Length: 16.3 km (10.1 miles) 7/10
An overdue outing for this walk mainly along the South Downs Way, with what some claim to be the finest view in southern England, a charming farmyard cafe, and depending on your escape route from Upper Beeding (see below), the many delights of Shoreham-by-Sea after the walk.
Travel: 1005 from London Bridge (East Croydon 1019) to Hassocks arriving 1102. From Victoria you could get the 1016 (Clapham Junction 1023, East Croydon 1034) arriving 1113 and try to catch up.
There are three ways back from Upper Beeding:
the bus 100 scheduled at 1531, 1616, 1716 and 1825 to Burgess Hill – this is the next stop towards London from Hassocks
an hourly bus number 2 to Shoreham scheduled at approx 45 past the hour until 1940, or
walk on to Shoreham – two routes are described on the walk web page adding 4-5 km (2.5-3 miles).
Get a return to Shoreham-by-Sea unless you are definitely getting the 100 bus, in which case you just need a return to Hassocks. Got that?
Lunch: the Wildflour Cafe 7km (4.4 miles) into the walk, is an early stop. This farmyard cafe with tables pleasantly arranged around a courtyard, is open 10am to 4pm. Near the entrance to the cafe is a drinking water tap, and it also has toilets. Alternatively the Devil’s Dyke pub (01273 857256), 8.9km (5.5 miles) into the walk on the lip of the South Downs escarpment, is always busy but very efficient.
Tea: The Kings Head in Upper Beeding (01903 812196) is conveniently sited by the bus stop at the end of the walk, and has quite a large garden. The Old Tollgate Restaurant & Hotel and the Castle Inn Hotel in Bramber on the other side of the river Adur are two possible other tea options: for details see the walk directions pdf. Shoreham has a range of cafes and pubs, in cluding the interesting Old Star micropub.The cafes are mainly in the pedestrianised area near the church.
For walk directions, map and GPX click here.
T=2.23
2 comments:
The 1005 from London Bridge has been cancelled. You will need to get the 1016 from Victoria (Clapham J 1023, EC 1034)
Would you believe Mr Tiger forgot to count people at the station? However, it was at least n=9 And don’t forget the dog. As well as the forecast, numbers may have been affected by the cancelled train.
Mr Tiger was soon left behind and, given the steep hills, soon very left behind. A quick half at the Devils Dyke and on. Weather was mixed. Someone had made the mistake of saying “ lucky with the weather” at the station w=some-showers-some-dryness. If you were as late getting to Upper Beeding as Mr Tiger, - he won’t say how late - you would have been subjected to a torrential downpour waiting for the bus.
One reason Mr Tiger was so late was because he couldn’t find a way out of that wretched field after Truleigh Hill. Went all the way along that fence line and back again. Had to climb back up and continue along the road. Luckily an (unmapped?) bridleway presented itself a few hundred yards later and he was able to connect back to the route
Spectacular views but a tough walk. A bit too tough for Mr Tiger’s liking.
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