Murky Wood and the One Tower
Well, for my party of one, this was an innocent enough gap-filler of a walk, in the planning. It turned out to be an adventure akin to that in Middle Earth. The weather outlook into November is pretty good with dominating high pressure and what began as a murky train journey, finished with the sun setting on the rich golden hues of a sunny Autumn day. Visual and botanical treats were in store within the woods and a high point involved a quest for a key and a lonely tower climb. My timing was impeccable on such a short day and I caught the train with considerable satisfaction.
Petworth can be made with a well-timed train via Three Bridges to Pulborough and then a bus shortly after. Return is on the same train-line via Billingshurst.
From the Market Square bus stop, I went south to Co-op before going east on New Road. This becomes Angel Street. On the left side, stick to the side of the Sacred Heart Church before descending to what is marked as the Serpent Trail. You are within the South Downs National Park and this is also the Sussex Diamond Way, taking you through the attractive Shimmings Valley. You will cross the Haslingbourne Stream and climb up by the hedge to Sugar Knob Hill. I gently woke the sleeping horses gathered here in the misty corner. The name appears to be a local one and I haven't found it so-called on a map but the clumps of trees bear the same title and rumoured to have been planted for the Festival of Britain.
Continue to the Leconfield Estate's Brinksole or Brinkshole Heath. Rather than continuing with Lovers Lane, bear left and head north. All the appropriate seasonal attractions were here amongst the birch; the glistening holly berries and webs, the fallen sweet chestnuts and the mushrooms. A right and left again will have you continue on the contour and then down to Oldham Hill or the Horsham Road. Cross this and join the bridleway to enter Oldham Copse. Blackhouse Lane will take you directly north. Rather miserably, various lost souls were advertised on this track. Just beyond No Man's Land, a right turn at the crossroads takes you just south of Medhone Copse and on to Petsalls Copse. Leave the trees with a right at the junction and on to Gandersgate Lane.
Turn right on the tarmac of Glasshouse Lane and then a left on Chicken Scratch Lane. This becomes a bridleway on the northern edge of Croucham's Copse and is simply Chicken's Lane. Continue with a bridleway over the Petworth Road. Join the Sussex Diamond Way going south on a footpath into The Mens. Leave the main path for a minor one on the right. Already the woods were displaying their fruits. As I crossed the Crimbourne Lane and entered the bulk of the nature reserve, the wood was enveloped in an appropriately fitting and light softening shroud. The place is strewn with the fallen and decaying trees and the humidity was such to magnify the vigorous fungal kingdom straddling life and death. Earthen banks and bomb holes landscape the hobbit-scaring common lands that would have seen frenetic forest industry in the middle ages. Water runs through deep gills and it is southwest of here that the path continues to the banks of one. Ignore the circular walk signs as you make you way round through The Cut. Join the Sussex Diamond Way going south.
At the next junction, take the indistinct track to the right, that looks much more defined on the map. The going was slow because of my joy at discovering the fruiting bodies amongst the dead wood. I sat upon a log to eat a satsuma and enjoying the sun just beginning to filter through. With the clearing on your right, climb the bank and rejoin the SDW going east with the telegraph poles. Turn right at the junction and on to another bridleway. A steady climb will take you to the Instagrammable Bedham Old Church, a Victorian ruin that is much photographed. Continue up to Wakestone Lane, going east.
Now switch back through the half timbered houses of Bedham to go north. Donkeys were busy building atmosphere in the meadow. I stopped on a bench by some bins to enjoy my second orange. You rejoin the SDW briefly before taking the footpath that forks right.
Back in Hammonds Wood, go east at the next crossroads. Take care to stay on the footpath at Arundel Holt before reaching the Bedham Lane. Go south. You are on the Wey South Path. On your right is Westland Farm and this has potential for a meadow picnic. Turn left for Pallingham Quay Farm and cross the river. The Arun has existed as a tidal navigation as far inland as here since 1575 but we have the Earl of Egremont and resident of Petworth to thank for his ambitious investment in the late 1800s for a canal-building project. There are three channels here and the easternmost being the dried out canal.
Keep going east on a bridleway and navigate on a footpath to the north of Thorn Common. Crossing a meadow, you will glimpse a tower on a hill and then you reach Toat Lane. Now for some adventure. I'd read I could do this and so with Malteasers in hand, I asked for the key for Toat Monument at Toat House. I found the owner doing some drainage work with one very happy and in love black labrador. With directions, do as I did and walk to the Toatwood farm. A worker pointed me the easiest way, directly up through the friendly sheep. The door is double locked and the interior is one of ladders. There are three floors and a very heavy trapdoor at the top. The views are deeply good from this round tump. I descended back to the house and thanked the owner for this highlight.
Toat Monument is dedicated to Samuel Drinkwald. He was a wine merchant from London but his family loved the geegees also. Its said he fell from his horse on this spot. This seems unlikely but die at around thirty years of age he did. He is not buried underneath the tower astride his steed but at All Hallows, London. There is much folklore.
Very satisfied, continue on the east side of the hill and then east on Pickhurst Lane. Take the footpath over Blackgate Lane and then you can take a stop at Stane Street. It might not be classy but the Toat Cafe and carwash was an ideal lunch spot.
Now over the A29, continue over the level-crossing and go south on this final leg. Stick with the bridleway and footpath to Broomershill Farm and then further south to cross a meadow to Mare Hill Barn. When given the option, go east and then go over a stile to continue roughly in this direction. Begin to step north and east to Nutbourne and around the golden vines. Go over the staggered junction on The Street and to the south of a millpond. You will turn left and north. On this sunken path, you won't see the Windmill of the said Vineyard on your right and it will be another, Nyetimber, that you will skirt. The footpath exits over Gay Street and north around the latter's grapes. Keep going east, now on the West Sussex Literary Trail.
The bridleway turns you left and you are on the home straight. The light was burnishing all and between the trees, views open back to the west, where we have been. Within Woodshill Copse, turn left to exit back on to Gay Street. Go north and then take the next bridleway on the left. Beyond Beeding's Copse, this becomes Steepwood Lane. The need for deer fences becomes apparent with the herd appearing on the right. After the farm, you meet Adversane Road. Turn right and cross to take the footpath north and around Jackman's Lane. Go straight north after Marringdean Wood and you'll find yourself on a path by the houses before exiting on to Marringdean Road. This becomes Lower Station Road and Billingshurst Station awaits.
Comments
Post a Comment