MIDHURSTSOUTH DOWNS WALKS

YOUR COUNTRYSIDE CODE: RESPECT. PROTECT. ENJOY.Respect other people• Leave gates and property as you find them• Keep to the paths unless on Open Access Land

Protect the natural environment• Take your litter home• Keep dogs under effective control

Enjoy the outdoors• Plan ahead and be prepared• Follow advice and local signs

SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARKFrom rolling hills to bustling market towns, the South Downs National Park’s landscapes cover 1,600km² of breathtaking views, hidden gems and quintessentially English scenery. A rich tapestry of wildlife, landscapes, tranquillity and visitor attractions, weave together a story of people and place in harmony.

For your guide to everything there is to see and do in the National Park visit southdowns.gov.uk/discovery-map

Keep up to date with the latest news and events from the South Downs National Park. southdowns.gov.uk/newsletter

WOOLBEDINGWoolbeding Bridge dates back to the early medieval period. The Woolbeding Estate, which includes Woolbeding and Pound Commons is owned by the National Trust.

The fields around here may be grazed by Herdwick sheep and Sussex cattle or sometimes by belted Galloway cattle, a small hardy breed happy to graze rough vegetation as well as grass.

During the summer months the National Trust’s beautiful Woolbeding Gardens is open for pre-booked visits. Due to limited parking at the site you must book and take a minibus from the Grange Centre car park in Midhurst. Check nationaltrust.org.uk/woolbeding-gardens for details.

Belted Galloway © SDNPA/Bruce Middleton

South Downs Centre gift shop © SDNPA

SOUTH DOWNS CENTRE – VISITOR INFORMATIONAs well as being home to the National Park Authority, the South Downs Centre in Midhurst is a community hub, an exhibition about the National Park, a small gift shop and a green conference centre. Local visitor information is provided as well as leaflets providing walking routes throughout the National Park.

All Saints church in East Meon village

GODALMING

LEWES

BOGNOR REGIS

BRIGHTON & HOVE

PULBOROUGH

PORTSMOUTH

PETERSFIELD

EASTBOURNE

TUNBRIDGEWELLS

WINCHESTER

SOUTHAMPTON

CHICHESTER

MIDHURST

GETTING HERE CONTACTBy bus: There are regular services to Midhurst, visit www.traveline.info/se

South Downs National Park Authority: 01730 814810

@SDNPA /SDNPA southdownsnp

FIND YOUR WAYFollow the arrows on waymarkers.

SDNPA/The Way Design/September 2019. © SDNPA Crown copyright

SOUTHDOWNS.GOV.UK 

Footpath

Bridleway

Restricted byway

Byway

Open access land National Trail Acorn

TAKE THE LEADFor a safe and fun visit with your dog please remember to keep them on a lead around livestock, horses and wildlife. Always bag and bin your dog poo – any public bin will do!

National Park Area Railway Station

Please recycle me after use

Front cover image: The Cowdray Ruins and river Rother, Midhurst © SDNPA. Details correct at time of going to print. Please be aware that routes are shared with other users (vehicles, pedestrians, dogs, horses etc) and users of this route do so at their own risk. We do not accept any responsibility for loss, damage or injury, however caused, arising directly or indirectly from use of this leaflet. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2013.

St A

nn’s

Hill

lead

ing

to M

arke

t Squ

are

© S

DN

PA

MIDHURSTThe magnificent Cowdray ruins dominate the water meadows in the thriving market town of Midhurst and were visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Their existence today, thanks to restoration following a devastating fire in 1793, give many clues to life in Tudor times.

The Angel Hotel on North Street, dates back to the

fifteenth century. During the 1880’s, author H G Wells resided in the house beside the Angel Hotel and some of his early novels are based on the Midhurst area.

Today, the distinctive yellow window frames seen on some buildings is the signature colour of the Cowdray Estate.

RIVER ROTHERLook out for the flowers of pink purslane and river crowfoot during spring walks along the river Rother. The wetland around the boardwalk is full of reedmace, willow and rushes. You may also be lucky to spot the quick

flash of a kingfisher or a bobbing grey wagtail along fast flowing stretches. During the summer months beautiful blue banded demoiselles, a type of damselfly, gather in large numbers by the river.

Above: Grey Wagtail © Derek MiddletonRight: Banded demoiselle © Derek Middleton

River Rother near Midhurst ©

SDN

PA/Daniel G

reenwood

CO

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KEY:

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To

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Bu

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Fo

otpa

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stric

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ay

W

oodl

and

Bu

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gs

O

pen

acce

ss la

nd

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ea)

DIS

TAN

CE:

10

mile

s (1

6 km

)

ALL

OW

: 4.

