Saturday Walk - Pulborough to Halfway Bridge or Petworth via Tillington

Length: 26.0 km (16.1 mi) [shorter or longer walk possible] 

Ascent/Descent: 484/467m  

Net Walking Time: ca. 6 hours 

Toughness: 7 out of 10

 

Take the 09.05 Portsmouth Harbour & Bognor Regis train from Victoria, arriving Pulborough at 10.22 (you have to be in the rear part of the train, as it splits in Horsham) [CJ 09.12, EC 09.23]. 

After the walk you will need to catch a Bus Line 1 (Midhurst – Worthing via Pulborough Station) from Halfway Bridge. The bus leaves Midhurst hourly on xx.30, then 15.35, 16.40, 17.50 and 19.00 and passes Halfway Bridge six minutes later, Tillington 11 and Petworth 14 later resp. 

Return trains: xx.24 and xx.54.

This walk is a winding excursion through the Rother and Lod valleys in central West Sussex, routing through various quaint, remote villages, some atmospheric woods and several fine commons, part-wooded, part sandy heathland. Frequent southerly views of the South Downs and of Black Down to the north and long stretches in deep, shady holloways add to the mix, making this a very varied outing.

After leaving Pulborough on a westerly route familiar from other walks, past the picturesque Stopham Bridge and church and on to Littleworth Common, the walk leads in a southerly direction through the Rother valley and picks up the Serpent Trail Long Distance Path up to the idyllic Sutton Common heathland and various woods to Burton Park, a large estate with multiple ponds in a fold of the South Downs.

Leaving the Serpent Trail, the two recommended lunch options are back in the Rother valley, in Coultershaw Bridge and Tillington, and in the afternoon the route rises to Upperton and Hoe Hill, in between dropping into the Lod Valley through woods and fields. The finish is a descent back to the Lod River at Halfway Bridge, where another well-run pub helps whiling away the wait for the bus back to Pulborough.

Note: The route off Hoe Hill includes a precipitous descent down a very narrow and slippery gully.

Walk Options 

A Morning Shortcut cuts out Sutton Common heathland (cuts 1.2 km and 48m ascent).

An Afternoon Shortcut cuts out several woods and the last sharp ascents around Hoe Hill by taking a much more direct route through the Lod valley (cuts 4.4 km and 135m ascent). 

Bus Line 1 (see above) can be used for finishing the walk at Tillington (late lunch stop) and Petworth (reached shortly after lunch via an alternative route through Petworth Park). 

For an epic walk, use the alternative route after lunch through Petworth Park to Petworth and there pick up SWC 128’s Pulborough Ending.

Lunch 

The Badgers in Coultershaw Bridge (13.0 km/8.1 mi, food to 14.30); The Horse Guards Inn in Tillington (16.0 km/10.0 mi, food to 15.00).

 

Tea 

The Hollist Arms in Lodsworth (1.6 km from the end); The Halfway Bridge (a table has been booked for 18.00 hours); The Chequers Hotel in Pulborough (650m beyond the station.  

Tea in Petworth 

Audit Room Café at Petworth House (NT); Plenty of options in Petworth.

 

For walk directions, map, height profile , photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.294