1 - From the top of the steps up from Glynde Station, turn right along the road, soon passing the Trevor Arms pub on your right to head south out of the village. After about half a mile, cross the A27 with care and follow the narrow “No Through Road” opposite.

After about 250 yards turn left along a tarmac access drive and, after a similar distance, where the main track bends right, go ahead along a farm track. After 40 yards, go left over a stile and head out across a field, diverging gradually from the track you have just left and head for a gate.

Through this gate, follow the right edge of the next field to a bridle gate in the corner and maintain your previous direction up a bank and along an unfenced preserved strip between two cultivated fields.

Pass to the right of farm buildings, bear left for 60 yards then right along a track laid with concrete strips which takes you out to a road.

2 - Go through the gateway to Firle Place opposite, using the side gate to the left of the main gate and immediately fork half-right across park land to a swing gate and on in the same direction across the park.

Pass to the left of the end of a tennis court to find another swing gate, then go half-right to another gate leading out into Firle Village car park.

Turn left along the edge of the car park to pass through a white gate. Turn right to join the village street next to the Ram Inn.

3 - Turn left to follow the main street through the village, passing the post office and village store on your left. The road eventually feeds into a farm track which you can follow as it bends left with the flint wall around Firle Park on your left.

You are now on part of the old coach road along the foot of the Downs, which you can follow for about a mile, ignoring side tracks. About a quarter of a mile after passing an attractive little cottage called “Beanstalk”, look out for a bridle gate to the right of a farm gate on your right at GR 487067.

4 - Go through this gate, entering the large area of public open access land on the north slope of Firle Beacon, where you can wander freely. For a reasonably well- graded route to the summit, once through the gate, bear left on a narrow path through scrub.

Emerging into the open, veer right uphill for a few yards to join and bear left along a terraced, grassy path which climbs steadily, veering gradually right along an ascending ridge. As the slope up to the summit steepens ahead, join a terraced path which slants left up towards a bridle gate, intermittently visible on the skyline. The path skirts round the head of a downland combe and up to reach the aforementioned gate at GR 488058.

5 - When I checked the walk out earlier in the year, this gate was padlocked, presumably because the short strip of land between this point and the top of the ridge is not officially part of the open access area. If the gate is unlocked by the time this walk is published, go through it and walk up to the top of the ridge. If it is still locked and unusable, go over a stile a few yards to the left of the gate and follow a right-hand fence, contouring along the scarp slope as far as another gate used by an official bridleway. Go through this gate and walk up to the top of the hill.

Either way, on reaching the South Downs Way along the ridge, turn right to follow it for about four miles along the ridge, traversing open downland with spectacular views all the way. En route, you will cross the top of the Firle Bostal road and pass immediately to the right of the twin masts on Beddingham Hill. The South Downs Way finally curves left and then right as it descends into the Ouse valley.

Towards the bottom of the hill, fork left to cross the bridle bridge over the A26, continuing to join a lane where you can turn left to Southease Station.

6 - For the longer walk, carry on along the lane on the other side of Southease Station, cross the former swing bridge over the River Ouse and turn right to follow the raised riverbank upstream.

After three miles, pass, with the river, beneath the Lewes bypass. After another 150 yards, ignore a track to the left and, after another ten yards, turn left along a narrow path which skirts to the right of a waste disposal area. Once over a stile, go ahead along the access drive from the site and, at a T-junction, bear right.

Follow this road past playing fields to another road junction where you should turn left.

At a mini-roundabout, turn right to reach Lewes Station where the longer walk ends.

*Distance/Time: Seven and three quarter miles or eleven and a half miles taking three and a half hours or five and a half hours.

*By Car: There is parking at Glynde, Lewes or beside the road at Southease, approaching from the west near the river Ouse crossing.

*By Public Transport: Train from Brighton or Lewes to Glynde and back from Southease or Lewes (hourly service).

*What’s underfoot: Excellent walking along good paths and tracks. One long climb up on to Firle Beacon.

*Thirsty Work: There are pubs at Glynde and Firle, and all services at Lewes.

*So you don’t get lost: OS Explorer 123