After a very dry summer, this week had been filled with thunderstorms
and rain, although today was predicted to be dry - a break in the rain. We
stayed local and opted for a walk to the next-door village using the western
trail and turn for the lower boundary to the Crouchland's lagoon, as we passed
the football field. Turning around at the barrier and back to Kirdford using
the a curve, then back home on the Eastern trail.
Bertie and I set off down the path to Orchard Cottage, then taking the track
down towards Wephurst park, continuing past the big house and down towards the
farm track alongside Wephurst Furze. The track was very churned up by water
works going on in the next-door field.
We continued on this Western track towards Kirdford getting to Great Common,
crossing it to reach teh back road.
Turning down the path across a field away from the back road, towards Belchamber
farm - much changed by residential conversions.
Beyond Belchamber we followed a green lane up to the back road corner
beside Steer's Common. Here we took the driveway towards Accold's farm.
Beside the farm buildings we followed the track back towards the byway marked on
the map. This was a well travelled path and continued up past a new gate
(open)
We could see the cover to Lagoon 3 across the field to our right , which
heralded our arrival at the closed section of path.
Turning sharply left and down the less used byway, that got better after moving
through a gate - the twin of the one we had passed earlier. Moving through a
farmyard and the track improved further. Then as we approached the road and the
houses there became a driveway.
We followed the back road for a while (this was the same road we had left to go
up towards the Crouchland's barrier). The next path bore away from the road past
a house and tennis court.
The path cut through a wood , and out beside a working yard for Petworth Marquees. Then followed the driveway in a contained path, partially overgrown. This path came out onto the driveway for a short section then crossed a horse field to come out on the same back road we had left earlier - we had cut the corner off.
The other side of the back road we followed the path beside a wood, coming out on the Petworth road.
Back in Kirdford we went along to the shop for a snack. Out of the layby we continued behind the housing estate to the path around Heron's farm.
From here we took the path parallel to our outbound route bending around to Fountain's farm where we circumnavigated the gardens and continued East to meet the eastern track at Chandler's Barn.
Up the eastern track, past the residential buildings at Walthust farm and hence onto Orchard Cottage.
Returning home along the well trod route.
