It was misty once again, so after last time I headed for the south side of the
Downs, this time for a walk starting at the Goodwood country park car park at
the end of the horse racing track. The plan was to drop down to East dean then
climbing over High down and into the north side woods. Staying in the woods
almost up to the ridge line then working across and down before climbing once
again up towards the ridge. Turning around and back down to East Dean, before
following hte Monarch's way back up to the car park.
Leaving the van tucked away in the large car park, and into the woods of the
country park. Where the woods ended we cut over the back road and followed a
track on the other side.
Picking up a path on the side of the East Dean road from the cross roads, and
then a sharp turn across the fields onto the woods beyond.
Down the slope in the woods, before coming out in the mist covered fields above
East Dean.
The village gradually appeared out of the mist as we crossed the playing fields.
We turned onto Droke lane up to a corner where we took the bridleway heading up
High down.
At the top of high down we fully entered the north side woods after walking
along the side for a while.
Inside the woods the tracks we followed were very straight, although the mist in
the trees to the south side played in the sunlight,
With a couple of kinks at crossroads we approached the edge of the common access
land near Tegleaze farm, which could just be seen beyond the trees.
We worked our way west along the top of the open access area following the
plantation tracks in a slight zigzag manner.
Once we reached the byway coming down from Graffham Down , we followed it and
into the fields below. the fields followed a curving valley under the tree lined
slopes.
The field ended at a lane, with a large trough and some taps .. I suspect
this would be a "wild" camping area. We however followed the lane down to Pond
barn
At the barn we made a wide climbing U-turn into East Dean woods on the other
side of the valley.
The path we were following merged into a bridleway/ firebreak track heading back
up tot eh ridge line.
Before we reached the ridgeline we once again turned around in a large U-turn
over the top of Forest hanger. Picking up a bridleway dropping into a valley
beyond.
The woods changed from beech to a more mixed variety as we dropped down. At the
edge of the open access area we turned back towards East dean and climbed up
over Wood Lea.
The open access area gave way to scrubby woods before opening into grass
fields.
Gradually the village opened out below us, as we wound our way through the
fields above it.
Coming out beside the village hall and working through the roads until we could
access the fields on the south side. Here we followed the Monarch's way up the
hill side (on the skyline).
The steep slope up tot eh woods on the top of the hill, and a view back to catch our breath, before going on into the woods.
he track through the woods curved around to come out opposite the other end of the car park to the one we had left.
