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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Wednesday 13 July 2016

Midweek day walk - Billingshurst to Amberley

Billingshurst to Amberley

Gentle countryside, a delightful pub at lunchtime, the Southdown Gliding Club airfield and a climb onto the South Downs with panoramic views.

Book 3* Walk 8      *online only

Length :  22 km or 14 miles

Toughness :  5 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:06 am Southampton train from London Victoria to Billingshurst (10:12 from Clapham Junction and 10:23 from East Croydon)

Meeting point :  Billingshurst Station at 11:10

Tickets :  Buy a cheap day return to Amberley

Brief Description

Another (albeit brief) section of the South Downs. Hopefully Southern will run the train!
The walk starts with gentle countryside and then visits the village of Nutbourne where the recommended Lunch Pub is the Rising Sun.
After Nutbourne, there's more gentle countryside, a gliding club airfield, before a brisk climb onto the South Downs.
Here, Walkers are rewarded with great views in all directions before descending gently into Amberley.
You may find full details of the walk here and a PDF here

Suggested Lunch stop

The Rising Sun in Nutbourne t:01798 812191

Suggested Tea stops

The Bridge Inn slightly beyond the entrance road to Amberley Station and under the railway bridge t:01798 831619 
The Riverside Tea Rooms opposite the Bridge Inn  t:07765 790414 - you'll need to be there before 5pm

Maps

OS Explorer : OL10 and OL34

Return train times

Trains return from Amberley to London Victoria at 17:17 | 18:17 | 19:28 | 20:29

6 comments:

Mike A said...

If you would like a slightly less strenuous walk or the train has been delayed or cancelled, you might like to stay on the train to Pulborough (alighting 11:17 am if on time) and walk the morning section of the Pulborough to Amberley walk (Book 3 walk 9) to join up with the Billingshurst starters at the Rising Sun

Anonymous said...

who is doing the shorter or longer walks?

Anonymous said...

Count me in for the longer one - Stacey

Mike A said...

I've just had a peek at the National Rail Web site to see if Southern is still running the train with it's new reduced timetable. At the moment it is still scheduled to run, so I will be doing the posted (Billingshurst) start.
If anyone is intending to do the shorter (Pulborough) start - perhaps you can pop a comment up to say so?

Mike A said...

Hmmm ... I may have been a bit optimistic with the train journey for this walk.
You may find full details of Southern's revised timetable Here with a useful link to a map of revised Services.
The good news is the service is running on the "green" line from Victoria to Arundel for which Southern say "Most Southern trains will run on this route, but please check before travelling"

Mike A said...

n=9 on this walk with 8 off the train and 1 late starter who caught a later train and caught a taxi to the lunch venue.
A day of w=showers_and_sunshine starting in woodland with fields, meadows and a cheeky little hill before a vineyard. Just prior to lunch a field full of many sheep breeds and a Llama minder rushed towards the last 3 walkers, presumably expecting to be fed.
Unusually, the Rising Sun was a little disorganised with some walkers waiting a fair while for food and one whose meal was forgotten. (She did however get a refund and a complementary yummy looking sandwich)
The afternoon section continued initially with bright sun, but was followed by frequent showers. The upside of this was a nice rainbow on the South Downs Section (and of course the views ...).
The last three on the walk took tea at the Bridge Inn, where the showers cleared to be replaced with a pleasant evening sun.
An interesting day out with varied terrain and weather.