Brighton and Sussex Friendship Walkers

This is a lovely figure of 8 varied walk through woods, skirting Wolstonbury Hill, then onto the top with fab views, then back down to the pub for a drink and/or meal if anyone wants to eat.

Up and down Wolstonbury hill so energetic. 3-4 miles and takes 1 hour 45mins at an average pace. This is my favourite evening summer walk because for such a short distance it has such variation : expansive woodland, scenic reveals of the downs after a woodland segment, chalk tracks, the views at the top to Brighton, Jack and Jill etc, and a walk down into woodland again, then a nice farm track to the pub.

Because it's such a nice walk I will run this a number of times throughout the summer as an evening walk.

Meet (to leave) at the car park at the Jack and Jill Inn pub, Clayton, at 18:30. I tend to wait 10 minutes because we need to get around with the light / any return bus goers and pub stop. Please un-RSVP if you did reserve a place and don't intend to come, so we aren't waiting for anyone.

Any questions please message me on Meetup or add comments in the walk. I've kept it to a max of 12 to keep it social and friendly for all.

By car drive to the car park at the Jack and Jill Inn pub, Clayton, postcode BN6 9PD. I’ll be driving there. The car park may be National Trust property but if anyone from the pub asks then just say we will be going in the pub after the walk.

By bus and subject to you checking ;

- GOING : From near The Level take the 271 bus at 17:49 to the Jack and Jill Pub at Clayton. Gets in at 18:08. I think this bus starts south at the old steine but I used the Rome2Rio website not metrobus, so check that… Get off as you come down the hill over the Clayton tunnel where the Jack and Jill Inn is. Bus stop right outside the pub.

- COMING BACK : at 20:48 from the bus stop outside the Jack and Jill Inn, take the 272 bus back to Brighton Old Steine

Dogs are welcome but sheep and cow fields so bring a lead. Good walking boots needed as sometimes tracks can be deeply horse trodden. It's not normally a muddy route in the summer but it can be if it has rained.

I cancel if it is raining all evening or if I don't have 4 people coming (including me) in which case I put comments in the description, so please check before you leave.

If you've been on my walks please put on walks and spread the purpose of the group so the burden isn’t solely on me to come up with routes and walks and so there is more variation as to walks that are on and people who you want to go with. Anyone who has been on two walks can put them on, just come up with a route and be the organiser (you need not know the route before hand, just as long as people have smart phones with maps on the route you'll be fine).

The Walk
This is a lovely summer walk around the beautiful Bewl Water reservoir, East Sussex, the biggest reservoir in the south east. In the summer lots of boating and water sports is going on and it has a very 'leisure active' feel to the place. Also great woodlands, and reservoir tracks. It's mostly flat so it is an easy walk and we will take it leisurely.

Because of the location this is a walk needing cars but if you don't drive, don't make that a reason not to come as we can organise lift shares and I don't mind diverting to pick 2 people up.

We'll meet to leave at Bewl Water Car Park (postcode TN3 8JH), situated at the north of the reservoir, at 11am. It's opposite the aqua park and just off Bewlbridge Lane - there is a small charge for parking I recall.

Around half way we'll stop for lunch at The Bull Pub at Ticehurst which is a lovely old isolated quaint pub slightly inland from the reservoir. Prices are reasonable and the menu is varied.

Be aware gates to the car park shut at 8pm if you stay longer, but the group walk should be finished some time before then in any event.

The Blurb (please read if unfamiliar)
Please check any comment section updates to the walk on the morning of the walk and before leaving as I don't tend to walk if it will be raining all day, so I'll just reschedule the walk. Also if I don't have a minimum of 4 people (including me) on the late evening of the walk.

Dogs are usually always welcome but please bring leads in case we walk in areas with livestock.

If we go to areas that are accessible by car, car sharing is encouraged, wherever possible and please offer lifts to others.

It's always recommended wearing good walking boots as you never know when it will be muddy. I recommend gaiters and disposable boot cover protectors are great for not annoying pub landlords!

The end time is always an estimate and because it's not possible to scout out all routes before the group walk, the route may be subject to diversion and added distance, although this tends to be rare.

If you have reserved a place but decide not to come please let the organiser know by un-RSVP'ing the walk before it starts, so we are not waiting for people. We tend to wait 10 minutes before leaving.

