Book 1, Walk 32: Arundel to Amberley
Length: 18.8 km (11.7 miles)
Toughness: 7 out of 10 (one steep climb up steps onto the Downs)
Lots of options to mix-and-match your route after South Stoke.
London Victoria: 09-32 hrs Southampton Central and Bognor Regis service. CJ 09-42, EC 09-53
Arrive Arundel: 11-00 hrs
Younger walkers: take the 10-06 hrs service from Victoria, arriving Arundel 11-26 hrs. Your younger legs will probably catch up the oldies during the morning leg.
Return: Amberley to Victoria: 17-17, 18-17 and 19-28 hrs
Return Arundel back to Victoria: 17-12, 17-47, 18-12, 18-52 and 19-23 hrs
Rail ticket: buy a day return to Arundel.
Today's walk is one of the best walks in Book 1 and a favourite amongst many a SWC walker - me included. Mid-week walkers did a mix-and-match variation of this walk last February, when it tipped down with rain all morning. Let's hope the weather is kinder to us today.
Soon after leaving the railway station you walk uphill through the pleasant town of Arundel, passing the Duke of Norfolk's Castle and then the Roman Catholic Cathedral, before you enter Arundel Park, all 1,240 acres of it. Walking through the park is quite lovely. On leaving the Park you walk above the River Arun (your water feature for a good part of the day) and head for South Stoke, a pretty hamlet with a lovely church. From South Stoke you have lots of options to continue your walk. The Book 1 route takes you beside the river to the village of Burpham for lunch at the very popular and always busy and booked up George Inn tel: 01903-883131. A table will be booked for us in advance. But if not heading for Burpham you can head for North Stoke for Lunch at the Bridge Inn in Amberley or return by the river to Arundel, taking lunch at the Black Rabbit pub.
Continuing on the Book 1 route, after lunch you have a lowland section before you climb up a steep flight of 196 steps up onto the South Downs. If you don't fancy this ascent, from Burpham you can reverse the Book 2 Walk 22 Amberley to Arundel walk which takes a gentler route up and along the South Downs. Back to the Book 1 walk, you now have a pleasant leg on top of the Downs before you walk through a farmyard and drop down to Amberley - either through the village and then to the station via Amberley Castle and a sweep of Amberley Wild Brooks, or direct down High Titten to the station. Tea is best taken at the Bridge Inn, next to the railway station, although there are other options in Amberley village.
If you are new to the SWC or a walker yet to try out this walk, it comes with my personal recommendation.
T=1.32
Walk Directions here L=1.32
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2 comments:
Only n=4 of us for what many consider to be the best walk in Book 1. Where were you all ?
The weather was w=hazy-sunshine-and-warm for most of the day, very pleasant walking conditions for the time of year.
On arriving at the George Inn in Burpham I released the table I had booked and instead dined at a small table by the bar, with my colleagues eating their sandwiches in the nearby churchyard. After my excellent lunch, promptly served with a smile and washed down with a very acceptable pint of beer, we proceeded on the afternoon leg of the walk, still in warm sunshine. Not having done this walk "proper way round" for some years I led the group astray up on the Downs - silly me - but we regained the route after a bit of head scratching. Onwards then, enjoying the fine views, and picking the last of this year's blackberries, to Downs Farm, then the descent via High Titten to Amberley. A swift drink at the Bridge Inn, then the 16-17 hrs train back to London.
A lovely day's walking - shame there were so few of us today.
Sorry I missed this guys but Ive been seduced by the south east trains £10 fares to the Kent coast for Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate on my days off work. Also the Essex coast has C2C senior rover tickets for £6 to seaside locations Leigh on sea, Westcliff and Shoeburyness where Footprints of London have Thames estuary walks with a professional guide Rob Smith .including the industrial and social history of Canvey island and the Thames foreshore. Never more than 5-8 miles and a relaxed pace for those who like to linger in tourist locations.
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