| Date | Walk | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 06 August 2011 | A walk from Chichester to Bosham by way of West Itchenor, to have a pint in the Ship Inn | 16.8 km (10.5 miles) |
| 04 June 2011 | A walk from Amberley to Pulborough by way of Stopham Bridge, to have a pint in the White Hart | 12.1 km (7.6 miles) |
| 29 April 2011 | A walk from Rottingdean to Lewes by way of Kingston, to have a pint in the Juggs (and avoid a wedding) | 18.2 km (11.4 miles) |
| 09 April 2011 | A walk from Exceat to Berwick by way of Wilmington and Arlington, to have a pint in the Giant's Rest | 15.2 km (9.5 miles) |
| 12 February 2011 | A walk from Newhaven to Lewes by way of Telscombe and Rodmell, to have a pint in the Abergavenny Arms | 18.1 km (11.3 miles) |
Back in October 2009 I joined Ian, Graham and Keith for a walk from Lewes to Glynde and back, to have a pint in the Trevor Arms. Following the walk we decided to do another pub walk, and this has turned into a series of walks at roughly two monthly intervals, with more people joining the group.
The pattern of these walks is to meet at a railway station, walk about 6 miles to a nice country pub, have lunch, then walk about 4 miles to another pub near a bus stop or railway station convenient for the trip home.
My log for the pub walks in 2009 and 2010 are on a separate page.12 February 2011: A walk from Newhaven to Lewes by way of Telscombe and Rodmell, to have a pint in the Abergavenny Arms
18.1 km (11.3 miles)
- 'Energy Recovery Facility', Newhaven
In December we had planned to go to the reopened Abergavenny Arms for the last pub walk of the year, starting from Newhaven and finishing at Southease. However, the country had come to a virtual standstill in the couple of days before the date of the walk, with deep snow and extreme sub-zero temperatures and we had therefore limited ourselves to a circular walk from Lewes.
- Church tower, Piddinghoe
Today we resumed the attempt to have lunch in the Abergavenny Arms. Nine of us met up on Brighton Station - me, Ian, Viv, Haydn, Pat, Eve (and the whippet), Graham, Alan and Phil - to take the train to Newhaven Town station.
The first part of our walk followed a section of my Alternative South Downs Way. I described the start of this section of the Alternative South Downs Way in some detail, as it is easy to miss a rather obscure alley behind some terrace houses (though it is marked as a public path on the OS 1:25 000 map).
- Valley between Southease Hill and Bullock Down
Once out of built-up Newhaven, our route followed the west bank of the Ouse as far as Piddinghoe (as does the Sussex Ouse Valley Way). This passes the new incineration plant being built on the east bank of the river - an impressively large structure, with two tall chimneys. It's described as an 'Energy Recovery Facility' by the promoters, Veolia Environmental Services.
Piddinghoe is picturesque. The church has a round tower, and the surrounding ground was thick with snowdrops.
- Telscombe village, from the south
We followed the Sussex Ouse Valley Way out of the village. It turns north just outside the village, but we continued westwards, heading for Bullock Down and Telscombe. There are some good views from Bullock Down, but you have to wander off the path to see them.
- Junior motocross event on Fore Hill
Between Bullock Down and Telscombe our route took us past the straggling outer fringes of Peacehaven. The building plots here are larger than those nearer the coast, and the planning restrictions seem to have been even less stringent.
Telscombe is even more picturesque than Piddinghoe, isolated at the end of a lane from Southease, though the church has a square tower. In the churchyard there is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone on the grave of W. S. Puttock, Deck Boy, killed aged 18 when his ship, the SS 'Paris' was bombed in the evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940.
- Mill Hill, looking south along the South Downs Way
Leaving Telscombe, we headed south-west for a short distance. I found a plant flowering on the banks of the lane which at first I misidentified as Coltsfoot (until Viv pointed out Coltsfoot is yellow), and then as Butterbur. However, I later decided it was Winter Heliotrope, Petasites fragrans. Winter Heliotrope is closely related to Butterbur, but flowers in winter and has smaller leaves, which appear with the flowers. It is an introduced plant (I think from the Mediterranean), now gone native. It is alleged to smell of vanilla, although I failed to notice this.
