Fernhurst circular

By Eddie Start

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In the north-west of the county, at the point where The Weald begins its march eastward, there are a number of villages and small communities nestling in the heavilywooded landscape beneath Blackdown, the high point of Sussex.

Fernhurst is a community in the rising landscape and on this expedition we experience the surrounding countryside’s solitude.

1.From the crossroads at the centre of the village, on the A286 Midhurst to Haslemere road, head west along Vann Road. Keep to the paved north side for a quarter of a mile, passing houses and shops.

Where houses finish at Vann Bridge Close, continue over a sandstone road bridge and immediately turn right at the far side. Descend into woodland over a bridge and take the left path that rises to a metalled drive in 150 yards. Turn right up the drive and in 50 yards take the left signed footpath leading to Vanlands (yellow arrow).

Turn left on a footpath that passes across the front of the cottage, cross a stile and head for the top, far right corner of the field, passing beneath a distinguished Quercus Robur (Common Oak) midway.

Take a line directly across the next field, with a vineyard on the right, and on across a short field section. Cross a stile, pass over a lane and make for the hedge at the opposite side of the next field. Cross a stile over a stream to a three-way footpath sign.

Take the right fork, climbing half-right to the top right corner, close to Greenhill House.

Turn right up the hill on an enclosed path and in 125 yards branch left to climb more steeply through Greenhill Wood. In 100 yards the path levels off and in 300 yards climbs to a three-way junction with a woodland track.

2.Turn left and follow the wide, undulating track for a little over a quarter of a mile to a signed left turn, still in Greenhill Wood.

Descend the left track, which soon bends to the right and in 100 yards (do not take the rising track on the right) continue between close hedgerow. In 350 yards, at a three-way junction, climb the path on the right and walk through the woods, taking a right turn (yellow arrow) in a quarter of a mile.

The path carries on for a similar distance, rising to the next three-way junction and taking the left turn. In a further 75 yards take the left footpath (yellow arrow) which winds through the woods for a quarter of a- mile to a three-way junction.

3.Descend left, taking the left footpath at a marker post over a stream in Cognor Wood and walk for about a mile to a path junction. Do not take the first right turn but continue for a further 100 yards to take the sharp left turn.

The path descends into a gully, with joining sidetracks, to arrive beside a sandstone outbuilding. Turn right down the drive, cross a bridge and cross another drive beneath trees to a road.

Turn right up the road for nearly 100 yards towards a cottage and to the right of the residence, by a letterbox for Newlands Cottage, turn left down the footpath, entering Hazel Piece woods.

4.Keep to the rise and fall of the path along a drive that in just over a quarter of a mile arrives beside Newlands Cottage. Pass to the right around garages, continuing between the woodlands of West Leith and The Moor.

A few hundred yards after the cottage and a right turning (do not take this), with the path going between banks, you will notice the going is becoming increasingly soft. Divert along the top of the bank for 50 yards and then rejoin the path.

In about half a mile the path comes to a pine plantation at Parkgate Rough, with steep hillside to the right, a marker post (yellow arrow) and paths leading-off. Turn briefly left, then take the path descending a bank on the right into coppiced woodland. Through shrubbery on the left is a wide, open field.

Follow the undulating path through the close coppice for a quarter of a mile to a crossing bridleway – there is a large beech tree on the right. Turn left and follow the track for a quarter of a mile to cottages at Elmers Marsh.

5.Turn left along the minor road for 50 yards, taking a right turn onto a footpath – there is an electricity supply station to the left. Continue for nearly half a mile through woodland to a path junction – there is an obscured footpath sign in the bushes on the right and a large fir tree ahead.

Take the left branch through Hartley Green Copse, crossing beneath power cables in 200 yards. Maintain direction with woods on the left and heathland on the right, and in 300 yards turn right onto a rising bridleway. In 100 yards enter a field and walk along the right edge to a drive at Upper North Park Farm.

Turn left down the drive, passing cottages, and climb steeply for 300 yards to where the drive takes a sharp right turn. Do not take the midway footpath on the right.

6.At the four-way junction, at the top of the climb, walk ahead into the field and follow the descending path to a hedge opening at the bottom right corner. Keep to the right hedgeline for a quarter of a mile across the next field, descending to a four-way junction in the far right corner.

Walk ahead through the woodland on the footpath (yellow arrow), with a stream gully to the right. Emerge from the woodland over a stile, cross a bridge and climb the rise ahead. Turn right on an enclosed footpath to a stile beside a barn and turn left.

Follow the path along the left fenceline, dropping to a footbridge. Take the rising, then level path to Hawksfold Farm.

Turn right up the farm drive and for nearly half a mile, back to Vann Road at Fernhurst and turn right towards the village.