Gallery

Viewing galleries from January, 2025

Chichester walk on 29th January 2025

With very wet weather forecast later in the morning, Pauline and Linda wisely chose to limit our walk and to be within safe shelter should the need arise. In fact the rain was very late and umbrellas were redundant. We started from the Cattle market car park and headed to a spot next to the old Shiphams Paste building. From this point the Romans built an almost straight road called Stane Street all the way to London Bridge. Luckily London Bridge was not on our agenda so we went along the city walls to find the old Gunpowder Store. Beyond this point is Priory Park, home to a Franciscan Chancel, now the Guildhall. Also in this park is a huge mound of earth, now protected by some chestnut fencing. Originally it was far larger and higher and surmounted by a castle built by the Normans to demonstrate to the conquered English that they had lost the Battle of Hastings. The walk along the tops of the  walls was interrupted at Northgate by North Street, however we soon gained our privileged position  as we travelled West along the wall tops. Once we reached Westgate roundabout we headed for the magnificent Chichester Cathedral and our coffee stop.  Suitably refreshed we had a look at the Bishop's Palace Gardens and even in mid winter there were some blooms to admire. We left the walled city to travel through the streets of modern Chichester to once again find the car park, change shoes and head to the Nags Head for an excellent lunch.

West Lavington walk on 22nd January 2025

Jo and Mark’s misty 4.8 mile walk started at The Greyhound on Chichester Road, crossing into Cocking Causeway and up Dunford Hollow.  A brief stop at the Richard Cobden Memorial Obelisk reminded us of the local lad that became a successful businessman and prominent politician whose work contributed to the repeal of the Corn Laws amongst other successes.  We crossed the clear running Coster’s Brook and Dunford House that Richard Cobden finished rebuilding in 1853 with activities looking like it is undergoing more building work today.  Following the Serpent Trail onto Heyshott Common, we left the official Trail at the old railway bridge over the disused Midhurst to Pulborough railway line where we stopped for our coffee break and the celebration of three birthdays with a tuneful happy birthday rendition.  We then walked through the plantation on Todham Rough to come out onto Stedham Road, which we stayed on towards West Lavington before peeling off to Oaklands Lane, past The Royal Oak and back to The Greyhound for our well-deserved lunch and refreshments.

Midhurst walk 15th January 2025

Ten of us met up at the North Car Park in Midhurst for our 5.25 mile walk attempting to avoid deep puddles and mud.  The cold and overcast skies did not dampen our spirits walking down The Causeway towards Cowdray Ruins, crossing the Rother and heading up towards The Cowdray Café.  Turning off the unmade road before we could break off for refreshments and staying on The Sussex Diamond Way we crossed fields and the main road to take the permissive path through the woods beside the golf course staying parallel to the road.  Crossing back over the main road we walked down the driveway to Moor Farm, turned left onto the track up to Ambersham Bridge where we stopped for our coffee break.  Having warmed our innards, we crossed The Rother and took the footpath across the flood meadow which was squelchy but firm enough until we gained higher ground on the raised bank.  Crossing the field with sheep was made more entertaining by having to step over the electric fence across the footpath, and spilled out onto Selham Road heading to the entrance for Cowdray House.  At the corner we carried on up the hill to Kennels Dairy that now houses the Cowdray Works Department arriving at the end of The Wharf where we followed the bank of The Rother back to The Causeway and a change of footwear.  An enjoyable lunch was had at Fratelli’s on West Street to finish off.

Thursley walk on 8th January 2025

Quite a few members were still on holiday resulting in a small group of eight being led by Jay and Lindsay on the 5.5 mile walk starting at The Three Horseshoes in Thursley.  We stayed briefly on the road before turning north onto the common, enjoying the views across the heath, greeting the dog walkers and skirting the puddles.  A fallen tree across the path gave us the chance to try out a Christmas gift.  Entering the Scots Pine wooded area, we came out by The Moat, turning onto the open heath to Pudmore Pond towards Elstead Common where a fallen tree provided a resting place for us to have our coffee break.  Southbound at the edge of Ockley Common took us down towards Warren Mere where the original route was changed due to the mud and water so we took a parallel route beside Thursley National Nature Reserve weaving our way past the heather back to the pub to enjoy the log burner and lunch.