- Drainage channel, approaching the Ouse
Our route soon swung north-west to pass the reservoir on Telscombe Tye (an area of common land). There is a disappointingly inaccessible trig point in the reservoir compound.
Half a kilometre beyond the reservoir we turned east, heading for Fore Hill. On the hill someone was running a junior motocross event. The noise from this wasn't as offensive as is usual for these events. From Fore Hill we went over Mill Hill, before dropping down into Rodmell. On Mill Hill we crossed the South Downs Way, with a new finger post reassuringly pointing 'To the Pub'.
- Looking back towards the Downs, into the sun
We had a good meal in the Abergavenny, with good beer (cod and chips with Harveys Old Ale in my case). I'm glad it's reopened, as it's a convenient pub for walkers.
The plan for the December walk was to go from the pub to Southease station. However, the weather was beautiful, and I persuaded everyone to walk on to Lewes, with the prospect of a pint in the Gardener's Arms.
- River Ouse, Glynde Reach and Mount Caburn behind
We walked through the village, passing the Monk's House, Virginia Woolf's home, and then followed the track to the banks of the Ouse. We then walked along the flood defence embankment of the river into Lewes. The late afternoon light was particularly beautiful. The final approach into Lewes over the Railway Land was particularly muddy.
Once in Lewes we went to the Gardener's Arms for a pint. It's small and crowded, but a fine real ale pub. Some people stayed for another pint, but I left with the early contingent to get the train home.
The weather was ideal for walking, cool and sunny, the route was interesting and at least parts of it were new to everybody. We agreed that our next walk would be in early April - the Squire and Horse in Bury, the Eight Bells in Jevington and the Yew Tree in Arlington were all proposed as possible lunch stops.
- Gardener's Arms, Lewes
09 April 2011: A walk from Exceat to Berwick by way of Wilmington and Arlington, to have a pint in the Giant's Rest
15.2 km (9.5 miles)
- View towards Cuckmere Haven
Today's walk was originally intended to be walk to have a pint in the Yew Tree at Arlington, but because the Yew Tree has restricted opening hours, we turned it into a walk to have a pint in the Giant's Rest - and very good it was too.
Ten of us met up on Brighton Station for the train to Seaford - me, Ian, Keith, Viv, Haydn, Pat, Eve (and the whippet), Alan, Phil and Michael (Graham was walking in St Leonard's Forest). From Seaford we took the No 12 'Coaster' bus to Exceat.
- In Friston Forest
From the visitor centre we followed the route of the South Downs Way (the Seven Sisters footpath option) into Westdean, a very pretty, and evidently very rich, little hamlet with a lovely church. The route climbs steeply from Exceat (with an often photographed view down the valley to Cuckmere Haven) and then drops into Westdean by an irregular flight of steps, giving rise to a few grumbles.
- View over Lullington Heath and Oldkiln Bottom
From West Dean we followed the bridleway up to Snap Hill. Above Charleston Bottom the bridleway crosses a gap in the forest, giving good views north-west, with a glimpse of Cradle Hill on the other side of the Cuckmere, but not quite enough to see the White Horse, cut into the hillside. The forest here is mainly beech, planted in straight rows.
- Panorama southwards from Wilmington Hill
From Snap Hill we turned north, and dropped steeply down before climbing again to reach Lullington Heath. Lullington Heath, a National Nature Reserve looked after by Natural England, is one of the largest areas of chalk heath in Britain. Natural England's website notes that 'The slightly acid, fine soil has allowed the development of an intimately mixed chalk and heath plant community'. It is doubtful if it will remain much longer in Natural England's care, if press reports of the Coalition's policies are to be believed.
- View from Wilmington Hill over Folkington Bottom, towards Willingdon
Graham had e-mailed me to say we must not miss the view over Lullington Heath towards Jevington. To see it, you need to take an small obscure side path, a little way into the nature reserve, which opens out onto a grassy viewing platform. The view is wonderful, and very easy to miss (Viv and I hadn't seen it when we had walked this way last year).
- Approaching the Long Man
From Lullington Heath we continued north to cross the South Downs Way (the Jevington bridleway option). There are superb views south to the sea and west to Firle Beacon. We then climbed to the trig point on Wilmington Hill (one of the best on the Downs). From the trig points there is a huge view north, over Arlington Reservoir and the Weald beyond.
