It was overcast, however with a forecast to clear up during the morning,
with more rain in the late afternoon/ evening. I planned a walk around the
Cowdray estate north of Midhurst starting at Benbow pond, and heading up to
teh woods on the slopes above. Once there, traversing across to the old Edward
VII hospital site (now a housing estate), before dropping down through the
woods to Budgenor Lodge. Back up through the woods until almost reaching the
traverse line, then dropping down again to Wick Lane, and across to Easebourne
Street. From here across to the Race, and down to the estate offices near the
polo fields. Finally back to teh van across the golf course.
Parking beside the pond and starting through the grasslands to teh edge of
Cowdray Park. From there through teh arable fields to teh woods on the
skyline.
Continuing on the byway up to Vining Farm in a sunken path between fields. At
the farm we crossed the fields (having taken the wrong path - right direction)
with views down to the south downs ridge on the other side of the valley.
A correction trace back up to the woods, and along the farm track - very chewed
up by logging operations.
The track ended at a T-junction, where we continued in the same direction
although now on a metalled road across the top of the woods.
Across the A286 and down the road to the Edward VII estate - a lot busier than
the the other side - then down into the woods before we reached the estate.
Dropping down on the bridleway through the woods until it mutated into
Buddington Lane
Picking up a path that crossed to Budgenor Lodge and the A286. We cross teh
major road and up a driveway, which mutated into a bridleway once passed the
last house.
Around some buildings and the bridleway continued in the woods - we missed the
start and tracked across a field to get back on track.
Climbing up through teh woods, until we neared the back road we had been on
earlier, before curving around and back down - passing a logging camp.
At the edge of the farmland we zigzagged before leaving the woods and crossing
fields with good views down to the South Downs ridge,
Where we joined Wick Lane we made our way across Easebourne Street to a feature
called "The Race"
The Race was a green avenue of old trees in a straight line down towards the
A272 in Easebourne and across tot eh estate offices and farm shop beyond.
Through the car park and along the Polo Fields with views down to the ruins of
Cowdray castle.
The bridleway angled up to and across the A272 and into teh golf course beyond.
Still angled and following the line of a couple of golf holes passing some
specimen trees.
Beyond the golf course we dropped into a gulley that was filled with Bluebells and we followed it down towards the pond.
Back at the pond and the van - now with several more vehicles parked up.
