Crossbush circular

By Eddie Start

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This walk begins in Crossbush, about three-quartersof- a-mile east of Arundel.

It traverses flat country that is part of the coastal plain between the South Downs and the English Channel. The area has ancient buildings, pre-dating the 1066 Norman invasion and there is fertile land that is home to the commercial horticultural industry.

The return walk to Crossbush, from a busy crossing on the A27, is through varied woodland that provides plenty of early reminders that spring is on its way.

1.From the village street in Crossbush, walk west to the junction with the busy A27 road.

Turn right and descend beside the road on the path.

At a junction with the Warningcamp road in 350 yards, cross this and walk on for a few yards, turning left to cross over the busy A27 road at the traffic island.

At the opposite footpath sign, just before Priory Farm, descend steps into a small field.

Climb quarter left to a stile in the paddock fence and continue over the top of the next field to a second stile.

Cross over stiles and plank bridges in the next fields, as signed, heading towards the buildings of Broomhurst Farm.

At the farm pass to the right of the buildings, crossing a stile into the next field. (Note cautionary signs about livestock in the field ahead).

Walk to the end of the left fence line, then follow the indicated direction to the right and a collection of gates and stiles in 200 yards.

Cross two stiles and turn leftward, heading across a raised bank towards a line of trees in 200 yards. Cross a footbridge and continue on an enclosed path beside ponds known as Knucker Hole.

Walk towards a flint wall that marks the boundary of the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene at Lyminster, go left through a squeeze gate. The first impression of the church is its huge roof. This indicates a Saxon building and a closer inspection reveals a very high roof in the nave of the building, a good identifier of its early origins.

2.Walk to the lychgate at the eastern end of the churchyard and turn right towards Church Farm.

Just after the farm buildings on the left, take the signposted left turning into a small meadow, passing in front of a large wooden building.

Walk across the meadow, bearing right and passing through a squeeze gate beside a flint wall on the left.

Turn half-left across the next meadow towards a second squeeze gate in the far left corner. Turn right along the pavement for 100 yards. Just before a bridge over a stream, cross the road and drop to a stile, going half-left across the next field.

Continue in the leftward direction on an enclosed path, coming to Lyminster Road in 300 yards. Walk right on the grass verge, passing Old Vicarage Cottage.

Take the onward bridleway, striding out on the level path that leads in one mile to the tiny village of Poling. As you walk across this open landscape, there are extensive views northwards to the distant Downs.

Southwards are the huge glasshouses of the local horticultural industry.

Walk along the village street of Poling and in 300 yards, beside a high flint wall with a sign for the church, take the signed footpath on the right that soon turns left and approaches the churchyard of St Nicholas.

The footpath continues across the churchyard to the opposite side, leaving over a stile. The church, smaller than the one previously passed, also dates from the mid-10th Century and has associations with seafarers – clearly, it was at one time closer to navigable waters.

3.The onward path takes a few paces half-left and at a three-way junction resumes an easterly direction over a stile along an enclosed section to a metal gate in 250 yards.

From the gate go half-left for 300 yards, keeping to the left hedgeline, with open meadow on the right.

Take the signposted direction through a hedge opening on the left to pass across the southern embankment of a constructed pond. Turn left for a few paces then climb a bank and cross a stile on the right to walk over the top of the next meadow, descending to a further stile at the edge of Decoy Wood. Enter the wood and in 50 yards take the right branch that leads, through a double metal gate, into a grassed field. Walk to the far side, and with a line of trees ahead and in sight of a large pond, turn left up the right field edge passing a house called The Decoy at the top of the field. The path drops between scrub, crosses a plank bridge and climbs steps to the A27 dual carriageway.

4.Cross the road with care, passing through the central barrier opening.

Drop down the opposite steps, which can be very slippery when wet, to a small field. Walk up the field for 200 yards, then turn right into the woods for 100 yards, going left again for 250 yards, over stiles (yellow arrow).

The path then takes a few paces half-right and crosses over a stile on the left, into the next meadow, where there maybe grazing livestock.

Cross the field to a stile and bridge into woodland; turn left on the bridleway (blue arrow).

Follow the undulating woodland track for three-quarters-of-amile, between Quakerscorner Copse and Priors-lease Copse, to the minor road at Sailor’s Copse.

5.Cross the road and continue on the footpath between the woodland of The Isles and Poling Copse for a further three-quarters-of-a-mile.

Take none of the tracks but eventually arriving at a path that leads around a house, passing a duck pond, and finally going left over a drive beside The Old Coach House on to a minor road.

Turn right along the road to head back to Crossbush.