This is a gentle, unspectacular walk across undulating cultivated land on the western side of the Ouse valley between Barcombe and Chailey. The return route follows a low greensand ridge, offering impressive views southwards to the northern ridge of the South Downs.

Although most of the paths are well signed and either stiled or gated, some are little used, particularly after point seven where you might find a stick useful to beat down encroaching nettles in one or two places. Also, you should be prepared for mud underfoot on a couple of bridleways.

1. From the entrance to the car park, turn left and, after a few yards, go right along a narrow lane (Grange Road) and subsequently the left edge of a recreation ground. At the bottom of a slope, go over a footbridge and head slightly left across a field and through a gap where you will cross the track bed of an old railway.

Through this gap, go left along the field-edge for 30 yards, then right, still along a left field-edge. In the field corner, cross a footbridge and stile to follow the right edge of the next field and then a short enclosed path out to a lane. Turn right.

2. After a few yards, fork right along an access drive and, shortly, ignore a right fork.

After a few more yards, go ahead along a narrow shady path, muddy in places, which starts to the right of the gateway to a house.

After about 400 yards, just after passing over a wide wooden bridge, fork left over a stile and turn right to walk parallel to the path you have just left along the right edge of two fields and then a short enclosed path to join a road.

Turn right.

3. After 60 yards, go left into the entrance to Springles Farm. Go through a gate in a high wooden fence and ahead along a gravel drive. After about 300 yards, at a point where the drive veers slightly left, go ahead along a rutted grassy track with a hedge on your right.

Go through a gap into the corner of a large field and drop gently downhill with an electric fence on your left. Cross a culverted ditch and maintain direction across a field, over a substantial footbridge and on beside a right-hand fence.

Continue with a wood on your left until a waypost directs you slightly right across the field corner to join a tarmac access drive through a gate. Keep left (almost straight ahead) along this drive, following it past the entrance to Balneath Manor and out to join the A275 at South Chailey.

4. Turn left and, after a little more than 100 yards, turn right along a gravel drive. Where the drive ends, go left over a footbridge into a field corner and turn right along the right edge of two fields. Join a concrete drive on a bend, turn left and immediately fork left along a tree-lined path.

Follow this track, muddy underfoot and overgrown in places, southwards. Where it opens out through a gate, go forward, joining and following a left field-edge.

Go through a gap about 20 yards out from the field corner, climb to a gate and continue along an access track passing the buildings at Hurst Barns and heading southwards with a fine view across to the Downs. Follow the track out to a road and turn left.

5. A few yards after passing a large house on the left called Lower Burrells, go left over a stile, hidden behind a hedge to the right of a gate and head half-right across a meadow to cross a stile and footbridge. Walk squarely across the next field to a gate.

In the field beyond, the official right of way heads straight across the middle but is currently obstructed by an arable crop. As a good alternative, turn right along the right field-edge. In the field corner, go ahead through a narrow gap in the hedge and turn left along a left field-edge to reach a road at the same place as the direct route (GR 392151).

6. Cross the lane, go through a gap opposite and follow a path, this time clearly defined, across a large arable field. Aim to pass close to a wooden power pole and join the A275 about 60 yards to the right of a mobile phone mast.

Turn left and, after 60 yards, go right, up a bank to a stile and along a left field-edge, following it as it meanders left and right. In the field corner, side-step to the left through a gap and turn right to resume your previous direction, now along a right field-edge with another good view, this time to the north.

In the field corner, follow the field boundary to the left round a small tree-shrouded pond to join a road.

7. Follow the track opposite through a gateway to another mobile phone mast and forward with a wood on your left and a new view eastwards along the line of the Downs to the east of Lewes.

Where the wood edge begins to bear away to the left, go ahead, still along a left field edge.

In the field corner, go forward over a hidden, overgrown stile where a stick might come in useful to beat down encroaching nettles on the approach. Head squarely across the field to find another half-hidden stile.

Over this stile, ignoring a plank bridge on your right, fork left through scrub out into a field corner and follow another well-defined path across a field.

Skirt round the end of a hedge line protruding from the right and follow power lines across a field to join a lane.

Turn left and, at a road junction, turn right for about a quarter of a mile, back to Barcombe and the start.

  • Distance/time: Six miles/three-and-a- quarter hours.
  • By car: Start from the village of Barcombe, marked as Barcombe Cross on OS maps. From Lewes follow the A275 northwards, fork right at the Rainbow Inn and take the first lane on the right, signed to Barcombe. Park in the village car park next the Post Office/stores at GR 420158.
  • By public transport: Two-hourly weekday bus service to Barcombe Cross. Hourly bus service to South Chailey, starting the walk at point 4.
  • What's underfoot: Field paths and woodland tracks, which double as bridleways and may be muddy underfoot after rain.
  • Thirsty work: Pub at Barcombe Cross. The pub still marked on OS maps at South Chailey is no longer in business, having been converted to a private residence.
  • So you don't get lost: OS Explorer 122.

For a larger version of the map, see 'related links' above.