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Car parking is available past, and up the road from, Goodwood Horse Racing course, approx 4 miles (7 km) north of the ancient Roman city of Chichester (Noviomagvs). (Grid Ref 879114) |
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From the car park, cross the
road and follow the path, initially up steps, then through a stile and
left to the top of St Roches Hill, and The Trundle, containing two rather
unsightly radio masts. |
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At the top, turn right and follow the path
leaving the radio mast to the right. Pass through a stile and follow
the track down to a small parking area at the top of Chalkpit Lane (the
Goodwood-Lavant ValleyCycle Route). (photo: West from The Trundle) |
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| Pass the car park
to join a path going past a rather grand flintstone house. Just
beyond the house is a path junction, take the left path heading south of
west, not the Monarch's Way that descends through the Arboretum.
(this path is followed up on the return) (photo: Looking back to The Trundle ....... and the radio masts) |
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| Continue to follow
the path until a stile, pass over then diagonally down a grazing field to
a gate at a path junction. Go through the gate, over an old stone
bridge of the dismantled railway, then over a new wooden bridge crossing
the River Lavant. (photo: Looking back down the path towards the Wooden Bridge) |
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| Continue to join the
A286 Chichester to Cocking road. Turn right and follow the road for
a short distance, then left onto the metalled road alongside Binderton
House. At the first left-hand bend, take the footpath off to the
right which follows Binderton Lane (track) (fingerpost).
Continue along the lane, passing a detached house to the left. The
path then drops gently, passing Lawrence Copse, to meet the B2142
Chichester to South Harting road at Dean Cottages. (photo: Looking along Binderton Lane) |
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| Kingsley Vale
can be seen ahead. Turn right and soon after, left onto a path
leading up into Kingley Vale. Continue up the path until meeting the
first path crossroads (fingerpost). Turn right onto the Monarch's
Way path and head back down and out of the woods. (the path is steep in
places, and if damp, can be slippery on the chalk) (photo: Looking back from the path on the way up to Kingley Vale) |
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| The path meets a
fence as it exits the wooded area, then goes left to follow the line of
the fence, eventually joining a farm track. Turn right and follow
the track down to rejoin the B2142. (this Kingsley Vale section could be
avoided by following the road but I try to avoid road walking as much as
possible) Cross the road to join Hylters Lane leading up to
Brickkiln Farm. Follow the lane as it turns left and up past
Brickkiln Cottages. The road is single track, quiet, and good grass
verges so walking on the road surface can be avoided. (photo: View back down the lane to Brickkiln Cottages) |
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| Where a road
joins from the left, take the farm track off to the right leading to Lodge
Hill Farm. In the dip at the bottom, cross over a dilapidated stile
on the left, and follow the path uphill across a small field. Cross
another stile, over the field to the hedge, then left following the hedge
to a fingerpost. (photo: The route up through the field) |
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| Leave the field near
the farm, and follow the path southeast along a field track, leaving the
fence to the left. Soon after, the path enters Whitedown
Plantation. Continue on the path as it gently descends through the
wood to join a minor road. Turn right, then soon after left onto a
path heading towards Warren Hangar. (photo: Looking back down the fields) |
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| The path soon
reaches the wood, then turns right to follow the boundary of the wood
passing Pheasants Cottage on the right. The A286 road is eventually
reached in the small village of West Dean. (photo: Path leading towards Warren Hangar) |
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| Cross the road, down
the narrow lane and round to the right. The road (and the Monarch’s
Way) follows the line of the flintstone wall of West Dean Estate.
Continue to follow the road, soon along the course of the River Lavant. (photo: River Lavant at West Dean village) |
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| At the bridge, cross
over the river. The route now follows a Bridleway, keeping the
estate wall on the left, until reaching Calhouns Plantation. Follow
the path up through the wood, eventually exiting the wood onto the path
used at the start of the walk. (close to the rather big flintstone house
near Chalkpit Lane) (photo: The village of West Dean from the bridleway) |
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| Turn left passing the car park again, now on the right, then follow the track up to The Trundle, and down to the car park. | |