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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.

Sunday 7 October 2018

Sunday Walk A Sunday amble from Amberley to Pulborough

SWC Walk 39:  Amberley to Pulborough t=SWC.39

Distance:  15.9 Miles or 25.7 km for those more metrically minded (with shorter 12.3 miles/19.9 km)

Difficulty:  8 out of 10 (6 out of 10 for the shorter option)

Train:  Take the 9:32 AM Portsmouth Harbour train from London Victoria (stopping at Clapham Junction at 9:38 and East Croydon at 9:54), arriving at Amberley at 10:58.  Return trains from Pulborough are at 04 past the hour until 21:04. Buy a day return to Amberley.

This walk always makes a very enjoyable and varied day out – in short, a nice long Sunday outing before the days grow short….The route was recently re-configured into its longer formation due to a pub closure and had its well-received debut earlier this year on Easter Sunday.  It begins along the South Downs then passes through some hanging woods and across heathland before eventually arriving on the outskirts of Pulborough at the lovely ancient bridge in Stopham. You can find more information about the walk and download the walk instructions here.

The recommended lunch spot on the main walk is the Cricketers (01798 342 473) in Duncton (8.1 miles/13.1 km into the walk). For those doing the short walk, the pub in Sutton appears to still be shut.

Tea and other late afternoon refreshments can be had at the White Hart in Stopham (1.4 miles/2.3 km before the end).

Enjoy the walk!


4 comments:

Sandy said...

Thinking of going but, owing to time constraints, would only do the shorter version. I'll bring a sandwich. Anyone else?

Stargazer said...

What a difference a day makes...under w=beautiful-clear-autumnal-skies 13 assembled at one end of the platform (including one newbie who thought she was joining a massive meet-up group who had assembled in the car park) for the normal SWC formalities and then set off to come across 3 others who had not noticed our assembly, making for a group of n=16. The initial route onto the downs was glorious with views far and wide, most stopped at Toby's Stone for a good gander before continuing onward. At the decision point, 10 (comprised of a group of 8 and 2) opted for the longer main route and 6 the shorter route. The main route stays high on the downs along an inland spur through varied terrain with great views. 4 had lunch on the hills and 6 dined al fresco in the lovely garden of the Cricketers where 2 of the picnickers met us. In contrast to the morning, the afternoon crosses through valleys, heathlands, woods and commons. 2 picnickers had overtaken the pub-goers as we saw them ahead of us on the heath -- but never did bump into them....The main group arrived at the White Hart at Stopham Bridge about 18:15 and 5 of these decided that the only way to finish such a fine day out was to enjoy a relaxed bevie (and forgo the 19:04 train) -- interestingly, the pub serves white wine produced at a vineyard passed along the route (less than a mile from the pub)...it was actually sufficiently palatable that one had a second (small) glass...before we set of for the final stretch in the dark...which was fine....a very straight forward route (even in the dark after a drink or two)...to catch the 20:04.

David Colver said...

At least two who took the shorter route and confined refreshments to sandwiches made the 1604 train.

Sandy said...

. . . whereas two other shortcutters had two rounds of refreshment at the excellent White Hart and just got to the station in time for the 1704, which was late of course.