- Donkey and pony, Wilmington Green
From the trig point we followed the permissive path down to the Holt, to join the Wealdway. Again, superb views, eastwards over Willingdon and Eastbourne, extending towards Hastings, and northwards over the Weald. I think Wilmington Hill has some of the best views from anywhere in southern England.
We followed the Wealdway under the Long Man (now outlined in white bricks, rather than simply cut into the turf) and on into Wilmington village. The pub, the Giant's Rest, is on the north side of the village, close to the A 27(T).
- View towards Firle Beacon, from Moors Hill
We had rung ahead, and the pub had reserved us a table. Most of us had a ploughman's lunch, but I tried the local sausages with bubble and squeak and the pub's own chutney, washed down with a couple of pints of Harvey's - well recommended. The chutney was very good, and the pub sold several jars of it to various members of the group.
- View towards Wilmington Hill, from Moors Hill
After lunch, we resumed the walk by taking the footpath that runs down the side of the pub, and very shortly crosses the A 27(T). The footpath then continues almost exactly due north to Arlington. On the way it crosses a little ridge, Moors Hill, rising to only 37 m, but giving fine views back to the Downs, and in particular Wilmington Hill (the Long Man still clearly visible) and Firle Beacon. I suspect that this is a vestige of the Greensand Ridge, which along the line of the South Downs doesn't have anything like the prominence it has along the line of the North Downs.
- Bridge over the Cuckmere River, Arlington
In Arlington we found the Yew Tree closed (disappointingly, but as expected). We went to look at the church of St Pancras, which stands in a lovely churchyard. It's an ancient church - perhaps Saxon in origin.
From the church we headed towards Arlington Reservoir. The path crosses the Cuckmere by a long metal footbridge (which vibrated when anyone walked over it, so I had to wait for everyone to pass before taking a photograph).
- Arlington Reservoir, looking towards Wilmington Hill
The reservoir was originally created by damming the River Cuckmere, which previously meandered to the middle of the present-day reservoir. The Cuckmere is now channelled in a straight line just to the east. The reservoir is noted for bird life.
From the reservoir we walked over the little hill between it and Berwick, giving us a last look at Wilmington Hill, and then dropped down into the village. We had about twenty minutes to wait for a train. I decided that there wasn't time for a beer in the Berwick Inn, but a couple of people managed to squeeze in a pint. And so back to Brighton.
The weather had been warm and cloudless - the first day this year I have been able to walk in a shirt without a fleece or pullover. The walk was varied (forest, open down land, lowland countryside, small villages), the views extensive, and the pub good - all-in-all, a perfect day's walking.
- Lambs, approaching Berwick
29 April 2011: A walk from Rottingdean to Lewes by way of Kingston, to have a pint in the Juggs (and avoid a wedding)
18.2 km (11.4 miles)
- View over Rottingdean
A public holiday being declared for the royal wedding, I suggested doing an additional pub walk for those who wished to avoid the celebrations. As Tom Paine, author of The Rights of Man (which argued against the idea of hereditary government) lived and worked in Lewes for a time, I thought Lewes would be an appropriate destination.
- View north from near Balsdean Farm
I'd also not visited the Juggs in Kingston near Lewes, so chose that as a lunchtime stop - which in turn suggested Rottingdean as a starting point, allowing a 6 mile walk before lunch.
- Castle Hill
In the end four of us met up at Brighton Station (me, Ian, Graham and Haydn) to get the No 12 Bus to Rottingdean. The forecast had been a little pessimistic, but the day proved to be warm after a cool start, though very hazy.
From Rottingdean we took the bridleway that runs through a strip of open country between Rottingdean and Saltdean, a land of overgrazed pony fields. The route took us near a trig point on the outskirts of Saltdean, but it's difficult to access because of the pony fields. Graham admitted to being a fellow trig point enthusiast, but we agreed to leave this one for another occasion.
- Derelict buildings below Castle Hill
The bridleway from Rottingdean comes to a bridleway crossroads just beyond Balsdean Farm. Rather than follow the bridleway down to the Bostle, I chose to follow the little used footpath going almost due north, keeping to the high ground, which gave superb views over the valley and downs.
