Back to Black
Terrifying heat and a first for the temperature recorded in May. I might have been put off. I hate the heat at the best of times but it is more difficult to avoid the notion that we are rapidly plummeting to our inevitable doom with very little we can do to slow it. Resolving this in a less pessimistic viewpoint, I can choose to reframe this unlocked climactic fear. It is as well to consider how open one is to new things, broader experiences and understandings. I have been struck lately by the quantity of firsts for me and situations that have defied likelihood. Expectations will often steer choices and a balance must be struck to manage personal comfort, risks and potential enjoyment. However, occasionally, leaving some decisions for chance to play its hand can bring good fortune and surprising novelty. While this might sound like philosophy, most of my walks are quite lightly planned on the basis of not having been to the bulk of a place or not having prepared as well as I would have liked. Being open to travelling through areas that might disappoint but not kill me is all that I should then require.
Thus, we have a route that has some slightly lengthy transportation required to get to and get away from but has a long hot walk squeezed in between that was quite often in the shade of woodland, by the cool of a river or on a heathy hill with far-reaching views. I was lucky to hear a turtle dove but less happy with an uncomfortable road walk at the finish.
An early start will allow you to make a good train to bus connection to Midhurst. Change at Three Bridges for Pulborough and then take the 1 bus. From Petworth take that bus again. You might make a quicker connection via Worthing but I didn't want to. Speed isn't everything.
From the final stop at Midhurst, I realised I'd never been to the original castle on St Anne's Hill. The remains of Cowdray dominate the flood plain and so it easy to miss the 11th century mound just to the south. From the toilets, go east on the Sussex Diamond Way. Opposite the ruins and at the near bank of the river Rother, follow the footpath along the water south to the base of the hill. Take the steps up and you can look back at the successor to this Norman construction. Only the outline of the original remains. Descend on the west side and walk through Market Square and Church Hill to North Street. Follow this north beyond the South Down Centre. This was once the Grammar School where H G Wells attended. Take the footpath on the left to the river bank and you'll also be on the New Lipchis Way, a path from Liphook to West Wittering and one of many Rother Walks through dragons and damsels. I walked against the tide of uncomfortably blazered schoolkids and found a couple as far as the brambles by the river.
After the gate, the path enters a meadow and Glebe house makes an appearance across the water. Further round, you can see the church and the ten-sided glasshouse at the National Trust's Woolbeding, an estate, less the gardens we will be wandering. The path turns right through the cattle to the road. I alarmed a deer that stealthily jumped the gate before I went over the medieval Woolbeding Bridge. The way leaves the road on the left but when a way above the river opens up, take it to the right and into the woods in the same direction. Follow the path round and join the Stedham Lane. Now leave the road to go north.
Turn left at the junction to Woodgate Farm via the Topfield bridleway. Turn left on Tote Lane and continue on the footpath back the river on your right. Stay the near side of the river and on the New Lipchis Way. (This does mean you miss out the childish joy of Titty Hill). Follow the path north, leave Oakham Common, no sooner than you enter it and go back on to the Lane.
You will enter Woolbeding Common and access land on one of a few paths and cross Linch Old Rectory. Linch comes from the old English hlinc meaning ridge or earth bank and after crossing Linch Road, leave the NLW and follow the path alongside Older Hill Lane to the viewpoint that looks west over Stedham Marsh and beyond. Here a cluster of twitchers dominated the view. No sooner have I just noticed woodlarks than I am greeted with a host with their descending plaintive. Yellowhammers accompanied the sun-wearied stupor in their calls that take me back to East Anglian childhood Summers. I whispered an inquiry to one of the gathered as to what they were watching and was told that this was a 'bird-watching spot' and they were observing buzzards several kilometres off. I found this perplexing in the face of the beautiful birds I was hearing so close by. I've nothing against buzzards but I quite commonly see them on the grottiest of walking days.
Lucky to say that benches abound at Wooldbeding and you can have a viewpoint all to yourself further on and now on the Serpent Trail. I found myself at the trig point at Older Hill. If you go east, you can descend back on to the trail around the Napoleonic Telegraph Hill, still part of the same peak but referencing the naval communication point. The path follows the contour through a grassy plantation with pine and older specimens of oak and yew. Keep on this line as it rounds the hill before descending southeast into Northpark Copse. Continue down onto the tarmac and cross Whites Lane. Bear north and you'll cross the Lod.
At Hawksfold Farm the footpath turns east and into Fernherst. Turn right on Vann Road and cross the junction towards the church. At the end of Church Road, cross the green and you can stop for lunch at The Red Lion. I had a most unexpected encounter with an upturned nest of chiffchaffs. Having gathered the babies, the nest was returned to the ledge in the pub garden and the parents continued to feed. I ate my lunch with best wishes for the family's future.
If you are refreshed, you must face the prospect of a steady uphill on the footpath alongside the pub. These paths feel like ancient hollows. You cross another tribitary as you continue to Reeth. Join the bridleway that goes right and reach Fernden Lane. A short walk to the right allows you to access the bridleway for the last push to the Temple of the Winds viewpoint at Blackdown over the West Weald. From here you have a choice of paths and I managed to take the west side as I have before. I will have to return to experience the east side and the beech hangars. The west side was being grazed by the laidback belted galloways and is part of the Serpent Trail. At the junction with the Sussex Border Path, continue with this path to the northeast. I found myself at several benches to join a path that descends from the corner of Tennyson's Lane along another walled hollow down to Upper Roundhurst Farm. Cross Roundhurst Common and continue following the single footpath to cross Jobson's Lane.
At Upper Diddlesfold Farm, continue on the bridleway into Northchapel. At the main road, you will find the post-office to your left. I stopped here for air conditioning and more hydration. Take the footpath opposite that skirst the field and bears right and south onto the bridleway. This is the final section through West and Burrell's Wood and where I heard the growling warblings of a turtle dove. The tur sound is in the name. At the junction with the footpath, turn left by a stand of birch and go right by the continuation of this onomatopoeia by Mercer's Furze. Bearing east, you cross the road after Ebernoe House and take the road signposted to the church.
This is Ebernoe Common. You have freedom to explore here this SSSI and had it not been near the end of my journey, I would have done so. Following the footpath going marginally southeast, turn west at the junction to make your way to the trout fishery at Blackwool Farm. Although this access land, the presence of the fishery deters the casual visitor and what follows instead is an awkward road walk south rather than a noodling in the land adjacent to it. I might have avoided some of this with an alternative route near to Hoads Common.
You are not able to leave the road until after Limbo and at the car park at Petworth Deer Park. Don't bother with the pedestrian entrance as this is locked but span the cattle grid and now walk in comfort through the Capability Brown landscape. Going south takes you by Lower Pond, the noisy kennels and up the hill around the Pleasure Grounds. Some does were grazing in the late afternoon. The Cowyard Tunnel and exit is open until 18.00 and I had a full twenty minutes. Join North Street and continue round to the church bus stop.
A series of delays worked in my favour to catch the bus, to catch the train and get home an hour earlier than might have been.
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