Stargazer is away
Length: 22.6 km (14.1 mi) [with shortcut options,
check the webpage or pdf]
Ascent/Descent: 438/555m
Net Walking Time: 5 ½ hours
Toughness: 6/10
Take the 09.00 Portsmouth Harbour train from
Waterloo (09.25 Woking, 09.33 G’ford), arrives Haslemere 09.53.
From Clapham J, take the 08.57 Frome service and change at
Woking (09.15/09.25).
Return to Haslemere from Midhurst by bus number 70 (16.05, 17.05, 18.10
and 19.15, journey time 25 mins).
Return trains from
Haslemere are on xx.01, xx.10, xx.30, journey time from 52
mins.
From the medieval town well in Haslemere to the
stocks and pillory in Midhurst, this walk is an epic journey partially in the
footsteps of a poet. It gently climbs the highest point in Sussex (the Black
Down), and then drops steeply to traverse a valley along a roller coaster of a
path through some light woods before entering more thickly planted pine
forests, allegedly haunted by the ghost of the last wild bear killed in
England.
After lunch in the idyllic hamlet of Henley at a pub boasting views back to the Temple of the Winds, the route again gently climbs a second hill offering stunning views back across your journey of the morning before a long descent into Midhurst across the Cowdray Estate with the mighty South Downs ahead, passing by the intriguing ruins of Cowdray House en route where various historic figures of note were either voluntary visitors or held captive prior to execution.
Lunch: The Duke of Cumberland Arms in Henley
(13.2 km/8.2 mi, food to 14.30), or Banyan Indian Restaurant a
little earlier on a 1 km diversion (11.9 km/7.4 mi, food to 15.00).
Tea: lots of
choice in Midhurst (see the pdf for details), recommended are Cowdray
Farm Shop & Cafe (2 km from the end), Garton’s Coffee House, The Swan Inn, The Spread Eagle Hotel, The Crafty Pint, The Bricklayers Arms, The
Wheatsheaf and Fitzcane’s.
For summary, map, height profile,
some photos, walk directions and gpx/kml files click here.
T=swc.263
1 comment:
#N=7, #W=Sunny_gentle_breeze Five on the train doing the full walk and two by car taking a well timed short cut to meet the main group at the Temple of the Winds. Blackdown was magnificent with the rhododendrons flowering for a second time this year. The sky was clear with views over Hampshire and Sussex with the sea sparkling in the distance (30 km ) at Shoreham by Sea. Two of us had an excellent lunch at the Duke of Cumberland and the others joined us in the very charming garden for a drink. Having done 8 miles we got the bus back to Haslemere while the main body went on to Midhurst.
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