The footpath eventually drops down to where Standean Bottom, Falmer Bottom and Balsdean Bottom meet below Castle Hill. There is a curious collection of derelict buildings here.
- View back along Balsdean Bottom
Nearby are the remains of a 'Myers self oiling bulldozer' - actually an electrically driven water pump. These appear to have been patented in 1921. I previously guessed the buildings were ex-military and built during the Second World War, but I now suspect they were built in the early 1920s. The roof trusses are made of concrete beams, bolted together, presumably to save on steel.
- View north from Juggs Road, west of Kingston
We then walked along Balsdean Bottom (passing a herd of cows with young calves), at first on a footpath and then along a track which climbed up to the top of the downs above Kingston. Viv texted me to say the bride had worn a dress by Alexander McQueen. The view from the top of the downs over Kingston was wonderful, even through the haze.
- Royal Wedding Ale
There were several options for a route down to Kingston, but I chose to take the bridleway that bears away eastwards from the South Downs Way, to join Juggs Road (a rough track) for the decent into Kingston. On the outskirts of Kingston we took the bridleway along the back of the village to the church, and then went down The Street to reach the Juggs (a jugg is fish-carrying basket).
The Juggs turned out to be a very pleasant old pub, without a television. We couldn't wholly escape the wedding though, as the pub was a Shepherd Neame pub and they had brewed a Royal Wedding special ale, which we all tried.
- Reconstructed Ashcombe Windmill (original destroyed in 1916)
I'm not a great Shepherd Neame fan, but the ale was good, if rather too strong for lunchtime (4.7% ABV). We had cheese and ham ploughman's for lunch, which was also good, and I followed it with a plate of locally grown asparagus.
- Trig point, Spring Barn
After lunch I persuaded the others that we ought to extend the day, and do a circuit of the old Lewes racecourse, which had closed in 1964. We set off up Ashcombe Lane to regain Juggs Road (still a track) and headed towards Lewes, passing the reconstructed Ashcombe Windmill (the original mill was destroyed by a gale in 1916). At TQ 401 090 there is a trig point (called Spring Barn by TrigpointingUK), just off the road in a sheep field. Graham and I walked up to it (through an open gate), though the others stuck to the road. Good (though hazy) views over the Ouse valley.
- View westwards from Houndsdean Bottom
We then look the footpath that drops north-westwards to cross over the A 27 (T), under the railway and then over the A 227 (at grade) to a track along Houndsdean Bottom.
- Old Lewes racecourse
This track took us to the start of a long footpath that loops around Cuckoo Bottom, roughly following inside the line of the old racecourse. Appropriately we heard a cuckoo calling (the first I've heard this year). The course is still used as a training gallop. On the west side of the loop, the path is in woodland, and I found early purple orchids, with their characteristic smell of cat pee.
The loop leads back to the bridleway alongside Lewes prison, and so into Lewes itself. In Lewes we passed Bull House, where Tom Paine lived in Lewes (he married his landlord's daughter). Further on, the White Hart Hotel carries a plaque saying 'Tom Paine 1737 - 1809 here expounded his revolutionary politics. This inn is regarded as a cradle of American independence which he helped to found with pen and sword'.
And then we went for a quick pint in the Lewes Arms. A good day out - better than watching television.
- Bull House, where Tom Paine lived in Lewes
04 June 2011: A walk from Amberley to Pulborough by way of Stopham Bridge, to have a pint in the White Hart
12.1 km (7.6 miles)
- Footpath between Bury and Amberley
Having done three pub walks over the downs this year, I thought it was time for a change. I wanted to show the group Amberley Wild Brooks, as not many of them had walked across it. I've called into the White Hart at Stopham Bridge several times for a pint (although I've never tried eating there), and I thought it would make a suitable lunchtime stop. The pub is in a nice setting, next to the River Arun.
- Looking back towards Bury
The route from Amberley (or to be exact, Houghton Bridge, the location of Amberley Station) was self selecting - there is only one option, the Wey-South Path. However, it was difficult to devise a satisfactory after lunch walk of the right length.
