NATIONAL TRAIL
© Property of The Charleston Trust Exploring Bloomsbury Country; the Downs between Rodmell and Berwick
Wander the Wide Green Downs Green Wide the Wander The Bloomsbury by the same route. route. same the by
meadows to Virginia Woolf’s House at Rodmell. It returns It Rodmell. at House Woolf’s Virginia to meadows Group of artists,
Ouse, then follows the riverbank and across the flood the across and riverbank the follows then Ouse, writers, and intellectuals From Southease station this route crosses the River the crosses route this station Southease From included Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell, Clive Bell,
About 4 miles (6 km), 2 hours 2 km), (6 miles 4 About EM Forster, Duncan A Stroll Stroll A Grant, Lytton Strachey,
and the economist John
come prepared! prepared! come Maynard-Keynes who
especially in rain or low cloud, so cloud, low or rain in especially lived at Tilton. Many of
exposed in cold windy weather, windy cold in exposed the Bloomsbury Group of the Downs can be surprisingly be can Downs the of
Firle if preferred. if Firle formed a small and appropriate footwear. The tops The footwear. appropriate
Station. There is a short cut back to back cut short a is There Station. unique community in can be muddy, so wear so muddy, be can
South Downs Way back to Southease to back Way Downs South the Rodmell/Firle area winter parts of all the walks the all of parts winter
Downs to Bopeep then follows the follows then Bopeep to Downs between the two world wars - ironically they became longer walks. After rain or in or rain After walks. longer
Bloomsbury artists. From Alciston the route climbs the climbs route the Alciston From artists. Bloomsbury
especially if you are doing the doing are you if especially more associated with this part of Sussex than the
to see Berwick Church’s famous murals, painted by painted murals, famous Church’s Berwick see to
if the weather is hot, is weather the if Bloomsbury area of London where they first met and
2 mile/3km loop takes you takes loop mile/3km 2
you take something to drink to something take you after which they are named.
Alciston. An optional extra optional An Alciston.
when it is open. We suggest We open. is it when
The Old Coach Road to Road Coach Old The
offers light refreshments light offers
village of Firle and along and Firle of village
Charleston Farmhouse Charleston
goes through the pretty the through goes
the necessaries for a picnic. a for necessaries the
From Glynde station this station Glynde From
in Firle where you can get can you where Firle in
there is a shop/post office shop/post a is there Berwick Church. Berwick
Rodmell or Berwick, and Berwick, or Rodmell either option to include to option either
lunch in Alciston, Firle, Alciston, in lunch
hours to hours / 3km and 1 and 3km / /2
1
etc. You can get a pub a get can You etc.
ends at Firle.Add 2 miles 2 Firle.Add at ends
any long stops for lunch for stops long any
12km version starts and starts version 12km
approximate and exclude and approximate
climb.A shorter 8 mile / mile 8 shorter climb.A
The timings are timings The
including one steep one including
11 miles / 18km (6 hours) (6 18km / miles 11
walks in the countryside. countryside. the in walks
Full Day’s Walk Day’s Full enjoyed simply as great as simply enjoyed
in Sussex, but can be can but Sussex, in Charleston was the home of Vanessa Bell
artists lived and worked and lived artists
Place. (Virginia Woolf’s sister) and Duncan Grant, and both
the Bloomsbury Group of Group Bloomsbury the
via historic Firle historic via house and garden are full of their artworks and
explore the places where places the explore
Farmhouse and back and Farmhouse decorated as it was when they lived there. You don’t
southern England. They England. southern
you to Charleston to you have to be an expert to enjoy a tour of this
of the finest scenery in scenery finest the of
From Firle this takes this Firle From extraordinary and beautiful place. Contact
length, all exploring some exploring all length, Charleston 01323 811626 www.charleston.org.uk
(7km), 3 hours 3 (7km),
three walks of varying of walks three Open from 1st April – 29th October
This leaflet offers you offers leaflet This
Miles 4 About /2
1 (Weds and Sat 11.30 – 6, Sun & bank hols 2 – 6,
Three Walks Three A Short Walk Walk Short A Thurs and Fri 2 – 6 but 11.30 – 6 in July and Aug.
