29 November 2024

South Downs Way, Cocking

We are in a lull between weather systems, and today was going to be another sunny day. Too good to miss out, so I planned a walk on the South Downs. The idea was to start at the Cocking hill car park, and follow the SDW to the devil's Jumps, then turn down to the pub at Hooksway. Next back around Phillis wood and along to Yew tree cottage. Up the track into Linchball wood and back to cross the SDW dropping to Henley Lane, hence to Cocking village. Finally up the farm track to Hill barn and back to the car park.

I parked up in the car park beside the A286, alongside a couple of other cars - one with two walkers I would catch up later, and a runner who would pass me on the climb.
Leaving the car park and up the drive way to Hilltop farm, passing the café, and throguh the farm yard.
Up Middlefield lane between high hedges, to a junctions of farm tracks. Here the SDW continues on a chalk track past a large chalk ball.
The top of the downs here is a series of rolling bumps and troughs. 
At teh large seating area at the top of Lynch Down looking north
Then slightly further along looking south.
Into the woods behind Monkton house and around to the Devil's Jumps - seen through the hedge.
Through the gate to the field holding the tumuli - Four larger ones and a smaller on the far end. I think there are several other less distinct as well. I walked up and down them all in the line.
At the end looking past Beacon hill to Petersfield. Leaving the field containing the Jumps, and continuing down the track leaving the jumps and dropping down the south side.
At the pub (currently closed) in Hooksway, taking the bridleway just past it that curved around Phillis Wood
Half way through the wood I headed towards Stubbs copse from a cross roads of paths. A zigzag at a grass field, crossed over to more trees 
Climbing away from the field where the track levelled out and continued between hedges down to the driveway from Brooms farm
Down the back road which curved around to Yewtree cottage. At the sharp bend just past the cottage I took the permissive path up a forest track 
At the edge of Linchball Wood the path follows the edge of previous harvesting around more mature trees - last time I was here it was a little confusing as to where the path went. The path had changed from what is on the map and now follows a forest track.
At a junction I continued up the slope beside new plantings up to a multiple path junction. Here I followed the path that contoured around a coombe.
The path descended a little before climbing back up. At the next junction I turned north to cross the SDW
Over the main path and down a forest track on the north side - this chalk track dropped down gradually contouring around the end of Stead Combe.
The chalk track merged into Henley lane and continued its gradual descent.
Another track junction where I continued north to reach Bell lane. Turning towards Cocking village and under a disused railway bridge. Part way into the village I took a path behind some houses
The path came out beside the Cocking history pole.
(A column containing 48 low relief bronze panels that wind their way downwards in a spiral recording history from the Bronze Age at the top to the Millennium at the bottom. Twisting around the column between the panels is a narrow ribbon of national history giving context to the Cocking events. Beneath the column on the Portland stone base are inset two bronze relief parish maps facing north and east.)

Over the A286 an down church lane (and path) to reach the church, and then the back lane climbing up. It is always wet here as it collates water from several streams.
Climbing up the lane to reach Hill Barn farm and the SDW.
Then down the drive way back to the car park on the other side of the A286. The car park was full when I got there - it was obviously a good place on a sunny day.


27 November 2024

BOC Walk, Headley

The next BOC retirees walk was scheduled to do a circuit around Headley and onto Epsom downs. I was in the van so had worked out I could park it on Headley Heath in an NT car park, and walk down to the meet.

Overnight we had lots of rain, which was still falling as I awoke and set off, which had resulted in lots of flooding on the roads around home. Some of these floods were over the roads and causing a large disturbance to the the morning rush hour. I arrived at the car park after some delay, got my ticket and worked out that I could do a quick circuit of the heath before meeting the others.

the car park was shrouded in mist when I arrived and I set out on the path heading south - slightly off the route I had planned, but int he right general direction. It reminded me right at the start that the paths in these public areas often change radically from the those mapped.
The more open heathland with green swathes changed into wood land as I reached the southern end of the the heath.
From here I turned west and followed a path inside the boundary
At the west boundary I turned along a similar path heading north. This path dropped down to a small valley - initially gently but gettign steeper as it reached the bottom of the valley. At the bottom I turned NE and climbed up the far side of the valley.
Once out of the valley the landscape returned to the heathland. I followed this bridlepath to the edge of the heath and crossed the B2033 and down the back road to the village of Headley. There was a separated footpath over a hedge from the road, that I followed to the pub car park we were meeting in.
We were 17 as we set of from the pub car park and through the church yard to a path behind the houses. This path turned aroudn Headley park and went under the M25 into fields beyond.
Over a back road and into Langley vale centenary wood. Here the woodland trust had planted thousands of trees (to represent every death in WW1). There are numerous trails through this new woodland.
We wandered through the Jutland wood - memorial to the sailors and ships lost at Jutland. then across to the regiment wood, where there were structures and more trees.
Leaving the woods we climbed up the Epsom downs - more specifically Walton Down. The path climbed up beside several horse training areas.
Reaching the actual race course diagonally opposite the grandstand. After crossing the race course and across towards Tattenham Corner underground station. From here down a bridleway keeping on the green side of Tadworth. Around a stud farm and heading back towards the M25 dropping down a long valley.
Under the M25 and climbing up the far side to regain the pub. this followed a bridleway through Costal wood, and then across the back of Headley village to regain the church, hence the pub.
Lunch in the pub then everyone parted on their individual way, except I had to get back to he van in its separate car park.
I crossed the back road from the pub and dropped down beside horse paddocks. This merged onto a back road that circled around towards the heath.
Across the B2033 to an unmarked car park, where I climbed steeply up onto the heath, although it was more woody before emerging at the back of the car park, with the van waiting.