Devil's Dyke circular

By Eddie Start

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When tracks and pathways of the Weald are covered with their fabled winter surface of gooey clay mud, there is always the option of seeking out the welldrained paths of the chalky South Downs. Tracks across the tops of the hills have long been a favourite haunt of the year-round walker in all seasons and, when winter rains make other paths in the county seem impassable, the age-old tracks across the high country offer problemfree progress.

On this walk we head out from the top of the Devil’s Dyke Hill, for long a popular viewing point for urbanised coastal dwellers.

Striking out west along the crest of the Downs we pass ancient burial sites and the mound on top of which sat a watchful Norman castle. We then head into valleys with isolated farm buildings and look down to the site of an abandoned village.

1.From the car park and bus stop area in front of the Devil’s Dyke Hotel, head west towards the kissing gate that is a few yards away on the grassy hillside, with the sight of the masts on distant Truleigh Hill. Take the welldefined footpath that goes towards the remains of a mysterious, brick bunker-type building.

The path passes a short distance below the building around a knoll and drops into a gully. The surrounding earthwork is a remnant of the extensive embankment and ditch that was the boundary of an Iron Age encampment.

The path resumes direction around the top of a typical, large Downland bowl. Make for the obvious hilltop gates and path junction that are several hundred yards away at the top of Fulking Hill. Do not be tempted to take the path that descends to the right.

2.From the gates take the South Downs Way path that initially goes rightward for a few yards, before resuming direction over the top of Fulking Hill. With fine views across the Weald, and the village of Fulking at the bottom of the scarp slope, keep to the main track (blue arrow and South Downs Way signs).

The path soon begins a descent with open meadow on the left and a clump of Downland scrub on the right. The onward route continues to descend along a left fence-line and passes a collapsed burial mound to the right of the path. At the bottom of a shallow coombe the path is joined from the right by one of the many bostal paths climbing from the foot of the scarp slope.

Climb the rise ahead over Perching Hill and then descend more steeply to a collection of gates at the bottom of the next coombe, passing beneath power cables below Edburton Hill. A Permitted Footpath, crossing a stile on the right, rises from this point to the top of the hill. Should you choose to make the ascent you will need to return to the main path to continue the walk.

3.The rising path, still the South Downs Way, now skirts to the left around the flank of Edburton Hill, climbing to where the path levels off and meets a stile in the left trackside fence.

To the right is the summit of Edburton Hill, once the site of a 12th century wooden motte-andbailey castle. There is an interesting comparison at this spot with the large encampment for a community at the Devil’s Dyke Hill (where we started this walk). This military fortress at Edburton Hill was used by Norman kings to bludgeon the locals into subservience. The community must have been declared non-existent in the 12th century – a thought expressed again in a later age.

Cross the stile on the left and take a due south line across the open field for half-a-mile to a crossing fence. Cross a stile in the fence and descend halfright to the bottom of the shallow valley and a gated path junction.

4.Do not go through the gate but turn left, taking the bridleway that rises a quarter-right over the shoulder of the low hillock. Having crested the rise, the path descends towards a double gate that is to the right of a derelict barn.

Follow the onward bridleway, having passed through the gate, walking along Summers Deane for half-a-mile to a convergence of tracks at Hazelholt Bottom. Turn left along the continuing bridleway and in 200 yards resume a southerly direction, which leads towards a farm and stable buildings at Mile Oak Farm.

With a flint stable building ahead, just to the right of the track, take a sharp left turn to a bridle gate beside a paddock, and climb the track ahead between hedgerows.

5.The climb passes by Mile Oak dewpond on the left of the path, and having passed through gates is joined in a few yards by a track rising from the right. The way continues close to the top of Cockroost Hill and a right turn in half-a-mile.

In a further 350 yards the bridleway arrives at a crossing hilltop track. Turn left and follow the continuing bridleway northwards for a little over half-a-mile, to pass through a gate. Do not turn right but keep to the footpath heading northwards, above the valley on the left. The valley is the site of the medieval village of Perching which, like a number such locations, was abandoned due to changes in economic needs or because of plague.

The path eventually arrives at the crossing South Downs Way, a few yards to the right of the tumulus that was passed earlier.

Turn right along the bridleway, with Downland scrub on the left, and retrace your outward path back across Fulking Hill towards the starting point beside the Devil’s Dyke Hotel.