- Amberley Church - Norman chancel arch
Seven of us met up on Amberley Station - me, Ian, Graham, Eve (and the whippet) Haydn, Pat and Alan. I’d come from the north, the others had travelled up from the south. I was glad to see Ian and Graham had made it - Ian had arranged a brewery visit to Faversham for us the day before, which had turned into something of a pub crawl.
- The white chalk road to the Wild Brooks
We set off by walking along the east bank of the Arun, on the flood defence wall. Opposite Bury we turned east to walk across the meadows to Amberley village. There was once a ferry here, linking Bury and Amberley, and it's a great shame it no longer operates. The meadows are usually very wet, and often flooded in winter, but today they were dry.
- Typical drainage ditch, Amberley Wild Brooks
The path over the meadows crosses the railway by a farm crossing, and then follows a lane up into the village behind the castle and the church. Some of us stopped to look at the church (which has a fine Norman chancel arch, and the remains of a medieval wall painting), the rest dispersing to look around the village.
- View back over the Wild Brooks to the South Downs
Pevsner calls Amberley one of the show villages of Sussex. He goes on to describe it as having ‘Long, pretty, irregular perspectives of cottages, beautifully kept ... an anthology of building materials - thatch and tile, brick, flint, half-timber, and some Burgate stone, and also just a little clunch’. The description is still true today, 35 years later.
A couple of us called into the Amberley Village Tea Room, one of my favourites, for an Elderflower cordial (Eve’s views about tea shops are best not repeated here).
- Calf on the Wild Brooks
Once everyone had been rounded up, we set off to follow the Wey-South path across the Wild Brooks. The Sussex Wildlife Trust summarises the Wild Brooks as ‘Grazing marsh and ditches in a former floodplain important for birds and plants’. At first the path follows a farm track, which has been made from chalk. Chalk is a very poor road material, rapidly turning to a white mush in wet weather. Today it was bone dry, glaring white in the sun.
- Greatham Bridge
Fortunately the path soon follows a track with a gentler surface. There are great wide views across the Wild Brooks back to the downs. The Wild Brooks are grazed by cattle, a rather mixed bunch of many colours. Many of the cows had young claves with them.
We crossed the Arun at Greatham Bridge, and then followed the route of a section of canal (now derelict) that once made a short cut across a loop in the Arun. At the end of the canal section we stopped to look at the entrance to Hardham Tunnel, the only tunnel on the Arun Navigation.
- Canal section of the Arun Navigation
From Hardham Tunnel we crossed the A 29 and the railway, to reach the formation of the old Pulborough line, one of the Midhurst Railways. (The Midhurst Railways were three branch lines which were built to serve Midhurst, south to Chichester, west to Petersfield, and east to Pulborough.)
Stane Street, the great Roman road, passed through this point, although there is nothing obvious to be seen of it.
- River Rother, looking towards its junction with the Arun
We walked a very short way along the Pulborough line formation, then left it to walk past a big pumping station which abstracts water from the River Rother (the western Rother), close to where it joins the Arun.
We were crossing the Rother when the enthusiasts suddenly got excited - they had heard the unmistakable tones of a steam whistle. I later learnt that the garden centre on the A 283 near Stopham Bridge was running a miniature steam railway.
- Stopham Bridge
A second and final crossing of the Arun brought us to the abandoned road to Stopham Bridge, now bypassed by a new river crossing. The road now only serves the White Hart.
Phil had been unable to join us for the walk, but he and Carol met us in the pub garden for lunch. Opinions about the food were mixed, but generally favourable, though the fish pie was accounted poor. Most of us had ether the Langham Brewery's Hip Hop or a bitter by WJ King of Horsham (nothing like the old King and Barnes bitter according to Ian).
Lunch proved to be rather leisurely, and the day was hot. Although I'd developed some options for a more extended after lunch walk, the consensus was for the short stroll to Pulborough Station by continuing on the Wey-South path to Coombelands Lane, then taking the lane and the footpath alongside the railway to reach the station.
There was a train in about 10 minutes, and on Alan's advice we made a one minute connection at Ford for the train back to Brighton, were we had a final pint in the Evening Star (a real real-ale pub).
