British Walking Federation

THE BLUEBELL TRAIL ORGANISED BY THAMES VALLEY WALKING CLUB

CONTACT:  Peter Tilbury, 116 Wykeham Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 1PL 
Tel: 0118 966 6523     Email:  BTreading@aol.com

DISTANCE:  10km

ENTRY FEE:  £1.00 per walker   (Cheques made payable to Thames Valley Walking Club)

AWARD:  There is currently no award for this walk.  (Please indicate on the entry form if you would like an award if one is produced)

START VENUE:  Car Park on the south east edge of West Hoathly, West Sussex      Map 198  GR TQ367326

DIRECTIONS:  From B2028 take minor road towards West Hoathly. Follow road through village ignoring turning on right. Follow road downhill for approx. 500m & take next turning on right (immediately before ‘Intrepid Fox PH’ – Postcode RH19 4PH) towards West Hoathly Church. The car park (Finche Field) can be found after approx 125m on your right.

CAR PARKING: At start venue.

FACILITIES:  There are no facilities at the start venue.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT:  Bus service within 1km of start

TERRAIN: Footpaths, bridleways & minor roads. Not suitable for pushchairs.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION  (Updated 31^st May 2010)

PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAKE GREAT CARE ON ALL ROAD SECTIONS OF THIS TRAIL

Go towards car park entrance/exit & turn left onto footpath. Follow footpath passing allotments on left and with road on right. Follow footpath down steps to reach road junction. Bear left, cross road WITH CARE onto footpath next to “The Hollow” road sign. Follow footpath downhill & at path t-junction by wooden fence, bear left on public bridleway. Follow bridleway downhill with wooden fence on right. Continue straight ahead onto unmade road. At end of road & immediately after “Bluebell Lane” sign, turn left on footpath along private drive. Follow tarmac roadway and after approx. 300m the road turns right and passes under railway bridge. Cross stile on right of gate & continue to follow tarmac roadway following the ‘Sussex Border Path’. At New Coombe Farm bear left in front of farmhouse following ‘West Sussex Border Path’. Follow concrete roadway for approx 150m & as roadway bears left, continue straight ahead on ‘Sussex Border Path’ to right of metal gate. Follow footpath between wire fences. Cross stile to enter woods bearing left. Cross stream & continue straight ahead ignoring turnings to right & left. Follow track uphill & at junction of tracks go straight ahead bearing left following ‘West Sussex Border Path’. Follow footpath between trees with fields on either side to reach road. Turn left on road. Pass school on right and follow road WITH GREAT CARE. Follow road downhill passing “Weir Wood Reservoir” on right. Cross bridge & follow road round to right.

Question 1:  Behind ‘Welcome to West Sussex’ road sign on your left, there is a red board – what is written on this board?

Continue to follow road uphill to reach road junction. Turn left on road & after approx. 30m & opposite “Stonehill House” turn left onto bridleway. Follow bridleway through woods passing “Stone Farm Rocks” on left & continue to follow bridleway to reach gate by path junction. Go straight ahead on footpath. Cross field downhill to reach footpath sign under electric pylons & by footbridge. Go over footbridge & immediately turn left passing under pylons. Go across wooden footbridge & go ahead across middle of field towards footpath sign. Enter woods & follow footpath through woods to reach stile. Cross stile & follow footpath up steep incline to reach railway line. Cross railway line WITH GREAT CARE, then follow footpath down steep incline to reach stile. Cross stile & follow footpath ahead to reach tarmac lane. Turn right on lane & follow for approx. 200m to reach footpath sign. Turn right onto footpath following ‘High Weald Landscape Trail’. Follow footpath through woods & downhill to reach road by railway bridge. Turn left on lane still following ‘High Weald Landscape Trail’. At road junction, turn right on lane still following ‘High Weald Landscape Trail’. Pass “Brookbank Cottage” on right & continue on lane. Follow lane uphill ignoring road junction on left & continue ahead with Bluebell Railway on your right. Follow road for approx 800m to reach road t-junction. Turn right on road & follow WITH GREAT CARE for approx. 100m to reach Kingscote Station. Immediately in front of station, turn right on private road through metal gate. Follow track downhill with station on left. As track turns left & before white house, turn right onto footpath.

Question 2:  What is the name of the white house?

Follow footpath along right hand edge of field to reach road. Turn left on road. Follow road & approx. 85m after passing turning to “Kingscote Cottages only” turn right on footpath. Follow footpath past wooden posts to enter wood. After approx. 125m & at first track crossing, turn left on footpath. Follow footpath under power lines downhill. Path bears right, goes under pylons & then bears left to cross stream. Follow main path, bearing right & uphill. At track t-junction by footpath sign, turn left. Follow track ignoring turning to left & continue ahead on footpath following ‘High Weald Landscape Trail’. Pass Home Farm on left & continue to follow track uphill to reach road. Turn left on road still following ‘High Weald Landscape Trail. Follow road to reach entrance to “Gravetye Manor.

Question 3:  On “Gravetye Manor” sign, what do flowers dislike?

Turn left on footpath still following ‘High Weald Landscape Trail’. Follow footpath with field on left & manor grounds on right. At end of field, bear right on footpath downhill with wall on right. Go ahead across footbridge & keep right following black metal fencing to go through kissing gate. Bear left into field & immediately turn right to follow footpath with gorse bushes on left & woodland on right to reach stile. Cross stile & go straight ahead on footpath (‘High Weald Landscape Trail’). After 50m ignore turning to right but continue ahead on footpath uphill. Cross broken stile to enter field. Turn right & follow right hand edge of field to reach gap in hedge in corner of field. Go through gap to reach footpath sign. Go ahead bearing left uphill to reach stile. Cross stile & at footpath junction, turn right. Follow footpath uphill to reach gate. Go through kissing gate & continue straight ahead on footpath. Follow footpath, then driveway to reach junction with road. (As road can be very busy and there is a partially blind bend on your right, walk 25m to your left to give better sight lines before crossing road). Cross road WITH EXTREME CARE & go ahead on North Lane. Follow lane passing Post Office on left & continue to follow road to reach t-junction by PH & church. Turn left on road & follow downhill WITH CARE. Road bears left, then right, then after approx 100m turn left up steep steps. At top of steps, turn right on tarmac footpath with wooden fence on right. Footpath bears left to return to car park.

When you have completed this trail please use the  Permanent Trail Entry Form

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.  Every effort will be made by the organisers to make this a safe, enjoyable and memorable event.

This trail is registered until 31 December 2010.