#11, returning to Amberley: 18.3 km (11.4 miles). Toughness 5/10.
#14·a, finishing at Pulborough: 16 km (9.9 miles). Toughness 3/10.
09:35 Portsmouth Harbour train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 09:42, East Croydon 09:53), arriving Amberley at 11:02. Buy a return to Amberley. You'll need to be in the front five coaches.
Return trains to Victoria are hourly at xx:58 from Amberley, xx:04 from Pulborough.
These two walks were developed at about the same time and have the same morning route: starting through water meadows beside the River Arun and continuing via Amberley village, Rackham and the grounds of Parham Park to the Crown Inn at Cootham for lunch. Afterwards you can choose between:
- a “long but reasonably well-graded climb” onto the South Downs and back along the ridge, eventually descending to Houghton Bridge and returning from Amberley station. If you get there in time refreshments are available at either the Riverside South Downs tearoom (open to 4.30pm) or the Bridge Inn (closes at 5pm on Sundays).
- a gently undulating route to the RSPB Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve at Wiggonholt, then alongside the River Arun to return from Pulborough station. The walk document lists a few possible refreshment places in Pulborough but I suggest breaking at the tearoom in the RSPB Visitor Centre (open to 4pm).
Depending on your choice of afternoon route, please bring the directions from either the L=swc.11 page or the Pulborough Circular walk page (click on Option a for the Shorter Walk starting from Amberley).
3 comments:
An enjoyable morning Thanks. I returned on the 1558 train after reading a Morse novel ( a little of it) inches garden of The Bridge Inn in alternating sunshine and shade .
N=3 There was an early decision to do the Pulborough ending.
After a stretch along the river, past the castle and a peek in the church, we stopped in the Sportsman for an early drinkie. There, grey skies started to turn darker. One of the three decided to cut the walk short and do their own thing.
The other two, both dyed-in-the-wool SWC hardnuts, decided to carry on and endure whatever the elements threw at them. Which was nothing. It stayed w=cloudy On and on they went, through the Wildbrooks, through Parham Park, stopping only when the Crown was reached for more drinkies
Then on. And on, through Pulborough Brooks. Although RSPB staff alleged there were 16 pairs of nightingales, they kept their little beaks shut when they heard us coming. We did see reed warblers though. We didn’t stop at the cafe. Nor did we stop at Oddfellows on the fringes of Pulborough. Just as well, because it was still a long way to the station.
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