Midhurst circular

by Ben Perkins

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In the shadow of a curse: The walk offers fine views of the Cowdray ruins, a once beautiful home which burnt down after being cursed by a monk

This walk north of the South Downs crosses farms, heaths and woodlands around Midhurst.

It is a pleasant, undulating walk with lovely views. Midhurst is an attractive place for walkers - it is easy to reach by public transport and for drivers, there is a large free car park on the edge of the town.

1. Our walk starts from the car park, which is well signposted and is off the main street.

From it, take the wide, grassy path towards the Cowdray ruins, which must have been a beautiful house until it burnt down 206 years ago. There is a good tale that it burnt down as part of a monk's curse.

Cross the River Rother by the bridge and turn left in front of the ruins.

Keep the fence on the right when the road bears to the left and walk on into a large field where the hedgerow and trees are on the left.

The path goes over the top of the field where the hedgerow and trees are on the left and reaches the A272 at Easebourne besides a fine old priory house.

2. Cross the road and go left on the pavement, walking only as far as Easebourne Street, which is on the right. Walk past the White Horse pub (or not, as the case may be) and go left soon after into Glazier's Lane. Follow it round and into a lane with a cemetery on the left.

Take a signposted path which goes off to the right into a field. Walk left along the hedgerow for a few steps and then cut across two fields, making for the Bexleyhill mast which is straight ahead. When you reach a lane at a bend, go straight ahead in the lane between banks on either side.

3. When the lane bends left and uphill, leave it and go right into a field. Walk on, climbing gently, cross under electricity cables on pylons and, at the end of the field, go into trees and turn left immediately.

Follow this well-marked path and, at a point where it bends left uphill, go left over a stile in a fence, which is signposted.

Walk across a pleasant enclosure of young fir trees and leave it at the end over a similar stile in a similar fence.

Turn right in a wide lane which, after about 100 yards, bends left. Continue in the lane and, when it reaches a narrow road, turn right on the road and walk downhill through trees.

4. When this path reaches a road at a T-junction, cross over. Continue on a bridleway on the other side, through trees. When the path divides, take the one on the left which goes uphill, walking on a sandy path through fir trees at first, then in open, high country with fine views of the South Downs far away on the left.

5. Continue, with a coppiced wood on the left, through a field to arrive at a barn and farmhouse called Grevatts on the right. At that point, go left out of the field and turn right on a lane which stretches invitingly ahead.

Disregard paths to the right and left and follow the main lane as it winds gently down through coppiced woods to the edge of Lodsworth. As the village is approached, there is an interesting little cemetery on the right containing three graves, apparently all members of the same family buried there in the 1800s.

6. At a T-junction, turn left and walk down to The Hollist Arms. From the pub, retrace your steps and continue straight on into open countryside.

On reaching Heath End Farm on the right, leave the road and walk into the woods - there is a signpost.

After going through a deep gully where the path bends left, leave it and go right, at a signpost, into a field.

Keep the hedgerow on the right and walk round the field until a signpost directs you off to the left over a stile into another field.

7. Walk diagonally left across it and, on going over the top, in the valley below is a little stretch of water known as the Lily Pond.

To the left is the larger and better-known Benbow Pond beside the A272. Walk past the Lily Pond and then slightly right, uphill. Go left near the top when the path divides.

8. Walk up through the trees to a shelter with a tiled roof on Cowdray Golf Club.

A well-marked path goes off left across the golf course, starting from a large, old gnarled tree which is a feature of the landscape. Follow the signposts across the course, dropping down as you go and being careful not to get in the way of golfers or golf balls.

On reaching the A272, turn right and walk along on the grass verge, facing the oncoming traffic. When safe to do so, cross the road. At the top of a rise in the road is a signpost, pointing through a gate and into fields, about Midhurst.

Go through the gate and follow the path diagonally through the fields, enjoying the finest view there is of the Cowdray ruins.

The path drops down to join the one not far from the priory house at Easebourne. Turn left at the bottom by the trees and retrace your steps past the ruins and back to the car park.