Backup Only

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 6 July 2016

Midweek Day Walk - Hassocks to Upper Beeding

Hassocks to Upper Beeding - a South Downs spectacular including a brush with the Devil's Dyke

Three steep hills with fine views before lunch at Devil's Dyke. A gentle ridge walk in the afternoon to Upper Beeding (short bus ride to Shoreham station)

Book 2 Walk 23

Length :  16 km or 10 miles

Toughness :  7 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:20 am Brighton train from London Victoria to Hassocks.
Calling Stations:

  • Clapham Junction: departs 10:26 am
  • East Croydon:     departs 10:36 am
  • Gatwick Airport:  departs 10:51 am
If this train is cancelled catch the 10:23 East Grinstead train and change at  East Croydon (attow, platform 6 to platform 3) and catch the 10:49 Thameslink service to Brighton and alight at Hassocks 
Meeting point :  Hassocks Station at 11:07 am (11:28 am if delayed)

Tickets :  Buy a cheap day return to Shoreham-by-Sea

Brief Description

I'm going to take a chance with Southern Railways on this outing and put it off no longer.
This is a great walk along part of the South Downs Way with stunning views and energetic climbs.

The Hikers rest canteen, a little before Devils Dyke is closed on Wednesdays :-(
However Devil's Dyke provides a great location for a picnic or a pub lunch :-)

The no. 77 bus to and from Brighton to the lunch venue also doesn't run today.  However, if your are walking with friends, you might like to consider sharing a cab to Brighton if you wish to leave the walk after lunch.

Full details of this walk may be found here

Suggested Lunch stop

Devil's Dyke Pub  t: 01273 857256 

Suggested Tea stops

The Rising Sun in Upper Beeding t: 01903 814424

There is also the Kings Head in Upper Beeding  t: 01903 812196

Map

OS Explorer : OL11

Return train times

Buses travel from Upper Beeding (Opposite the Rising Sun) to Shoreham-by-Sea station at 3:45pm, 4:47pm, 5:42pm,  6:02pm and 6:42pm. Journey time is about 15 minutes and the full timetable is here

Direct trains return from Shoreham-by-Sea to London Victoria at the following times 15:43 | 16:17 | 16:42 | 17:18 | 17:42 | 18:18 | 18:42
Trains return changing at Brighton at  15:52 |  17:34 | 18:04 | 19:05

18 comments:

Marc Ricketts said...

Now the last time I did this Walk. Somebody slipped on some chalk part of the Public Footpath. And a Girl named Jessica called for a Ambulance as he hurt his hand that day. Then we eventually walked until we got to the Ambulance. We had to stop for a Hour that day. It was such a shame really.

Mark S said...

Unfortunately, it looks as if Southern trains will be affected by a strike on 18 May.

Anonymous said...

B****r!!!

Mike A said...

Thanks for the update Mark,
I've amended the Post accordingly

Anonymous said...

the guy broke his wrist, so be careful on the chalky bits if it has rained. Hopefully he has made a full recovery and has reviewed his mobile contract.

Marc Ricketts said...

That's exactly the point I was making.

Marc Ricketts said...

Now I might do the walk on Wednesday. But I can't Guarantee I will.

Anonymous said...

Will take 9.40 from St Pancras, though it costs more, stops everywhere, and takes longer than the recommended train it is much easier for me. I arrive nine minutes ahead of the official train and I will start up the first hill. You will catch up with me before I reach the top. Look forward to this walk.

Anonymous said...

anyone else doing this walk? intend to go if the showers hold off..

Anonymous said...

9.40 from St Pancras now confirmed as running for tomorrow. Ticket was £13 something.

Mike A said...

Just to confirm, the walk ends at Upper Beeding with a bus journey to Shoreham-by-Sea Station.
If you are not using the trains/tickets advised in the Post, please ensure that any tickets you buy will get you back from Shoreham-by-Sea.
SWC Train monitors may wish to add to this.

Sean said...

A cheap way of doing this walk (especially if travelling on Thameslink services) would be to buy a return to Brighton with PlusBus. On the way back, take the bus all the way from Upper Beeding to Brighton. The Brighton PlusBus area extends all the way from Steyning in the west to Seaford in the east. Sit on the top deck and enjoy the views for an hour, and hop on and off other services if you feel like it.

Anonymous said...

There is also - or was last time I looked - a bus (the 100?) direct from Upper Beeding to Burgess Hill. See the walk directions for details. If this still operates you only need to buy a day return to Hassocks

Walker said...

There is - or was last time I looked a 100 bus from Upper Beeding to Burgess Hill, with a last bus at 6pm: see walk directions for details. If this is still operating, all you need is a return to Hassocks and Thameslink only tickets may be valid. Check all this before relying on it.

Taking the Shoreham bus all the way into Brighton takes quite a long time. I did it years ago when researching this walk and recall it taking various diversions around housing estates etc. I have not wanted to repeat the experience since.....

Mike A said...

Walkers suggestion seems to be still valid. The Bus timetable for the Upper Beeding to Burgess Hill journey (100 route) may be found here (Last updated 24th April 2016)
Buses depart Upper Beeding at 16:18 | 17:18 | 18:22 and the journey time to Burgess Hill is about 45 minutes

Anonymous said...

anyone doing this walk

Anonymous said...

Yes - I know of at least 3 who will go.
Also weather is good (no rain and not too hot)
Will go from Victoria Station.

Anonymous said...

n=10 on this walk, 5 Southerners from Victoria and five ThamesLinkers from St. Pancras.
The trains arrived about 15 minutes apart and everyone joined up just past the Natural Death Centre. The weather was w=the_classic_Simpsons_fluffy_cumulus as we started with more sun than forecast. Idyllic South Downs scenery apart from a brief encounter with the A23 on the footbridge across from Pyecombe.
The Hikers Rest was in fact open and five stopped for lunch there with the remaining five pushing on to the Devil's Dyke.
Lunch was excellent at the Hikers Rest, all home cooked and very healthy. The five set off after lunch and did the full Devil's Dyke route (not the tempting path which skirts it). This was quite enough for one who dropped out at the Pub, while another of the forward five rejoined. The cumulus cloud was replaced by wispy cirrus adding more atmosphere to the already stunning scenery.
The approach to Upper Beeding was a little tricky where EON had carved a new tract to bury cables carrying electricity from the new offshore Rampion wind farm. This will be all be returned to nature when the project is completed in about two years.
A great day out with weather far better than was forecast.