5–

5.5

hour

s

GRA

DIE

NT:

O

ne m

oder

ate

clim

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neve

n an

d po

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WO

OLB

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AN

D E

ASE

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1From

the

mai

n M

idhu

rst b

us s

top

head

up

Nor

th S

treet

, the

n at

the

to

p of

the

hill

turn

rig

ht o

nto

June

Lan

e.

2At th

e H

alf M

oon

pub

bear

rig

ht ta

king

the

foot

path

to

war

ds W

oolb

edin

g.

3Keep

ing

to th

e fie

ld e

dge,

go

thro

ugh

two

kiss

ing

gate

s, tw

o sm

all fi

eld

gate

s an

d th

en b

ear

left

to

follo

w th

e tra

ck th

roug

h th

e tre

es to

th

e ro

ad. T

urn

right

her

e an

d go

ove

r th

e m

edie

val W

oolb

edin

g Br

idge

.

4Con

tinue

alo

ng th

e ro

ad, t

hen

take

th

e N

atio

nal T

rust

foot

path

on

the

left

tow

ards

the

river

. Fol

low

the

river

Ro

ther

unt

il yo

u jo

in a

foot

path

, tur

n le

ft.

5Cro

ss o

ver

the

stile

and

brid

ges,

th

en a

t the

stil

e op

posi

te S

tedh

am

Mill

turn

rig

ht u

p th

e hi

ll to

the

road

.

6Turn

rig

ht o

nto

the

road

, the

n

take

the

next

foot

path

on

the

left.

Fo

llow

the

field

edg

e ro

und

and

at th

e ne

xt s

tile

turn

rig

ht.

7Con

tinue

to th

e ro

ad, c

ross

it

and

follo

w th

e fo

otpa

th. A

t the

ne

xt ju

nctio

n tu

rn r

ight

and

follo

w

the

fenc

e.

8At th

e ne

xt ju

nctio

n tu

rn r

ight

, pa

st E

asts

haw

Far

m, t

hen

turn

left

at th

e ne

xt fo

otpa

th, c

ross

two

field

s an

d en

ter

the

ches

tnut

cop

pice

.

9Take

the

foot

path

to y

our

right

at

the

next

junc

tion,

then

turn

rig

ht

dow

n th

e la

ne, t

akin

g th

e ne

xt fo

otpa

th

on th

e le

ft.

10Fo

llow

the

foot

path

, cro

ssin

g

the

road

, the

n co

ntin

ue d

own

the

next

lane

to th

e A2

86. T

urn

right

an

d w

alk

alon

g th

e ro

ad.

11Ta

ke th

e ne

xt p

ath

on th

e le

ft w

hich

dou

bles

bac

k pa

ralle

l to

the

road

.

12Tu

rn r

ight

at t

he fo

otpa

th a

nd

follo

w th

e fie

ld e

dge.

13Tu

rn r

ight

at t

he n

ext f

ootp

ath

junc

tion

and

cont

inue

to th

e

next

way

mar

ker.

14Tu

rn le

ft th

roug

h th

e he

dge

and

left

agai

n by

the

allo

tmen

ts.

15At

the

cem

eter

y tu

rn r

ight

do

wn

to th

e ro

ad, t

hen

turn

left

cros

sing

the

road

at t

he c

orne

r.

16W

ith th

e Fa

rm S

hop

on y

our

right

, fol

low

the

path

to C

owdr

ay

ruin

s, th

en ta

ke th

e fo

otpa

th a

cros

s th

e ca

usew

ay to

the

right

whi

ch re

turn

s to

th

e bu

s st

op n

ear N

orth

Stre

et c

ar p

ark.

TRA

IL:

MAP

REF

: Fi

nd th

is ar

ea

on O

S Ex

plor

er

OL3

30

0.

5 m

iles

1km

N

Ope

n A

cces

s La

nd

Whe

reve

r yo

u se

e th

is s

ymbo

l yo

u ar

e fr

ee to

leav

e th

e fo

otpa

th

to w

alk

and

picn

ic w

ithin

the

map

ped

area

. Ple

ase

be a

war

e

of li

vest

ock

and

wild

life.

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2

5

2 35

4

8

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NEW LIPCHIS

WAY

SERPENT TRAIL

MID

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RUIN

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SE A

ND

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NEW LIPCHIS

WAY

NEW

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CH

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JUN

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GRA

NG

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E

MAP

REF

: Fi

nd th

is ar

ea

on O

S Ex

plor

er

OL3

3

TRA

IL:

DIS

TAN

CE:

1.

1mile

s (1

.7km

)

ALL

OW

: 0.5

–1 h

our

GRA

DIE

NT:

U

neve

n gr

ound

, mud

dy

in p

lace

s, s

teep

asc

ent t

o

St A

nn’s

hill

TRA

IL:

DIS

TAN

CE:

2.