- View from Pulborough Park Plantation towards Chanctonbury Ring
06 August 2011: A walk from Chichester to Bosham by way of West Itchenor, to have a pint in the Ship Inn
16.8 km (10.5 miles)
- Chichester Cathedral from Poyntz Bridge
We have not done a pub walk along the coast, and as it's high summer, I though a walk to have lunch in the Ship Inn at West Itchenor might be a good choice. It had the added attraction of an opportunity to use the Itchenor to Bosham ferry. I'd originally thought of walking from Chichester, through Bosham and then getting the ferry just before lunch. Alan persuaded us it would be better to reverse the walk, taking the ferry after lunch, so we didn't risk being too late for food at the pub.
- Purple Loosestrife, Chichester Canal
Six of us met up at Brighton station to get the train for Chichester: me, Ian, Eve, Alan, Haydn and James, Haydn's son, who was visiting. Phil joined us on the train at Angmering station.
- Birdham Pool
We followed the route of the New Lipchis Way to West Itchenor. It's a route I've walked several times before, but it’s always pleasant. It starts by following the Chichester Canal to where it meets the Chichester Channel (an arm of Chichester Harbour) at Salterns Lock.
The canal has been restored between Chichester and Crosbie Bridge, but it is blocked at both Crosbie Bridge and Cutfield Bridge, leaving only a very short navigable length. The canal once formed part of a scheme to link London to Portsmouth by a secure inland waterway, proposed during the Napoleonic wars.
- Chichester Channel, from near West Itchenor
At Hunston the abutments of the drawbridge over the canal for Selsey tramway are still in place, with a token panel of track laid on the abutment on the non-towpath side.
The canal approaching Salterns Lock is lined with house boats, those on the far side being reached by pontoons, the users hauling themselves across the canal by ropes.
- The Ship Inn, West Itchenor
From Salterns Lock the route can only follow the coast for a couple of short lengths, otherwise taking private roads past expensive houses or tracks through fields of wheat and flax, now ready for harvesting. At Birdham Pool we were amused by a cormorant nonchalantly perched on a sign saying 'Private - No Fishing'.
As we approached West Itchenor, it started to spot with rain, but fortunately it came to nothing.
- The Itchenor to Bosham ferry
The Ship is a fairly large detached pub, which looks as if it was built in the 1920s or 1930s. It had a good range of well-kept beers (I had Arundel Castle, at 3.8% ABV). I'd e-mailed the pub during the week to reserve a table, which was probably wise, as it was fairly busy.
The food was good and very plentiful. Eve and I had salmon with samphire. Samphire grows plentifully in Chichester Harbour, so I assume it was locally sourced. The others had ham, egg and chips (a very large portion of ham) or fish and chips.
- Shoreline of Bosham Channel
After lunch Phil decided that, as he had an evening do to go to, he would walk down the road to find a No 52 bus back to Chichester, whilst the rest of us went on to Bosham.
- View across Bosham peninsula
The Itchenor to Bosham ferry is effectively an on-demand service for walkers and cyclists, and it was just ready to depart when we arrived at the jetty. James was surprised how small the boat was, though I've used smaller ferries for similar trips in Cornwall. We had the boat to ourselves.
- Bosham church
The ferry journey only took a few minutes, and drops passengers off on the hard at the end of Smugglers Lane on the Bosham peninsula. Disembarking was by way of a narrow, rather wobbly gangway off the prow of the ferry. We walked up to the edge of the dry land, but as the tide was still fairly well out, we decided to walk along the shoreline of Bosham Channel. This brought us to Shore Road, which runs round the edge of the inlet at Bosham. On the village side of the inlet, the road floods at high water.
- Bosham village
In Bosham we stopped at the Anchor Bleu for another beer, wine or coffee, according to taste. I'd hoped we could walk a little way further north along the coast at Bosham, but by now the tide was in and the path wasn't really passable. We therefore followed the road to Bosham Station (which is in Broadbridge) for a train home. A train to Littlehampton arrived within 5 minutes, which we got as far as Chichester, where we changed for a train back to Brighton.
The weather was variable, often threatening rain which never really arrived, so we didn't need waterproofs. An interesting walk, other than the last kilometre or so to reach Bosham Station. And it filled in another small section of my Sussex Coast walk (though that was just a happy coincidence).
- Anchor Bleu - pub sign