Walk Organisers Please!
So as the burden isn't always on me to come up with routes and as this is a friends walking group, it would be appreciated if other members could put on walks by being organiser. You don't necessarily have to scout the walk beforehand or navigate (because many have map apps) but just come up with a route you may or may not know and be organiser, to take the organisational burden off me, help the aims of the group, and reciprocate if you have enjoyed others efforts in organising walks! Whatever route you decide, I'm sure it will be appreciated by all!

I can give lifts to two people from Brighton if you help me with fuel as I’m sure other drivers can, so don’t make the start location a reason not to come. It will be great whatever.

This walk is absolutely gorgeous and I’ve done it loads of times. We will follow the racecourse around and a quick romp up ‘The Trundle’, a Neolithic hill fort, for panoramic views for miles (Portsmouth and Isle of Wight etc). Then a route down into the sleepy quaint village of Singleton, where we will have lunch at The Partridge pub. Please try to rsvp the walk early if you can so I can give the pub numbers, but in any event they do have a large garden so it shouldn’t be an issue. It is dog friendly and dogs are welcome on the walk too, but bring leads in case livestock is around.

After lunch we walk north and then south into East Dean before returning back to the start point. Easy in most places, this is a really nice quiet walk with very peaceful scenery, rolling landscapes, and very few areas of civilisation in sight. It’s got an isolated feel to it with few other walkers.

Meet (to leave) at 11AM at Goodwood country park car park (postcode PO18 0QE) on racecourse road, just off selhurstpark road, near the racecourse. There is ample free parking here and this car park can be seen nearby in google maps/street view using this postcode with a dirt / hard standing area with cars parked on it. We will wait ten minutes before we leave.

The walk to the pub is only 2-3 miles, hence a slightly later start time to hit a lunchtime visit, with a total distance of around 7-8 miles but going up and down surrounding hills, so it feels more like a 9 mile type walk.

It’s only really accessible via car to the car park which closes at dusk by the way. Trains are possible to Chichester and then there ‘may’ be local buses to Goodwood racecourse but a bit of a convoluted timely route!…. So if anyone is coming from Brighton then they will need to car share if you don’t drive. Please ensure you bring car shoes and a bag for boots please.

Please check if any updates in the walk chat, on the morning of the walk. I don’t tend to walk if raining all day and I’ll reschedule if so. Also if I don’t have a minimum of 4 people including me, on the evening of the walk if a day walk or a few hours before an evening one, I’ll reschedule too.

This is a lovely energetic walk but which is a great long one for the summer - up the downs at Lewes golf club, then round to Mount Caburn which we can take a slight detour and back on ourself, in order to go up it. Then a trip down into the lovely Glynde. We go back up the downs on the other side of the main road at Beddingham Hill for views of Newhaven then down to Southease station and following the canal/river back into Lewes for a well earned drink at a nice Lewes pub. This one is definitely for the fit but you’ll see so much on this walk and we can stop as many times as anyone wants and we’ll take it slow and keep together! There is also a nice tea room we could go in at Glynde.

We will meet to leave at Lewes Station at 11AM for trains from Brighton (we normally wait ten minutes). You can park free on Sundays at the north street car park behind the town centre police station too (ten min walk to the station). SatNav for car park is BN7 2PA. I’m coming from Haywards Heath but can give 2 lifts to any locals if you help with fuel. Please bring car shoes and boots in a bag.

Dogs are of course welcome but have leads as some fields have sheep and cows.

Bring a packed lunch and loads of water as I’m intending this one as a picnic lunch walk….only one little village shop at Glynde which isn’t massively stocked. A real luxury can be one of these foam matts to sit on, which you can get from most walking shops. I got mine at Cotswold outdoor for £4.

I would recommend good walking boots as some parts are bare chalk and if it has been raining…

I don’t tend to walk if it’s raining all day but check the walk on the morning for any updates on rescheduling and before you leave / travel to the walk. If I don’t have 4 people (including me) on the late evening of the walk then I’ll reschedule too. The end time is only an approximation too and walk finishes back in Lewes.

If you aren’t coming and have reserved a place please remember to un-RSVP. I’ve kept it to a max of 12 to keep it social and friendly.

Any questions then please don’t hesitate to message me. Hoping for a great day and a great relaxed fun walk….If you’ve got any routes you want to put on please let me know. I’m always up for people organising routes to help me and keep the aims of the group.