8 m

iles

(4.5

km)

ALL

OW

: 1–2

hou

rs

GRA

DIE

NT:

U

neve

n gr

ound

, 1 s

tile,

ra

ised

boa

rdw

alk

CO

WD

RAY

RU

INS

A

ND

ST

AN

N’S

HIL

LRI

VER

ROTH

ER W

ALK

1From

the

bus

stop

nea

r to

the

Nor

th S

treet

car

pa

rk h

ead

thro

ugh

the

gate

to

war

ds th

e C

owdr

ay r

uins

ac

ross

the

caus

eway

. Mak

e a

shor

t det

our

here

to ta

ke

in th

e ru

ins

or to

vis

it th

e be

autif

ul W

alle

d G

arde

n (fr

ee) a

nd c

afe.

2Just

befo

re y

ou g

et to

the

river

brid

ge tu

rn ri

ght a

nd

follo

w th

e fie

ld e

dge

with

the

river

on

your

left

until

you

get

to

a k

issin

g ga

te (N

ote:

cat

tle

are

som

etim

es g

razi

ng h

ere)

.

3Ente

r th

e w

oodl

and

and

eith

er c

limb

the

step

s st

raig

ht a

head

(or

cont

inue

to th

e le

ft al

ong

the

river

unt

il yo

u re

ach

an

open

are

a an

d fo

llow

the

path

uph

ill to

the

right

) to

St A

nn’s

hill

whe

re, i

f you

lo

ok c

aref

ully,

you

will

find

th

e re

mai

ns o

f an

Iron

Age

fort

and

a N

orm

an c

astle

. M

oder

n da

y M

idhu

rst

deve

lope

d ar

ound

this

site

.

4Belo

w th

e re

mai

ns g

o th

roug

h th

e ga

te a

nd

dow

n a

side

stre

et, c

alle

d St

An

n’s

Hill

, int

o th

e m

arke

t sq

uare

whe

re y

ou c

an s

till

see

the

old

stoc

ks. T

here

are

m

any

hist

oric

bui

ldin

gs to

ad

mire

incl

udin

g th

e ch

urch

, or

igin

ally

par

t of t

he c

astle

, an

d th

e Sp

read

Eag

le h

otel

, on

e of

Eng

land

’s o

ldes

t co

achi

ng in

ns.

5Tu

rn r

ight

and

follo

w th

e pa

vem

ent a

roun

d pa

st

the

old

Tow

n H

all t

o th

e hi

gh s

treet

whe

re y

ou tu

rn

right

to r

etur

n to

the

star

t.

1Opp

osite

the

mai

n M

idhu

rst b

us s

top

head

do

wn

Nor

th S

treet

tow

ards

Ea

sebo

urne

pas

sing

Sout

h D

owns

Nat

iona

l Par

k Au

thor

ity v

isito

r cen

tre a

nd

the

Mid

hurs

t Rot

her C

olle

ge.

2Turn

left

on th

e fo

otpa

th

mar

ked

Roth

er W

alk/

New

Li

pchi

s W

ay to

war

ds th

e riv

er.

3Con

tinue

on

the

shad

ed

path

with

the

river

on

your

righ

t whi

ch o

pens

out

to

a flo

od p

lain

on

your

left.

4The

path

soo

n jo

ins

a ra

ised

boa

rdw

alk

over

a

bogg

y ar

ea r

ich

with

w

etla

nd p

lant

s.

5Ar

rive

at a

fiel

d ed

ge.

Turn

rig

ht a

nd c

ontin

ue

follo

win

g th

e Ro

ther

Wal

k al

ong

two

furth

er fi

elds

with

th

e riv

er b

elow

on

the

right

.

6At th

e N

atio

nal T

rust

ga

te y

ou a

re w

elco

med

in

to W

oolb

edin

g Pa

rkla

nd.

Cro

ss th

e fie

ld o

n th

e fo

otpa

th w

ith th

e fo

lly o

n yo

ur le

ft in

to W

hiph

ill w

ood.

7Leav

e th

e w

ood,

cro

ssin

g a

field

to th

e rig

ht o

f a

larg

e oa

k tre

e.

8Turn

left

at th

e ne

xt g

ate,

le

avin

g th

e Ro

ther

Wal

k.

Take

the

foot

path

thro

ugh

anot

her

gate

and

thro

ugh

a ki

ssin

g ga

te e

mer

ging

on

the

A272

nea

r to

the

Hal

f M

oon

pub.

9Turn

left

and

care

fully

fo

llow

Jun

e La

ne to

N

orth

Stre

et, t

urni

ng le

ft to

re

turn

to y

our

star

ting

poin

t.

N0

0.

25 m

iles

500m