| The way to the start of the walk, from the south, is along the A285 Halnaker/Petworth road. The turn off is along the A27 coast road, east of Chichester, on the way to Arundel. On leaving the A27 onto the A285, drive through Halnaker village. When the road enters a wooded area, 3km up from Halnaker, take the minor road off to the right. It is signpost for Eartham and Slindon. Eartham Wood car park is about 300 metres on the left. | |
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The footpath starts from the parking area on the
right, at the entrance of the car park. Follow this path east for a
couple of hundred metres until a gravel track is reached. Take the
bridlepath on the right (the Monarch's Way), heading northeast, and not the
main track that heads north. The path is signposted Stana Road, which is
an old Roman Road. (photo: Wood carving on the way through the wood) |
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Continue on this path through the wood, eventually
reaching a track junction. Here, a large wooden signpost indicates the
direction to various villages/towns. Continue northeast to leave the
wood. (Initially, the path is under a canopy of trees/bushes that line either
side of the path.) (photo: Looking back towards the woods) |
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| Stay on the path as
it continues up the South Downs. Pass Gumber Farm on the right, as
the path steadily goes up hill. There are fine views to the south
..... on a clear day the English Channel and the Isle of Wight can be
seen. (photo: Looking ahead along the route) |
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| At Gumber
Corner, a junction of paths is reached. Take the second on the left
as it heads north in the general direction of the Radio Mast, ahead and
left. The South Downs Way is reached soon after. Turn left
onto the South Downs Way. (photo: Looking south from the South Downs Way) |
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| Follow the wide
track of the South Downs Way, past Sutton Down, and down to the A285 at
Littleton Farm. (photo: Looking west along the South Downs) |
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| Rejoin the
South Downs Way across the road, and head up the track to the right of
Littleton Farm. Pass through a gate and follow the track up through
the field over Littleton Down. The full extent of the South Downs,
looking east, comes into view at the top of Littleton Down. (photo: View east from Littleton Down) |
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| Continue west along
the South Downs Way, avoiding all paths off, until above Graffham
Down. Here the track enters a wooded area. (photo: Looking back along the South Downs Way ..... where Clare and I had lunch) |
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| Take the path off to
the left, heading south alongside The Scrubs woods, as the South Downs Way
continues west. Keep going straight down through the wood, until a
gate is reached leading into a wide open ‘bowl’ meadow Brockhurst
Bottom. Follow the path through the meadow into the dip of the
valley. (Here, there is a single track road that leads to East Dean
Village, which can be followed to avoid the next wooded section.) (photo: The entrance to Brockhurst Bottom) |
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| Go up the short hill
to a small camping area, then through an old steel gate at the other side
into Shepherd's Croft wood. ( Judging by the undergrowth at the time of our walk,
the path is little used.) (photo: Looking back along the route to the woods) |
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| Follow the track up until it meets/crosses another track. Take the track going right, at right-angles, and not the one going back down hill in the direction just travelled. Continue through the wood, eventually reaching a wide gravel track. Turn right and follow the gravel track as it descends to join New Road as it exits the wood. (Named as New Road on the OS Map, but nothing more than an old narrow farm track!) | |
| Follow New Road to
reach the minor road, Droke Lane, passing through East Dean Village. Turn right,
and after about 100 metres, left into a field following a path down the side of
a garden fence. Cross the stile at the end of the field, turn left then
straight right onto the path leading up to Bubholts Wood. (photo: Bubholts Wood ahead) |
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Continue under the power lines into the wood. Avoid the path off
to the left, following the path that heads diagonally up through the
wood. At the top, continue left on the Monarch’s
Way that joins from the right. Follow the path southeast until
Selhurstpark road is reached. Turn right, then soon after, cross the
road and onto the path through a gap in the hedge. (photo: View back to East Dean) |
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| Turn left and join
the track that goes in the direction of, and close to, Selhurstpark
road. The track now goes east through Red Copse, diverging from the
road, eventually crossing a wide gravel track. (Looking south down the
track can be seen Halnaker Windmill on top of Halnaker Hill.) The
Monarch’s Way continues east, rather overgrown in places, exiting into
open fields. Keep to the right, following the line of the hedge,
eventually crossing (southeast) a field to the north of Selhurst Park
Farm. Turn right and follow the fence south, the direction of the ‘overgrown’
path, to join the farm track leading from the A285 road to Selhurst Park
Farm. (photo: Halnaker Windmill in the distance on Halnaker Hill) |
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| Turn left at the track, and continue until the road is reached. Cross the road, still on the Monarch’s Way for the last section of wood, to join the Eartham/Slindon road. Turn right and down the road to return to the Eartham Wood car park, and the start of the walk. | |