Arundel to Burpham Circular

By Ben Perkins

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The Black Rabbit pub on the bank of the Arun between Offham and Arundel

This eight-mile walk, along the Arun valley to Burpham village and the hamlet of South Stoke, has a mixture of wonderful views of riverbanks, meadows, woodland and even some surprising beasts.

There is a car park in Arundel and the bus terminus and railway station are close to the start on Arundel Bridge.

1. At the junction of Mill Street and High Street, cross Arundel Bridge to Queen Street.

On the east side of the bridge, turn left on to a signposted footpath between buildings, enter a small car park and go left to emerge on to the riverbank. Turn right here and walk ahead.

Staying on the east riverbank, follow the meanders north-east, taking in the impressive panorama of Arundel. Continue along the bank for about a mile and follow the path, right, over a stile, to cross the railway line on an unmanned level crossing.

2. Walk past the white cottage on the left after crossing the railway and take the signposted path, left, on its east side.

This footpath, enclosed by bushes and trees, goes briefly right after 500 yards, through a gate with a field on the right, then towards a row of Lombardy poplars.

Cross a stile and go diagonally right, towards a footbridge in the field corner. Cross the bridge, go ahead and keep to the hedge line Ð donÕt take the left turn just after the bridge.

Head towards the gate in the left corner of the field, cross the stile, go left and in about 100 yards, cross another stile at the roadside.

3. Turn right on the road for 150 yards, then take the left track and, in a few steps, the signed footpath, left, over a stile.

The path crosses a meadow towards a line of oak trees, then levels off to go left towards a further stile. Once over the stile thereÕs a high, level path, with extensive views across the Arun valley.

Follow this path for about 300 yards, cross a stile and re-enter the woodland.

After about 500 yards, take a path junction on the left, down to the road.

Cross the road and stile opposite and follow the signed path, diagonally right, across a meadow. Head towards the cottage with a prominent thatched roof. Keep to the right of this and the flint wall.

Cross a stile, walk through a grassy area and cross a second stile to come out on to a road. Turn left for about 150 yards.

Where the road turns right, with a house on your left, climb the bank ahead to the footpath sign indicating a right turn. Follow the steps to the top, cross the stile, left, and walk to the opposite fence, joining another footpath.

To the right is a playground and Burpham village cricket field. (On the left is a viewing area on a small cliff above the River Arun, which is part of a Saxon fortification, built by Alfred the Great in the 9th Century to deter Viking raids.)

Return to the path, go left, walk beside the cricket field towards the pavilion, pass this on the left and come to the George and Dragon pub.

4. Now cross the road and follow the Marjorie Hey Path towards St Mary the Virgin Church.

Enter the churchyard and go left, then leave it for a small grassed verge with seats. Note the view across the valley to the river and Arundel Park opposite.

Turn right on to the road and head towards Peppering Farm. Just before the farmbuildings in the field on the left, surrounded by a substantial fence, are some North American Buffalo.

Head to the farm and at the junction, take a few steps right and go ahead on the signed track, with the farm buildings on your left. The track dips and rises and after about 500 yards, comes to trees before going down, right, between them.

On this track, in 100 yards, is a signed path on the left. Cross the stile and head diagonally right, towards the hedge-opening in the field corner.

Pass through it, turn left over a bridge, then right and follow the signed path as it twists through tree cover. Cross the stile to which it eventually leads.

Turn left, following the path as it climbs up through a meadow for about 500 yards to a gate. Pass through it and go left down the road to North Stoke.

5. In about 300 yards, near the first North Stoke cottages, there is a signed footpath left.

Climb the bank, walk behind the cottages, cross two stiles and go down, across the field. Cross another stile and enter the trees. In a few yards, cross the wooden bridge.

Follow the winding path right, through trees, eventually to a stile. Cross this and take the riverbank around to the left. In 200 yards, go right over the bridge and follow the rising track ahead to South Stoke.

It veers left and at the top is the exquisite church of St. Leonards. Walk past the cottages on the left and turn right. In a further 50 yards, go left through a gate and follow the path down between the hedgerows, which soon turns right. Follow the level track through the river meadows, through gates and stiles, for about three-quarters of a mile until you see a cottage below a bank.

6. Follow the sunken path right and climb steeply to the road at the edge of Offham.

Go left for 100 yards, then right, down the road between the chalk banks. At the bottom, on the right, are two cottages and a left turning to the Black Rabbit pub.

Walk ahead a few yards to the end of the car park and left to join the path which follows the river bank south for nearly half a mile. At a junction, take the right-signed path betweehedge-rows to a wooden footbridge, just before the stone road bridge.

Go left over the footbridge and along the paved way under trees, back into Arundel.