Bertie and I set off early for Fairmile Bottom (near Arundel) to avoid
the showers we had been plagued with on our last walk. The plan was to walk
towards Arundel, then back to Slindon, around the park and up towards the
folly before turning back through Madehurst.
Leaving the van in a layby beside the A29 we headed into to wooded slope beside
the road, heading through the yew groves parallel to the road for a short
distance to pick up the bridleway
The bridleway climbed up the slope steeply on steps away from the road towards
Yewtree gate
Leaving the area of the reserve and entering into Sherwood Rough, initially
cleared by harvesting but allowing views down to the coast.
The marked path became overgrown so we followed the forestry tracks, down to the
fields and the collection area for the harvested wood.
We crossed over to the other side of the valley and climbed up the side slope
Along the top of the valley side before turning across the recently mown
fields
The views opened up down to the coast
Through the fields towards Rewell Wood.
Entering into Rewell wood - a plantation of trees in a series of blocks, some
newly planted, others harvested, and the rest growing.
Foxgloves growing beside new plantation, as we curved around the edge of the
plantation.
Leaving Rewell wood and moving into Danes Wood, moved from forestry operations
to beech wood. We dropped down and back up the other side crisscrossed with bike
trails
Crossing a road and down a residential lane, and into Slindon Common
We crossed the A29 into the other half of Slindon common, along wide trails
through the beech woods.
Crossing a back road beside the Slindon Park car park, and walking down a wide
trail into the woods.
We followed the "park pale" this was a raised bank that ran beside the path
Continuing around as the path turned north. Before the end we dropped down a
track to work into the top corner of the park.
Leaving the woods with a view up the hill and the first sight of the folly on
the edge of the trees.
Climbing up a track between pasture fields, before crossing to Row's Barn.
The pasture field below the folly was full of poppies and other flowers.
the view to the coast from the folly
Working around behind the folly and into the woods, following the main track.
Turing out of the woods towards the east and out into the fields, with
occasional wooded areas.
Climbing through more fields, and poppy swathes as we approached the woods
beside Dale Park House.
Picking up the driveways for the local houses, we dropped down to New Barn
Farm
Up the other side past more poppies, and into Madehurst.
From Madehurst we followed a path beside new planted vines down to the A29 on
the edge of the trees beyond.
From there we soon arrived at the layby with the van.
