway Bridge

The route

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