Whither shall I Wander?

HENFIELD TO WASHINGTON COMMON VIA STEYNING AND THE WISTON ESTATE

In an attempt to defy Storm Amy, this was a Thursday walk. A walk for a purpose, or rather two walks joined together with a functional connecting one. I was testing a couple of routes for the Lost Woods Project. It is a thing to follow another persons instructions. It makes you aware of your own perspective. There are countless whims, whys and wherefores that influence a choice of a particular route through a landscape and it feels that you put yourself up for judgement when you lay it out like this. Probably more important is my own reflection on the route I create because it says more about me than anything else. Wherefore do I walk? To find myself? Introspection is especially true, as very few people will bother to read through all this nonsense...

Nothing was particularly new or impressive for me but Henfield and Washington Common give you the opportunity for freeform expression. I was a little tired and managed to avoid any great hill slogs but I needed some joy. I had entertained A route above the A283 but I let my eye off the ball, after a cow encounter and found myself following a familiar way into Steyning for lunch. I also saw fit to visit the excellent little Steyning Museum and see the actual vamping horn from Ashurst Church. The replica was found on an earlier walk. This is how fun is made.

Henfield is easy, if a little infrequent via the 100 bus from Burgess Hill to Horsham. This means the 100 can take you back from the Clayton Farm stop, near Washington Common.

Get off the bus at the High Street and backtrack to Brick Lane, on the left. This little alley takes you through to the car park. On the right-hand side is Henfield Museum. To the left of the museum take the path to Furners Meadand go south into The Daisycroft and beyond the Bowling Club. At the green metal fingerpost, go to the Common through the gate and turn left. Bear right onto the tarmac, cross the stream and go right into the woods at the next fingerpost. Leave the footpath before you reach the edge of the sports field and take the path right at the edge. Go over the first footbridge and now walk between the ditch and the stream. The early sun made its best effort to glow warmly towards me through the morning mist.

Pass the yew tree with its vibrant evergreen and scarlet berries and enter the woods on the other side of the grass. Follow the main path to the far side and bear right as you exit the trees. The particular light had softened the dewy greens but made the reds burst forth; A fly agaric were brazen in the undergrowth and the ruby haws were abundant, gawdy baubles glistening. Once over the ditch, turn right and right again on the public footpath. Take to the gravel drive and the next left all the way back behind the museum.

Back on the High Street, go south to Golden Square and walk on left beside the 'William Borrer Grass Bank'. The Summer flowers were over. Descend and cross to join the footpath between Nep Town and Barrow Hill Road. The path goes down hill to a junction where you turn left. Some attractive dutch-spotted sheep adorned the field on my right.

This is a little diversion to check out Broadmare Common or sometimes Broadmere. This is one of the three Commons and a scrubby fenny one, dotted with ponds, with origins as clay pits. At the road, turn right and cross the steam. I ventured to the left on the footpath but found I couldn't cut through west and returned to follow the road southwest instead. At Coggers, on Dagbrook Lane, go north again, on the footpath. Back at the junction, turn left on the boardwalk.

From here, the watery primeval, horsetail strewn landscape is in sharp focus. You can see that the old Nep Town or 'up town' lies on the sandstone above you. Down here, the springs and streams flow into an area known locally as the Brooks. The Adur is tidal and a source of salt in the old times. Keep following this line until you pass under a railway tunnel. This is the Downs Link and the footpath follows the disused line down to Shoreham. Our path then turns left and parallels this southwards through the water meadows. The Parish Council do I nice little leaflet on Henfield and its surroundings. I watched the canadian geese excitedly flocking together.

Join the Downs Link and bridleway and cross the Adur and take to its southern bank at Stretham Manor. A place that is very old and derives its name from the road of older origins. There are old earthworks just to the north. You are now going north. Continue on the bridleway as it leaves the river and goes west. Turn left onto the foopath at Northover Farm. There is only one path to follow. You pass the highpoint at Shelleys and taken the road going south from Wyckham Lane. I wasn't sure I would be able but I had intended to walk a section of Stane Street that forms the drive of Huddlestone Farm. As the path turned to the west, I was confronted by some your Fresian bullocks, grazing in the Phacelia. They did eventually move aside but I missed my turn and carried on bearing south into Steyning. The final section goes directly over the A283. 

The path goes directly south to exit onto Tanyard Lane. Go west and you'll be on the High Street with lunchtime potential. Further south, turn left into Church Street and you will find the Museum. I then went full circle on Church Lane and back to Tanyard Lane where you can turn right. Go left into Sir George's Place and right on the footpath. This crosses the mill stream which is fed from springs above. This is the site of an old fulling and then feed-grinding mill called Court Mill. The 1913 wheel can still be made out at the back of what is now a private residence.

I then inadvertantly took the gravel track that follows the stream to its source, instead of the footpath. This area is part of the Steyning Downland Scheme and be explored; I was doing no wrong. This is Nightingale Lane, according to their map. You pass an orchard, The Picnic Field and reach the old Rifle Range. From here, ascend the hill northwards to rejoin the bridleway that is Mouse Lane. Turn left as it becomes the footpath. You will go a long way in this direction through the Wiston Estate. I sign helpfully guides your eyes to the hill toupee that is Chanctonbury Ring. The occasional gaggle of Duke of Edinburgh students passed along.  After Great Barn Farm, wiggle right and left and join the bridleway continuing the line, the other side of the Chanctonbury Ring Road. The path climbs a little through the woodland. Through the gate, take the footpath northwest to Tilley's Farm. Go north in the field with the pet sheep, around the houses and onto Washington's London Road.

Join The Pike on the right, go right a little on the main road and cross to take the footpath north. Once over the field, the old sandpits are on your right. Beyond the campsite, turn left on the footpath to leave on car debris-strewn Sandhill Lane. A little way up on the right you will be directed to the subway under the A24. Go a bit further north and enter the National Trusts Warren Hill and Washington Common.

I was probably a bit weary to explore this area. The footpath will take you to an open picnicking area, known as Sleepy Hollow and next to the car park. I attempted to work out another persons route from photos on this undulating terrain. It seems I only had half the instructions which made it difficult. If you continue on the footpath, you will make it to George's Lane. Go south. I jogged. Good timing for the bus.