1 - From the railway station forecourt, on the western side of Hassocks station, head for steps beside the railway bridge and descend to the pavement beside the B2116.

Turn left under the bridge and in 50 yards locate a footpath sign and turn right, crossing the road with care, and climbing steps on the path signed for Butcher’s Wood, Clayton and Jack and Jill Windmills. (If coming from the centre of Hassocks, walk west along the B2116 towards the footpath sign.) Follow the fall and rise of the enclosed, tree-covered path, with the railway line on the right, to arrive beside the entrance to Butcher’s Wood in 400 yards. Keep to the main track for a further 350 yards, arriving beside a seat and taking a left turn through a squeeze stile into a tree- bordered meadow.

2 - Follow a quarter-right trodden route across the meadow, heading for a convergence of paths and a clearing between Butcher’s Wood and Lag Wood. Turn left, down through the clearing, and at the bottom turn left again, crossing a stile and immediately turning right.

The path turns right again and climbs across a meadow, passing right of the isolated house called Halfway. Continue past a marker post, keeping to the main rough track as it descends for 275 yards to a roadside cattle grid.

Cross the road with care, passing through a gate on to a bridle path beneath tree cover and with a pond down to the right. In 250 yards the path begins a slow turn to the left, crossing a forecourt and, in a few yards, turning quarter-right and right again between dwellings in Spring Lane at the edge of Clayton.

3 - On coming to Underhill Lane, climb left for 75 yards and, as the road turns left, locate a footpath on the right that passes beneath trees and climbs to cross a stile into open hillside.

Continue the climb and in a short distance, at a fork in the track, take the level, unsigned path on the right, beside woodland. In 200 yards a path joins from the left. Maintain direction through a dip, joining a bridleway and arriving beside a bridle gate.

Go right through the gate, following the twisting scrub and tree-enclosed, chalky bridleway, to arrive at Underhill Lane in Clayton village.

Turn left along the lane, passing village houses and the historic downland church of St John the Baptist. If time permits, a visit to the church will allow an appreciation of the medieval wall painting depicting the Last Judgement. Continue along the lane, or turn left if leaving the churchyard, to the bottom of Clayton Hill, crossing the road with care, and turning right.

4 - Follow the pavement over the railway bridge, with a view to the castellated entrance to Clayton Tunnel, and turn left into New Way Lane. Follow the lane for a quarter of a mile, coming alongside double metal gates on the left and a descending track on the right, leading to Coldharbour Farm. Take the right turning, descending to a path junction beside dwellings at the farm. Take none of the turnings but continue ahead on a grassy path that passes left of stables. Climb through scrub and tree cover and, at the top of a short rise, turn right for a few yards to a wooden-decked, muddy clearing, and cross a stile on the left.

Walk ahead, across the top of the field, on a trodden path to the far side, passing through a wooden kissing gate. Continue in the next field along a left fenceline for 300 yards, passing through a second kissing gate at a left corner. In a further 200 yards go through a final kissing gate, ignore a left turn, and turn half-right to walk along the right edge of a copse. With an ornamental pond on the left, cross a stile and walk along a driveway, between houses, to the roadside.

5 - Cross with care to the opposite bridleway and walk for half a mile on a surfaced driveway, passing the ornamental gates of a large house. On coming to a junction of bridleway and footpath, follow the drive around to the right, ignoring a left turn in 100 yards, to come to an enclosed footpath, just after Belmont Cottage and Smugglers.

Walk through the enclosed section to emerge in a few yards into open country, at the edge of a golf course. Cross over a track and walk ahead, eastwards, between raised banks, finally descending to pass left around a copse and then going half-left across the edge of greens to the right of a clubhouse. Head for the roadside and take a few paces right, crossing the road at a traffic island and joining the opposite footpath.

6 - Pass beneath trees, turning to the right around a field-edge, and then going left from the field corner and passing through a hedge opening in 150 yards. Keep to the field-edge and, at the right corner, enter woodland, climbing steps to the edge of the railway line. Cross the lines, with caution and great care, and descend the far side of the embankment, walking ahead for 150 yards to a path junction beside Woodside Grange.

Turn right, heading for a new housing estate, in the course of construction, keeping to the surfaced footpath that passes southward between some of the development and then veers right and then left to come to a residential road. Follow the quiet Woodlands Road, part of the orderly suburban commuter community of Hassocks, for a little over quarter of a mile, back to the main street.

Turn right up the slope for access to the railway station, or go ahead a few paces to the main roadside and turn right along the pavement towards the railway bridge, climbing steps to the car park.

* Distance/Time: Five and three quarter miles, taking two and three quarter hours

* By Car: Leave the A273 at Stone Pound crossroads, going east on Keymer Road, and in 300 yards branch left into Station Approach and the station car park (fee payable), or on-street parking. Start point Grid Ref: TQ304155, from the car park beside the west entrance to Hassocks railway station

* By Public Transport: Travel details from www.traveline.info, phone 0871 2002233. Trains to Hassocks station. Bus to Hassocks village centre, walk west along Keymer Road to start

* What’s underfoot: Mainly level walking to the lower slopes of the Downs – one short, steep climb, otherwise easy walking. Possible with a baby backpack; not possible with a baby buggy.

* Thirsty Work: Refreshment facilities in Hassocks and Jack And Jill pub at New Way Lane

* So you don’t get lost: OS Explorer map 122, plus a compass for general direction