By Hook or by Crook

BURGESS HILL TO HOVE VIA HASSOCKS, JACK AND JILL, PYECOMBE, WOLSTONBURY HILL, NEWTIMBER HILL, DEVIL'S DYKE AND BENFIELD VALLEY NATURE RESERVE

A fortunate swap from a Friday to a Thursday guaranteed me a sublimely sunny day for a straightforward, straight from home, undulating walk of hills, taking in the skies and periodically rising above the muddy valleys.

I spent too long considering a trip to coast, being tempted by the sightings of humpback whales. In the event, beginning the route from the front door of Burgess Hill, allowed for a marginally later start that I then needed after being late to bed.  This was a useful reminder that setting out from this funny old town, finds you almost instantly blessed with some beautiful rolling Wealdland downs and dramatic valleys, so close to home. Wolstonbury Hill gets a special mention as I feel it is sorely underrated. The hill has a good 360 view of many other hills but lies just off the South Downs Way and finds it difficult to get a look-in. Devil's Dyke is almost sexier when seen from Newtimber. The wiggling around Pyecombe is to avoid Cow Down that I found unbearably muddy on this walk and allowed a bit of an explore of access land not walked before.

If you're travelling to Burgess Hill, you can start this walk from the station or the London Road bus stop by the roundabout.

From the station, head east then south on the footpath, all the way to the railway bridge. Waving at trains is not optional. Once over, continue on the bridleway and then cross Nightingale Meadows to London Road. Join the Green Circle on the far side and head south on the footpath, when you reach Hammonds Meadow. shimmy southwards to join the bridleway. The view of Wolstonbury and your future dominates the skyline. I chose to enter the once golf course and walk on the parallel, on the edge of the housing development as it is quite muddy. It was me and all the other dog walkers. Continue until you reach Wickham Farm. This diversion also allowed me to carry on past the temporarily closed section of bridleway that I knew nothing about.

I had dithered on the edge of Hurst because I had intended going straight for Wolstonbury but the day was too cheery to miss another ascent when it was so close. To Hassocks we go. Left onto Belmont Lane and then south and southeast to emerge back onto London Road. Cross over and join Stanford Avenue which ends at Hassocks Station. At the corner of the car park, nearest to track, descend the stairs to the road and pass under the railway bridge. The footpath to Clayton is over the road.

South will take you past Butcher's and Lag Wood where there are anenomes and bluebells, at the right time of year. At the far end and just over Brighton Road, you'll see the castellations of the Clayton Tunnel. Cross New Road to enter the Recreation Ground on your left. Head for the car park and exit onto Underhill Lane. The bridleway will begin to ascend towards Jack and Jill. Big views open up to the north. Follow the path round to the right and then straight up to the car park. Cross the car park and head east and south on Mill Lane to the South Downs Way. Now go west, passing Pyecombe Golf Club and crossing Clayton Hill, proceed to the Church of Transfiguration.

The church at Pyecombe is massively old and was being contructed in the 12th century. It has a lead font from the same era. The church deserves a special mention, as it answered my prayer in the form of escellent facilities and I needed a wee. You can also make yourself a hot drink here in the little kitchen. An excellent stop to be had as many thousands of visitors may have done before you. The 'Shepherds Church' lies on an ancient droving route and it is fitting that Pyecombe is known for a singular type of crook design, first made by a Mr Berry at the village's forge. You might notice the central pivoting Tapsell gate, another local design with the said hook incorporated.

Head up The Wyshe bridleway, a name meaning meadow or marsh. Ignore the footpath over the hill on the left and take the bridleway west at the junction to climb Wolstonbury Hill. It is home to much degraded bronze age earthworks, old flint mines and rare orchids. Look back at the windmills and bag the trig before descending back to the bridleway.

Head west to the messy and spidery junction. Join the bridleway going southeast and lower yourself into the other side of Pyecombe on muddy Pyecombe Street. The village feels shamed by the drone of the dual carriageway the cuts below and alongside it. Cross to the Wayfield Farm and cafe. I didn't stop but turned east to take the concrete and rejoin the South Downs Way at Haresdean.

