There is a car park north of the small village of East Ashling at Grid Ref: 825088
Follow the wide track at the north corner of the car park for just over a kilometer.  A fence is reached with a path ahead over a stile, one left to Stoke Bottom and one right.  Turn right and follow the path up hill. (photo:  Looking up to Bow Hill)
Take the next footpath left, between the fenced fields, to reach the top of Bow Hill within Kingsley Vale.  At the crossroad junction, where the National Nature Reserve sign is, turn right.  The path continues north on the Western Downs Cycle Route. (photo:  View back along the path from Bow Hill)
Continue straight on at the next path junction, passing a gate, to arrived at Blackbush House.  Continue along the fence of Blackbush House and through Blackbush Copse, following the wide track.  The path eventually reaches open ground at a path crossroads.  Continue straight on, over the stile, following the vague path along the grassy top of Chilgrove Hill.  Pass a small copse on the left to arrive at Hillbarn.  Pass through the gate to the left of the barn and follow the road for a short distance. (Photo:  Looking down on East Marden)
A footpath is soon reached on the left.  Cross the stile and continue past some stables and paddock to arrive at another path crossroads.  Continue straight on over a stile, then head right down hill, cross another stile, then up hill.   Follow the line of fence on the left to a kissing-gate giving access to the East Marden Rd. (Photo:  East Marden Water Well)
Turn left, and follow the road down to East Marden.  At the thatched Water Well near the church, take the road right to pass East Marden Farm.  Just past the farm, take the footpath left and across the field to a stile.  Cross the stile, follow the path down the left side of the field and round to the next stile. (Photo:  Looking north before entering the woods to Up Marden)
Turn left over the stile and head along the path towards the woods.  Follow the path up through the woods (quite steep) to join the road near Up Marden.  Turn left pass Up Marden Farm.  At Hill Farm, take the path on the left through Hill Farm stable yard.  A path crosses diagonally right to enter Blinkard Copse. Follow the path through the copse, across a field to join a track.  Turn left and at the bottom of the dip follow the path right alongside the left side of the field.  Pass into an open field then right at the fingerpost in the middle.  Pass to the left of the small copse and arrive at Pitlands Farm. (Photo:  Passing through fields towards Pitlands Farm)
Turn left at the main road, then just along the road go left at the next footpath sign.  The path leads up to the southwesterly corner of Inhomes Wood.  Soon the path reaches the end of the wood, turn right and follow the path west across open fields. (Photo:  Looking back to Haslett Copse before entering Inholmes Wood)
The path crosses a main road but turn left at the road.  Follow the road down to the junction, turn right, then just after the Walderton village sign, left up a wide track.  This is the Western Down Cycle Route.  When the track reaches the woods, take the footpath off left up through the woods. (Photo:  About to cross the field towards Walderton)
At the top, turn right onto the open land of Walderton Down.  Follow the path up, soon to pass through woods.  The path leaves the woods with open views to the right of the Solent and Isle of Wight. (Photo:  Looking back down onto Walderton Down)
(Photo: Little and Large at the top of Walderton Down)
(Photo:  Clare and I having a pleasant break in the sun)
(Photo:  ..... and the view south from our lunch spot)
Continue down to the bottom of Stoke Down, then left for a short distance before meeting the footpath at the entrance to Kingley Vale.  Turn right, and follow the same footpath used at the start of the walk back to the car park. (Photo:  Heading down to Stokes Down alongside Kingley Vale.)

Copyright © 2002 'Sandy Saunders Productions'. All rights reserved.