Midhurst Footpath Companions
Walking in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

Stedham walk on 26th March 2025

Our 4.7 mile walk lead by Celia and Miguel  started from The Hamilton Arms down School Lane, past Stedham Primary School onto The Street and then Stedham Lane.  The good weather had dried out the footpath to Iping along the River Rother south bank.  At Iping we crossed the river up to St Mary Church where we took the footpath at the edge of the field with horses, over a combined set of steps and stile coming out onto Stanwater Lane.  Bearing left off the road into woodland we  had our habitual coffee break, as the sky clouded over, before breaking into the open fields again onto Tote Lane and off into fields by Woodgate Farm.  Heading south, we crossed Stedham Lane and descended to Stedham Weir and Mill where we stopped to admire the Mill and the work being undertaken on the weirs.  The footpath followed the course of the River Rother north bank past Stedham Hall to the south where we joined Stedham Lane at Bridgefoot and crossed the medieval Stedhan Bridge to retrace our steps to The Hamilton Arms where we enjoyed our Thai lunch. The population of Stedham in 1086 consisted of 23 villagers, 16 smallholders and 10 slaves. We saw no signs of the slaves.

And they’re off….

The medieval Stedham Bridge

You shall not pass!

Bank of the Rother, covered in wood anemones

Crossing the Rother at Iping

St Mary Church at Iping

Do think if we ignore them long enough they’ll disappear?

Sometimes we walk with our heads in the clouds

A rose by any other name would be prim

We’re passing the laurels, not resting on them

A trio of prim roses

Coffee break

Clouds dimming the view of the South Downs

Leading the walk downhill

Wild flower. Common dog violet, but what a beauty!

Stedham Mill, once a producer of blotting paper

Rother from the weir

No bother posing by the Rother

The route of the 4.7 mile walk

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