Now climb what is West Hill and soon marked as the National Trust's Newtimber Hill. This is much nicer under foot, right now, than Cow Down which extends behind Wayfield Farm. The area is access land but it is at the top and beyond the fence line where you can now follow the well-trod but unmarked route that follows the ridge over to Newtimber Hill proper. The whole hill-top can be explored but I put my feet on the highest part, by the dew ponds, before curving south to the corner by Saddlescombe and its donkey wheel. Great views of Devil's Dyke are offered to the south. The place is awash with wildflowers in the Summer but in winter the trees are the stunners. A pair of buzzards diplayed their enthusiasm. There is another cafe here.

Cross Saddlescombe Road and turn right to join the waymarked paths. I did a wiggle around this foothill before descending to rejoin the footpath a little below. The bridleway it joins, takes you to the foot of the dyke itself. You can, of course, walk directly along it or ascend the east side to take in the impressive ditch but I chose to traverse the flat, go over the stile and head up the west side on the permissive path in the trees.

At the next junction, climb the bridleway going south and leave on the footpath going west. This will have you cross the fortifications of a substantial hillfort no as 'Poor Mans Walls', subdued by the much later hotel and the defunct Victorian leisure attraction, cable-way, funicular railway and remains of military activity. There have been a range of activities that make the site historically complex but not much excavated. Devils Dyke Road gives you a splendid observation of the line of The Downs and views north.

The paragliders joined the wheeling birds in large numbers on the thermals. I stopped for lunch at the pub and basked in the sunshine entering the window.

On exiting the pub, walk over to the trig by the derelict building that, appararently, never had a roof. Good views are out to sea. Rejoin the footpath on the ridge as it heads west but leave it, cross the SDW and join the Sussex Border Path on Fulking Hill. The stile is in the far corner and takes you onto the long, straight restricted byway. On my mission to take in some little-walked access land I went east on a permissive path towards the trees on the edge of Mount Zion. This was little more than some shelter for cows and a bit difficult to walk on the slope. I cheated and returned to stand on the summit before reaching the trig on the main highway. You may contine on the SBP. A significant dew pond lies to your left.

You are on the Foredown Road. At the Shoreham bypass you join the Monarch's Way and I like to think of Charles II scuttling over the A27 and later, beside West Hove School. Once over, you can observe the prominent remains of the Foredown Tower, once a water tower in and isolation hospital of 1909. It houses a camera obscura and possibly a cafe to visit but check here and maybe call.

Join Fox Way and cross the roundabout. On Hangleton Lane, climb up the left hand side and take the path that parallels the A293 for a way before heading to the Benfield Valley Golf Club, most recently a home to foot golf. The 18th century barn was visible earlier on the hill and is a cafe but was not open when I arrived.

Continue to cross the A27 again and enter Hove's first local nature reserve, the Benfield Hill Nature Reserve. The Benfield Valley continues south of here and has a passionate group of volunteers trying to protect this corridor. Take the footpath through it and then turn the corner to the east and back down to the roadside. Go east between the road and the monstrous West Hove Golf Club and driving range. Rejoin the Monarch's Way to cross the A27 for the last time. Nearly there, Charles! 

Take Downland Drive onto Clarke Avenue and visit West Blatchington Windmill on top of its own barn. A quick look at sunset. Rejoin Court Farm Road, Nevill Road and then the Droveway. This will take you past the Engineerium. The place still houses the museum but has a new life and appears to be a space for private bookings. In Hove Park, continue on its west edge, over the middle to cross Goldstone Crescent and onto the footpath. Flee from Cromwell onto the Old Shoreham Road, turn left and then quick right, down to Hove Station via Hove Park Villas. You've made it and gained over 2000ft in elevation over the course of the walk. That's over 500ft over the space of 20 miles.

Near perfect timing took me back to Burgess Hill via Brighton.