Ringmer to Lewes

By Ben Perkins

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Standing detached from the main ridge of the Downs, Mount Caburn and the surrounding hills offer fine walking, sampled on this fairly strenuous walk from Ringmer over the Downs to Lewes.

Being a linear walk you will need to use public transport in the form of a bus between Lewes and Ringmer to complete the round trip.

The walk starts with a steady climb up on to the Downs, passing the site of an old windmill.

After visiting the summit of The Caburn, a magnificent viewpoint crowned by a hill fort, the walk explores newly available public access areas within two nature reserves.

Be warned, however. At one point, beyond point 4, you will have to make your way down a fairly steep and uneven grass downland slope where there is no defined path. This is, therefore, a walk best reserved for the reasonably fit and surefooted.

1.Start the walk along Springett Avenue which heads south from the B2192 road opposite Ringmer village green and next to a small brick clock tower. Ignoring all side turnings, follow this estate road for about a quarter of a mile through to a T-junction with a lane.

Turn right for five yards only, then go left along a narrow fenced path which squeezes between houses and gardens.

Once out into a field, go ahead, veering very slightly right.

Go through a narrow gap in the next hedge and in the same direction across the next field. Cross two more stiles and begin to climb beside a left-hand fence.

A path continues up within the left edge of a clump of trees and up steps to emerge into a field.

Turn left to walk round two sides of this field until you can cross a stile in the field boundary on your left to reach the site of Ringmer Post Mill, which collapsed in 1925, leaving only a post and trestle stump.

2.Continue past the mill remains to follow a path along the right edge of rough pasture out to join a lane.

Cross the road and follow the track, which starts almost opposite through a double gate and is signed as a public footpath to Lewes.

Once over the next stile, beside a gate, go ahead over the left shoulder of Saxon Down, using a rutted track, soon between banks with a fence nearby on your left. The path passes an area of old chalk quarry workings.

3.Where the track divides, keep left, in effect, almost straight on, climbing to a stile beside a gate, soon in view on the skyline.

The track continues across high, open downland with superb views. After about half-amile, go through two swing gates in quick succession and up to the summit of Mount Caburn which is crowned by the ramparts and ditch of a hill fort constructed in about 100BC. The whole of the area is a designated National Nature Reserve.

From this commanding viewpoint, you enjoy a panorama, across the valley to the main ridge of the Downs between Windover Hill and Itford Hill with Firle Beacon standing out prominently.

4.At the highest point, turn squarely right, passing through the ramparts and dropping down across uneven ground to go over a stile in the fence on your right.

Now make your way down into the deep coombe on your right. There is no path and you must cross steep uneven ground but you can choose any convenient route as this is open access land where you are permitted to wander freely.

Bear left along the descending floor of this dry, downland valley, Caburn Bottom.

Follow the bottom of the coombe down to its far end, passing through a swing gate en route where a notice indicates you are entering a Sussex Wildlife Trust area.

5.At the far end of this valley where you have a choice of gates ahead, pass to the right of a dry, concrete- based pond to go through the bridle gate on the right. Go ahead along a clear track with a fence nearby on your left at first.

At a waypost, go ahead across grass to reach a fence corner where there is a stile. Don’t cross this stile. Instead, go ahead, climbing steeply with a fence on your left and another dry downland coombe, Bible Bottom, to your right.

6.Towards the top of the hill, go left through a bridle gate in the fence and forward to cross a stile, in sight. Maintain direction along the side of the hill, now traversing a golf course where you can follow a series of wayposts marking the line of the right of way, each successive post visible from the previous one.

From the other side of the golf course, a path continues steeply down through an area of trees and scrub. Join a road and turn left down into Lewes.

At the bottom of the hill go straight ahead along Cliffe High Street. Cross the River Ouse and turn right to reach the bus stop for the No 28 bus back to Ringmer next to Lewes bus station.