Having explored the northern section of the Chailey Link route last month, Steve Kisko now walks the southern route starting at South Chailey. There are plenty of fields and woodlands to enjoy as you escape to the country.

The Essentials:

Distance/time: four and three-quarter miles taking two and a half hours.

Public transport: Compass Travel operate bus number 121 which serves South Chailey, see www.compass-travel.co.uk for more details.

Car: Street parking in Mill Lane, South Chailey.

Underfoot: A flat walk along footpaths through grassy fields and gravel tracks. A short amount of road walking.

Thirsty work: The Five Bells pub is just before point 3 on the A275.

NOTE: You are following the Chailey Link (CL) path (a circular route created by local residents to celebrate the Millennium) between points 1-3, and 4 and the end. Look out for CL circular discs along the way, with the image of a windmill.

Maps: OS Explorer 122: Outdoor Leisure 11.

1. Start on Mill Lane, South Chailey, near the school. Walk east along Mill Lane to reach the A275. Turn right. Walk 200 yards and then turn left down Kilnwood Lane. In 150 yards reach a Byway that crosses your way and turn left along it under bushes.

In 250 yards cross a large wooden bridge with a brick yard to your left and a clay quarry to your right, as the path rises slightly uphill. In a further 200 yards take care when crossing over another track, signposted as “heavy plant crossing”, where large quarry trucks currently use it as a thoroughfare. Continue with a flint wall on your right.

2. In 250 yards where the wall ends turn right over a stile at the gated entrance of Caveridge Farmhouse and walk down the wide drive. At the end by houses pass through a gate off to the left and into the woods of Markstakes Common.

Immediately take a left fork, and again fork left at another junction at a tall marker post, again keeping left. This route through the wood deviates slightly from the official right of way as shown on the OS map but follow the main path and it should lead to a gate out onto Markstakes Lane. Turn left.

In 250 yards turn right off the road into the hedgerow to a footbridge and stile. Enter the field and keep left. Soon a hedgerow appears ahead. The footpath continues to the right of it, stay in the same field. Keep left and in 300 yards turn left at an oak tree into a field. Cross it to a stile.

Turn right just short of the A275 and follow a footpath through trees running parallel with the road. Soon emerge on the A275 and turn right along Cinder Hill. Take care while walking along this lane.

3. In 450 yards with a recreation ground on your right turn left into bushes and leave the CL for a while. Pass through a metal gate. Enter a field and keep left. At the other end, make your exit through a gate and onto a drive. This leads to the A275 and into the original Chailey village.

Turn right and then soon turn left, crossing the road, to walk along the side of the Church. Follow this for 400 yards and then turn left after a pond. In 40 yards turn right into woodland. Emerge by crossing over a large footbridge. Follow the right-hand fence to a gate and enter a field.

Keep left and in 250 yards take a stile on your left. Turn right to now follow the right-hand field edge. At the corner go through a gate and keep right in the next field. At the next corner pass to the right of a pond and into the next field.

4. Here you re-join the CL and turn left to follow the left-hand edge. In 150 yards move into the field on your left and cross it diagonally right. Go through a gate at the opposite corner. Keep right in the next field. Go through a gate and into woodland. At a T-junction turn right and enter the open towards pylons.

Bear left as you cross between water either side. Walk beside woodland to reach a gate. The footpath continues across a grassy field where there are sheep to accompany you. In 350 yards begin to veer diagonally left across the adjacent field.

Aim for a footbridge and stile in the fence line. Cross the middle of the next field. Go through a gate and into woodland, now uphill. The track should reach a wide access track.

5. Turn right. In 150 yards turn left along another track. Follow for 700 yards through trees and later in a long straight line between hedgerows. Later as it bends to the left towards a T-junction follow it down to the left and back out onto Mill Lane.