Sussex Views Magazine

Local Walks

Local Walks by Jan

Local walks written and illustrated just for Sussex Views by local artist, and keen walker, Jan. Each month we publish a walk in the magazine, and here we have picked a few of our favourites for you to try. Jan also undertakes commissions, and more of her unique work can be found on her website Jallyally

Harting Hill

“Hart” as in “Harting” is from “Heorat” an ancient name for deer – (which still live here). In summer there are abundant wild flowers, Buzzard and Kite sometimes fly overhead. There are stunning views in all directions from the sea to the Surrey Hills. From the top of Beacon Hill there are views to The Solent and also the remains of a Telegraph Post (1700) used to warn of invasion from France. This is a fairly demanding walk including a quite few ‘ups and downs’ some of them steep.

Route Start - S At The National Trust car park at the top of Harting Hill (pay and display) Cross the grass bearing left towards a gate, pass through the gate and continue ahead, there are two tracks close to and parallel to each other, take either. These undulate up and down for about 1.5km (⅞ m) until you reach a large fingerpost at the bottom of a steep hill, take the bridleway R onto The South Downs Way.

Follow this for 1.2km (¾ m.) pass another bridleway on your right and continue to where The South Downs Way turns sharp left. Take the bridleway R, go through a gate and onto a tarmac road this will take you past Telegraph House on your right. Follow this road downhill for approx 750m (½m), you will start to pass through an avenue of Copper Beech trees and where the road bears to the right take the bridleway L. Pass through a gate and walk approx 150m before turning sharply L onto a right of way. As this track passes through woods it opens out to views of open fields on both sides. As you reach the bottom you will start immediately uphill on a chalk path. After 50m or so take the bridleway L uphill and follow this through fields for approx 1km (¾m) until you again reach The South Downs Way. Turn L and after 100m the path will turn left follow this path up Pen hill where you will recognise the way you came. It is fairly steep down to meet the bottom of Beacon Hill.

 The path up Beacon Hill may look daunting but it is not far and the views from the top are worth the effort, at the very top there is a Trig point. The descent on the other side of Beacon Hill is steep, from here walk back to the large fingerpost you passed earlier. At the fingerpost continue straight ahead. Return the way you came The Tower (ruin) is ahead, walk back to the car park.

At Uppark House just along the road from Harting hill there is a restaurant and in the village of South Harting there is a very good pub for refreshment and a rest.White Hart

Laura Bradbear