Easebourne, Woolbeding walk on 14th September 2022

A combination of illness and holidays depleted the numbers this week, resulting in six intrepid wanderers for the day. We started at the Cowdray Café car park in the drizzle up the track past the polo pitches towards the Cowdray Ruins, turning right to come out on the main road at the roundabout near the bridge over the River Rother weirs. We considered scrumping some apples and plums but thought we would get caught red handed, so restrained ourselves. The route took us along the River Rother on the New Lipchis Way through the wetlands with poplar and silver birch trees, woods and fields. We debated the merits of rose hip tea and jam at a suitable bush, but could not agree on the best use of the crop. At the boundary of the National Trust land for Woolbeding we clambered gracefully over the large branch that had split off an oak tree before heading up across the hill. We spent some time amusing ourselves to find the sight line between the folly at the edge of Whiphill Wood and the Tulip Folly on the lawn of Woolbeding House ,designed by Phillip Jebb, this classical temple folly is named after a tulip tree that fell in the winter storms of 1987. The drizzle had all but stopped walking through Whiphill Wood and down the hill with views of the meandering Rother and the new Woolbeding glasshouse with one leaf open. Crossing the Petersfield Road we sauntered into The Severals wood to pick up part of the Serpent Trail towards Midhurst Common where we climbed a small hill to have a coffee break on the seating overlooking the common. Fully refreshed we descended back to the Serpent Trail following it through Midhurst Common, past the rusted remains of a BMW that we wondered how it got there over 20 years ago so far from the road. On leaving the common, we took the South Pond path to the pond, crossed the footbridge and made our way to the Wheatsheaf for lunch. After lunch the remaining stalwarts returned to their vehicles along the carriageway to the ruins and the track beside the polo pitches. Many thanks to Bernard for stepping in at the last minute to do the walk this week.