Ashington circular 2

By Eddie Start

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Ashington was once on the Worthing to London Road, but now the busy A24 runs east of the village.

On this exploration we head off onto paths that receive infrequent walker traffic. There are fine displays of spring flowers and glimpses of deer in the countryside.

1. From London Road in Ashington, locate the Methodist church and take the bridleway to its left.

Skirt around the chapel to a residential road, continue on the opposite side and climb a ramp to a footbridge over the A24. At the far side, turn left for a few paces to take the signed footpath on the right into America Wood.

At the end of the woods, in 400 yards, continue along the hedge to the left corner, cross a stile on the left and turn right. In a few yards, turn left up the bridleway, passing a high metal fence at East Wolves Farm. Continue across a gravel drive in front of the farmhouse, taking the footpath on the right to a stile.

Climb half-right up a field to the edge of Baldwin’s Wood.

Turn left, and in 100 yards drop left to a bridle gate at Hook Farm. Enter a paddock, follow the left fence-line to the far left corner, cross onto a farm track and turn right.

2. In 150 yards, at a surfaced bridleway, turn left for half a mile to Woodman’s Farm.

Just before the main buildings, and a few yards after a brick building on the right, turn right on a footpath into Capite Wood. Follow the undulating route, crossing bridges, to a path junction just short of Honeybridge Lane.

Walk to the lane and turn left to pass Buckells Farm. After 125 yards, take the ascending surfaced footpath on the right, with a house on the left. Climb for 200 yards to a white cottage, cross a stile in the hedge on the left and go into a field.

3. Turn half-right to a sign and stile on the skyline, with Eder Farm to the right. Pass across the top of the field and descend to a second stile. Turn down a quarter-right to pass through a gate to a three-way junction.

Cross the stile and go straight down the field. Cross a plank bridge and stile, then climb to a further stile, onto a bridleway. Turn right, taking half-left, then half-right turns to where a drive leads to the left. Continue ahead for a few yards and turn left through a metal bridle gate.

Follow the right hedge line, converging with the surfaced drive in 100 yards. The woodland of Flat Dossers is on the left.

Keep to the hedge line and in 100 yards turn right over stiles and a plank bridge in the hedgerow.

4. Head across the field to the opposite hedge line, turn left for a few yards, crossing a stile on the right.

Walk to the left field corner and turn right to cross a stile in 125 yards. Turn half-left and head for, and cross, the footbridge.

Go over marshy ground to a scrubby hedge, cross a plank bridge to a field and continue towards the prominent oak tree ahead. From the tree, turn half-right to a bridge in the far hedge, 75 yards right of an opening.

Cross the bridge and track to a stile. Cross two fields along the left side, and just before a double metal gate, branch left to cross a stile in the hedge, turning right to Brookwood Farm.

Enter the farm through a metal gate, turn right after a few yards and pass between buildings. Stay beside the farmhouse and continue along the drive to Honeybridge Lane.

5. Turn left for 300 yards and take the plank bridge on the right into a field.

Cross to the opposite side, pass through a hedge opening and turn left. Follow the path beside Honeybridge Farm and in 150 yards, turn right.

Descend to a low-lying meadow below Daylands Farm. Turn a sharp left to the left corner by a stream, and climb a bank on the left into a large field.

Continue along the left hedge line, over two fields, finally coming to a short section of scrub. Pass through this to a track.

Take the opposite gate up the next field and just before a fence turn right over a stile, following the path along the left side of the field to a gate into Jessops Farm.

From the gate, walk on for a few yards, turn right and then left along the main track. With a flint farm building on the left, note the official footpath stile on the left, this route appears to be obstructed. You are advised to take the poorly signed alternative path, continuing ahead to a metal gate. Pass through the gate to the opposite stile and turn left up a woodland track. The short section of track arrives at a path junction.

6. Take the signed footpath that is right of the alternative path, climb a low bank into woodland and turn right, with a high fence on the left. The twisting path finally drops left into a low-lying meadow.

Turn half-right to pass to the left around a low knoll and strike-off right to cross a bridge in the right tree line. Climb to the left and follow the signed woodland track.

After 300 yards drop to cross a gully, then climb steeply to a stile on the right, into a field. Climb across the field, over a mid-way stile, making for the buildings at Brownhill.

7. At a surfaced track, turn right for 50 yards then left through a bridle gate, crossing a farmyard to the opposite side. Turn left up a bridleway and right into Brownhill Wood. Pass through a gate and in a few paces go left onto the woodland footpath.

Follow the path to a field-edge and climb quarter-left to a gap in the hedgerow. Descend across the next field and pass through a stockade to climb a rising track, going left to Broadbridge Farm.

Turn right up the metalled drive, leaving it in 150 yards and climbing to the footbridge that was crossed earlier. Turn left over the bridge, back to the start.