The South Downs National Park varies in landscape by the mile. Exposed flint-strewn hills, steep chalk escarpments, dense wooded slopes. My recent 24 mile walk took in all of that. I would walk a route that I had walked before in sections but not all in one day. Recently I have been walking east, towards …
Disused canals normally conjure up images of discarded shopping trolleys and part submerged cars. The semi-restored Wey and Arun canal offers walkers the chance to get right amongst nature and couldn’t be any more removed from the stereotype. Billingshurst to Houghton Bridge Explore the South Downs without the car. A station to station canal walk. …
A 31 mile hike to Devil’s Dyke in East Sussex, starting from Storrington in West Sussex. Walking along the South Downs Way under a gorgeous blue sky. At the beginning of May I had walked 25 miles in a day, which at the time was a personal best and I knew that I had a …
A 19.6 mile walk to Cissbury Ring just outside the village of Findon in West Sussex. Taking in two hill forts and views of ancient flint mines. Starting off in Storrington West Sussex, a bustling village at the foot of the South Downs I headed up to Kithurst Hill and walked east, towards my first …
High up on the South Downs in West Sussex, a short walk from Kithurst Hill car park, surrounded by peaceful fields, wildlife and crops, sits a now silent giant. A beast of a man-made machine. Over 75 years ago this area of the South Downs, rising above Storrington, Cootham and Parham House would have been a …
A very popular family walk around the magnificent Petworth Park, in the South Downs of West Sussex. With a herd of over 900 fallow deer, views to the North and South Downs, plus wide open lawns to fly kites, Petworth has to be one of the most popular National Trust venues in the South East …
The first week in March should have been filled with the joys of spring but for reasons that will be explained it was far from idyllic. I don’t often feel guilty when out walking, why should I for I am sharing the stunning South Downs through my words, walks and photos; bringing a little happiness …
What better way to end the working day than a walk around your local area; in my case that meant a walk along the South Downs Way close to Storrington in West Sussex. There is a rough tarmac track that leads off of the Amberley to Storrington road, the B2139. The track barely signposted from the …
“What, in one day?”, “I bet you hurt after that?”, “why?”, “I could never do that”, “Good luck”, “wishing you the very best luck”, “well done you”, “really proud of you”, “bet you felt great.” Just some of the many comments made to me before and after my modest plan to walk 40 miles along …
Springtime was very much over, the bright yellow fields of rapeseed all but vanished from the South Downs National Park in West Sussex. Swaying fields of wheat, a contrasting lush green under hot yellow summer sun now covered the landscape. Splattered like random giant paint drops, amongst these fields of green were vivid red poppies, …
Sussex was one of the first Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in Britain and its name means ‘land of the south Saxons’. Sitting on the south coast of England, West Sussex is a quiet county of small towns and picturesque villages. Here you’ll find beautiful countryside, coastal retreats, and mysterious tales and legends of days gone by. West …