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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Midweek Day Walk - Petersfield to Cocking

Petersfield to Cocking

The South Downs

Book 3* Walk 155

* Online only

Length: 20 Km or 12.5 miles
Toughness: 4 out of 10

Getting there: Catch the 10:00am from London Waterloo to Petersfield
Calling stations are :
  • Woking  dep 10:25
  • Guildford    dep 10:34
Clapham Junctioneers should catch the 9:52am to Woking to arrive there at 10:11 and wait for the 10:25 described above.

Meeting point: Petersfield Station at 11:00 am

Tickets:  Buy a Cheap Day Return to Petersfield 
Or buy a Cheap Day Return to Chichester (valid via Petersfield) if you wish to travel on the bus from Cocking to Chichester

Brief Description:
This is a request by a regular Wednesday strider and is a ridge walk along the South Downs Way (SDW). A good, easy to follow path, with only gentle ups and downs, and fine 360 degree views for most of the way. It is best to bring a picnic, as the only pubs are very early, or at the bottom of the South Downs ridge which you need to re-ascend afterwards.
From Petersfield Station, the walk goes through the town square, then heads south from to Buriton (4 km) along the Hangars Way following a small stream. There is an option for very early pub lunch in Buriton
Then its up on to the ridge for the main part of the walk (15 km) which follows the SDW along the crest of the South Downs ridge, with only gentle ups and downs, past Tower Hill (has a folly), Beacon Hill (242 metres, ancient hill fort, free admission), Treyford Hill and Linch Ball (hill, trig point just north of the SDW path).
At Harting Down, just before Beacon Hill, you can head 1km north head, down off the ridge to the pub in South Harting. A little further, you can head 1km south to Uppark, a NT Historic Country House with a tea room (you need to pay admission to enter). These are the only refreshment possibilities on this part of the walk.
The SDW meets the A286 road just south of Cocking which has a bus stop. Optionally, leave the SDW 1.5k earlier on Cocking Down, and head north east along a path towards Cocking village (1km north along the A286 road) which has the Blue Bell Inn  ( appropriately named for this time of year!). This opens at 6pm and gives you a chance to take refreshments while waiting for your bus. There is a good bus connections south to Chichester, or catch the same bus north to Midhurst, where you can change for Haslemere (on the same line as Petersfield, so a much cheaper train ticket).

You may find full details here


Suggested Lunch and Tea stops


The Five Bells High Street, Buriton GU31 5RX (01730 263584) Food served every day 12 - 2.30pm. Located 4 km from the start of the walk.
The White Hart, South Harting, GU31 5QB, 01730 825124, 1km off the route, below the ridge.
Uppark NT cafe - admission required (don't forget your NT card if you're a member) - Open to 5:00pm
The Blue Bell Inn Cocking open from 6:00pm

Explorer Maps 133 and 120

Buses from Cocking to Haslemere
Take the #60 north to Midhurst, then change to the #70 to Haslemere. This costs a reasonable £4.60 ("transfer ticket") and works quite well.
Check the last bus time!


Return train times from Haslemere:

17:15 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 2 London Waterloo [WAT] at 18:14
17:32 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 3 London Waterloo [WAT] at 18:27
17:37 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 2 London Waterloo [WAT] at 18:43
18:02 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 3 London Waterloo [WAT] at 18:59
18:15 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 3 London Waterloo [WAT] at 19:13
18:32 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 3 London Waterloo [WAT] at 19:29
19:02 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 2 London Waterloo [WAT] at 19:59
19:15 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 2 London Waterloo [WAT] at 20:14
19:32 Haslemere [HSL] Platform 3 London Waterloo [WAT] at 20:24

Return trains from Chichester are at 17:43, 18:13, 18:37, 19:06 and 20:07 and terminate at London Victoria - Journey time about 1 hour 40 mins

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

intending to go

Anonymous said...

+ thanks for posting a.dent but bit too much information ! some of us panic when presented with this level of detail re: train times..

Anonymous said...

anyone doing the short version of this walk ?

Anonymous said...

How long is the short version?

Anonymous said...

From what I can see. you may be able to shorten by about a kilometre or so, but that's all. However I think it's fair to say the majority of walkers won't be rushing.
The weather looks promising in that area for tomorrow. AD

PeteB said...

Have a great day's walking tomorrow; I'll be preparing for my Italian adventure on the Amalfi coast.

Andrew said...

Sorry for the late notice, but, if any one takes an OS map, would you like to research a route to finish in Midhurst (just north of Cocking, but with more buses).

Mike A said...

Andrew, we didn't get a chance to explore an alternative ending into Midhurst. However we did discover a Taxi firm who had 8 seaters and would charge about £30 from Cocking to Petersfield (say just less than £4 a person if filled or a fiver for six people). Folks can relax in the Bluebell Inn while waiting - journey time to Petersfield about 25 mins. The White Hart in South Harting has also been revamped and served good food - will write up in Walk Feedback