Monk’s House, Rodmell, was where the writer Virginia Woolf ‘s home before her death in 1941. Open two afternoons per week April to October, contact the National Trust 01272 453401 How to get there. National www.nationaltrust.org.uk for details. Contact Traveline 0870 608 2 608 South Downs Way Firle Place has Trails been the Gage family for bus times and National Rail Exploring Bloomsbury Country; in England home for over 500 Enquiries for train times on the Downs between years. Open June to 08457 484950 and Wales September on Rodmell and Berwick Weds,Thurs & Sun Trains from Lewes run to Southease and 2pm - 4pm. Restaurant Glynde every hour (Mon - Sun). Buses serves lunches and 123 (Mon - Sat) from Lewes to Southease NATIONAL TRAIL afternoon teas. For details tel 01273 858335 village, Bus 125 (Mon - Sat) from Lewes - Glynde - Firle - Alfriston. Please check bus times before travelling as times vary from hourly to one bus every 2 hours, there are no buses on Sundays.
Best to come by train or bus if possible. The full day’s walk can only be done if you use public transport. If you must drive, please park sensibly and be considerate to cyclists, walkers and horse riders using country lanes. The South Downs The South Downs Way Things to look out for National Trail The South Downs are designated as two Areas of A The river Ouse passes through C Monk's House - owned by the Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB's): Sussex The South Downs Way is a 100 mile (160km) route Downs and East Hampshire. Lewes to Newhaven. Look out National Trust, this was writer for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders, and runs from Virginia Woolf's home from the historic English capital of Winchester to the for herons along the banks. 1919 to her death in the river white chalk cliffs of Eastbourne. It is one of a family B Southease Church - one of only of National Trails, offering visitors the chance to Ouse in 1941. three Sussex churches to have a travel through some of the finest scenery in England and Wales. round tower. See map for locations
Photo: P.Greenhalf KEY: Bridleway For more information contact: A Short Walk National Trail SDJC Tel: 01243 558700 For more information go to Footpath or visit the South Downs Virtual Information www.nationaltrail.co.uk Centre www.vic.org.uk or contact: The South Downs Way National Trail Officer South Downs Joint Committee Map reproduced from the 1998 1:25,000 scale Explorer Series 123 - Victorian Barn, Victorian Business Centre (Eastbourne and Beachy Head) map by permission of Ordnance Survey Ford Lane, Ford, W Sussex BN18 0EF on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, Telephone: 01243 558716 © Crown copyright - Licence No. LAO76902 Email: [email protected] Working in Partnership to Protect the South Downs Wander the Wide Green Downs Text: © Countryside Agency Photography: Bill Jenman © Countryside Agency except where stated. Printed on recycled paper Exploring Bloomsbury Country; the Downs between Rodmell and Berwick NATIONAL TRAIL
KEY: Footpath D Firle Place - set in an E Firle Tower - the tower F Charleston Farmhouse - G Alciston village - has H Berwick church - has A Short Walk Bridleway Things to ancient park at the foot is a private residence. It the Sussex home of the remains of a 14th murals painted by A Day’s Walk on the Downs National Trail of the South Downs, can be seen from the Bloomsbury Group of century monastery that Vanessa Bell and this has been the home Old Coach Road, an artists, writers and was owned by the Duncan Grant, look out for of the Gage family for ancient track that was intellectuals. Battle Abbey and a fine members of the over 500 years. once the main mediaeval dovecote. Bloomsbury Group. Map reproduced from the 1998 1:25,000 scale Explorer Series 123 - (Eastbourne and Beachy Head) map by permission of Ordnance Survey thoroughfare to Lewes. The Tithe Barn is one of See map for locations on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, the largest surviving in © Crown copyright - Licence No. LAO76902 the country. Text: © Countryside Agency Photography: Bill Jenman © Countryside Agency except where stated.