Water Divining
Storm Claudia promised so much and even though the worst was in the west, she did not disappoint. Full waterproofs and a very mild day meant for a sweaty journey. The walk was based around a random opportunity to visit Mile Oak Farm to see the cows and speak to the farmer, facilitated by the National Trust. Nothing for it but to walk through urban Brighton, go to the sea and head north for the rendez vous. This seemed a natural course of action but maybe it isn't. My reasoning was that there are areas of the urban south coast that I haven't really 'walked'. I used to live in Brighton and it is not altogether unfamiliar but I have fewer opportunities to do it. This was an exercise in the urnbane as well as the built-up. Domestic Brighton & Hove and industrial port. Turns out my timing was exquisite. Battery failed me after Waterhall and I winged it to the station. Totally misjudged the railway tunnel, forgot about Withdean and took a ridiculous northwards diversion that I wasn't prepared to roll back on but I invite you to avoid.
Preston Park Station is but a couple of stops south of Burgess Hill.
I left the house to the sound of twit-twooing from the owls. From the station, leave via the eastern exit and turn south on Clermont Terrace, hug the track before passing under it and take an immediate left. You will merge with Miller's Road and Highcroft villas before turning left at the junction. Enter Dyke Road Park and head behind the tennis courts. Go through the gate into the plaing field and walk directly south towards the church. Fear not, there is a gap in the railings opposite Montefiore Road. Follow this to cross Davigdor Road and enter Nizells Lane, straight through to St Anne's Well Gardens. Be directed to what's left of the well or chalybeate spring. Not much by the sound of it. The iron-rich waters provided for a health spa from way back. In the 17th century, this piece of land was called the Wick Estate and alludes to the farm there. The once farmland was developed by the Scutts and later a park surrounded what had became a pump room for water fanatics. Part of the Wick Estate became Brunswick Town, incorporating the 'Wick' and referencing the Hanoverian royalty of the Regency. The project centred on Brunswick Square where you will go next. The waters at St. Ann's well dwindled.
Leave the park south onto Furze Hill. Try and imagine the view from the chalybeate amongst the fir trees and gorse. and continue south on Brunswick Place and into the grassy area of the square. Exit over Kingsway and cross the Hove Lawns to reach the promenade. The shingle had made a fine attempt to reclaim the area at high tide but the runners and doggers continued to ply the stretch, undeterred.
Go west. Navigation will be easy for some time. You are on the Monarch's Way and the England Coast Path. You will reach the Hove Plinth and enjoy some sculpture. Beyond are many beach huts and the Western Lawns and Hove Lagoon. You are now directed behind the buildings to walk alongside the Aldrington Basin before returning to the seafront. Darkly industrial amongst the wharves and works, the light drizzle and brooding crows did nothing to persuade my mood into bright thoughts. We are into Shoreham.
After the power station, you are very near the breakwater and the very end of the Monarch's Way at the Adur's mouth. Wave goodbye to Charles and return inland over the lock. The Port Kitchen looked inviting. At Albion Road, go left and go north on Grange Road to leave the other Charles-based long distance path behind. At Southwick Green, just ahead of you, Charles II is said to have spent the night. Follow the grass and go right into Southwick Square. The street became more and more pastry and breakfast-based as I reached the end, so take your pick if that is what you are after. Take the next right and proceed to east to cross the grass at Glebe Close. Continue north and east to border the recreation ground now rich with school-bound children.
Exit the leisure centre car park and go north to the main road and then east. This is Manor Hall Road and a little further on, you will see a very straight bridleway on the northern side. This is marked Sussex Border Path and is, in fact, the Mid Sussex Link. The path now follows the Brighton & Hove City and Adur District Council boundary, north. The path runs alongside the allotments and Southern Cross substation. You and the pylons head up hill. Through the back of the recreation ground, you are in the South Downs National Park. Continue to turn slowly to the east but keep high until you are over the dual-carriageway on the hill. Look out for the footpath on the right that will take you down to Mile Oak Farm and café. Just about the heaviest rain descended on my arrival. The cows were close at hand. This is the site of the Mile Oak pumping station and waterworks and was demolished and replaced with an electric one in 1961. The internet has mentions and memories of children enjoying fresh water from a tap here. The purchase of the farms by the Brighton Corporation was in an effort to preserve water quality. Since privitisation of the water supply, further efforts have been made to reduce the impact of nitrates from farming. This area sits on the chalk aquifer, common to a line of boreholes and works that replaced individual wells hereabouts, to secure water supply.
After a wander on the hillside with the cows, I returned to my drizzly journey. The access land extends from above the road to the iron age Thunder's barrow and it's bronze age field systems on the chalk hill. East of the barrow are the remains of a Romano-British settlement. The rich folk were presumably in the villa down in Southwick.
Just south of the café, go east alongside the main road. You are back on the Monarch's Way. You will pass the reservoir and reach a gate. Switch back now to go north on the Eastern flank of Cockroost Hill. There is a well-defined path through the access land. Rejoin the Sussex Border Path and turn right. Turn left onto the byway and continue following it as a bridleway over Fulking Hill. The path is the right-hand one and after a while you will see the Dyke Pub which is where you can go via the footpath. I sheltered in the hospitality and emerged into pleasant afternoon dryness.
Go through the car park and take the gate through to the right bank of the ditch itself. As impressive as Devil's Dyke is Newtimber Hill, on the other side. You are on the South Downs Way Follow this in front of the car park and down to Saddlescombe Road. Cross the road and follow the signs to Saddlescombe Donkey Wheel. There is a café here also. As worth a visit as the wheel is the appreciation of the 50m depth of the well itself. At the end of the road, where the wheel is signposted, head uphill on the Sussex Border Path. At the next option, bear right with this bridleway.
Views are now to the south as you are accompanied by the cows. Keep an eye out for the Waterhall Nature Reserve on the right. This former golf course turned local nature reserve is being rewilded. I generally followed the Buzzard Trail. On the bridleway beside the playing fields and car park, that turns into Waterhall Road, take the tarmac path up towards the bypass and the bridge over it. Cross Mill Road and unsurprisingly you pass Waterhall, Patcham or even Westdene-named Windmill which is privately owned.
Turn left onto what is the Green Ridge. Leave by the gate on the right, cross Windmill Road go down to Bramble Rise. Turn right and descend Mill Rise. After the row of shops the battery ran out and I guessed. Barn Rise takes you past Westdene Primary School and cross the green to Dene Vale. It was school pickup time. A path leads up between the houses into Withdean Woods. It is here that I forgot I had some way to go. Rather than make my way over to Withdean Woods, I made my way east and out onto Tongdean Road. I saw the tunnel under the track and thought I recognised where I was, favouring an uphill route to reach the next turning. This was not right, as a switch back in to Brangwyn Drive on the other side of the tracks testifies.
An exit on to London Road and south was long and to my shame. Turn right on to Clermont Road and things will have come full circle. The owls were hooting derision together on my way back.
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