A circular walk south from Harting Down, WEst Sussex

Car parking is on Harting Down above the small village of South Harting. Following the South Harting/Chichester road (B2141) up the steep hill from South Harting, the car park entrance is at the top and off to the left. (sign at the car park entrance)
There is a wood to the right on entering the car. From the parking area, go to the top (eastern) corner of the northern end of this wood then join the footpath going south into the wood. Follow the path as it winds south through the trees until a footpath sign on the right, the footpath now being close to the road. Go left through the ‘kissing-gate’ and follow the path with a grazing field to the right. (Ignore any paths off left) (photo: Heading south from Harting Down car park)
The path soon goes left at the end of the field to the right, and drops north down into the open valley below Round Down. (There is a fenced round pond to the left.) Go across the valley and up the path on the opposite side, going diagonally left uphill in the direction of Beacon Hill. The path eventually ends at a ‘T’ junction on the southwestern side of Beacon Hill. (photo: Leaving Round Down)
Turn right and follow the enclosed path passing through a couple of gates to reach the tarmac access road to Telegraph House. (photo: Heading south down the access road to Telegraph House)
Follow this tree-lined road to where it bends right, then join the footpath that continues south. Follow this path, becoming a wide track, to exit onto the narrow lane going down to The Royal Oak pub at Hooksway. (photo: And a view back in the direction of Telegraph House)
Turn left and follow the road down for a short distance to the pub. Join the footpath opposite the pub, still heading south, for a couple of hundred yards to the fingerpost. Take the footpath off to the left into Phillis Wood, following it up and across a wide forest track. (photo: Approaching The Royal Oak at Hooksway)
Continue down a track and over a stile into a paddock, across the right side and over another stile, then up into the open field, keeping to the right. Continue on the right of the field under the power lines, and join a footpath completely enclosed by hedgerows at the end of the field. The footpath eventually meets the access road to Broom Farm ..... left is private access. (photo: Heading along the country lane to Yewtree Cottage in the distance)
Go right, and then left on the country lane coming up from The White Horse pub of Chilgrove. Continue on this lane until reaching Yewtree Cottage on the left. Join the footpath going left at the fingerpost, (second access to Yewtree Cottage) which follows a wide track between fields to arrive at the ruins of Monkton Priory, down in a lush green valley. (photo: Looking up the valley towards Monkton Wood)
Go up the footpath through the centre of the valley, through a gate, then up and left following the edge of the field to reach a stile. Cross the stile to reach a cross-road of paths, left going down to Hooksway, with straight on and right being the South Downs Way. (photo: On the South Downs Way with Pen Hill in the distance)
(photo: Muddy section for Clare to pass)
Go straight on to join the South Downs Way. Continue through the top of Philliswood Down and down to the track leading to the now ruined Buriton Farm. Go left then straight right, still on the South Downs Way, and up the steep section to Pen Hill. (photo: The track down to the ruined Buriton Farm)
(photo: Looking back to Treyford Hill)
Continue over Pen Hill into the dip then up another steep section to Beacon Hill. (The route of the South Downs Way skirts south of Beacon Hill) (photo: Clare still on the way to Pen Hill)
(photo: Skirting around Mount Sinai - is it is the correct name!)
Pass down the steep western side of Beacon Hill, then up the other side onto Harting Down. Follow the path, now back on the South Downs Way, back to the car park above South Harting and the end of the walk. (photo: Clare almost at the top of Beacon Hill)