Petworth to Midhurst – 7 miles

At the bottom end of the carpark in Petworth turn right to A285.

At the mini roundabout cross the A285 and walk up the right hand side of A272 in the direction of Midhurst.

Walk for approximately 1 mile until you are approaching Tilllington.

Just after the A272 takes sharp a left into Tillington village, take the public footpath on the right which goes up towards Tillington Church. (If time permits look at the church, with a Scots crown on the tower, it is unique in Sussex. It has been painted by Constable and Turner. Inside stone pillars and the Mitford memorial are worth seeing.)

At the church enter the churchyard, walk down the side of the Church, turn right and exit the churchyard onto the road at the ‘Horse Guards’ pub.

Turn left, then first right into road passing ‘Hill End House’ and ‘The Rectory’ and take the footpath through the lychgate into the cemetery.

At the end of the cemetery path exit right through the archway, crossing the road and following the path opposite.

Continue through the gate into ‘Upperton Vineyard’.

Upon exiting the vineyard, cross the road and take the path opposite crossing a sunken lane.

Continue through a gate into another vineyard, passing through another gate at the far end.

Upon exiting ‘Nyetimber Vineyard’ cross the road and take the road opposite.

After 200 yards, at the point where the road enters some woods, take the footpath on the right.

Go through an iron kissing gate, up the hill and cross the drive to ‘Pittshill House’, home of the Mitford family from 1760, which is visible to the left.

Having crossed the drive go through a gate in the boundary fence, turn left to follow the path on the right of the iron fence and then continue between two hedges up to the gates of ‘Pittshill Estate’.

Bear left on reaching the estate drive and turn left onto a bridleway. Keep straight on along the bridleway keeping estate fence to the left.

Where bridleway turns right, keep straight ahead onto footpath. The path continues through woods for approximately ¾ mile.

At a junction of paths, with a stone buttress on the left, cross the sunken lane and continue on the path opposite.

Go down the stone steps, over a stile and turn left onto the road.

After about 200 yards take the footpath on the right, adjacent to a telegraph pole.

The path drops down through woods and after about 500 yards merges with a wider track from the right, heading uphill.

After a few yards take the path on the right with no signpost.

After approximately 200 yards, passing through holly trees, take a fork to the right, marked public bridleway, which crosses Eel Bridge over the River Lod into a field on the other side.

Follow the path through the field, under power lines, and turn left through a gate at the far side.

After 70 yards turn right into a narrow road. (Note the seat and well attributed to St Peter, SU931229, by the corner).

Walk up the hill past the Old Vicarage on the right and to the end of Vicarage Lane.

At the junction turn right and the ‘Hollist Arms’ pub, in Lodsworth, is 200 yards up the road on the left hand side, SU927231.

From the ‘Hollist Arms’ walk west up Gills Lane and continue into Heath End Lane.

As the road bears left at ‘Heath End Farm’ take the bridleway on the right.

At a T-junction with another bridleway turn left, and after 100 yards turn right onto a path which runs round the side of a field.

Follow path to the left in the far corner of the field and after 150 yards turn right over a stile, and follow an avenue of trees planted in 2012 to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Follow the path to the right around ‘Stewards Pond’ and after 50 yards turn left through a kissing gate. Once through the gate turn right.

Walk up a grassy track through trees and as the track approaches thicker trees take the path to the left.

Cross the golf course fairway, making towards a wooden hut situated under the trees. Pass in front of the hut and join a tarmac footpath bearing left.

At the end of the tarmac path, follow on down the right hand side of the fairway.

Just after a knot of trees on the right of the fairway find a signpost and follow direction indicated.

Continue to the right of the fairway, under a small clump of trees, and cross the fairway.

At the start of a sandy path bear left and follow a row of wooden posts towards the road, A272.

Cross the road and turn right onto grass verge for 100 yards and take the footpath into the field on the left through a kissing gate.

The ruins of ‘Cowdray Castle’ can be seen in the distance.

Cross the field diagonally to the right, (or walk to the right round perimeter of field), and follow a footpath on the right through a series of five gates with chicken coops to the right.

The path is now fenced on both sides with polo fields on the left.

Turn left onto a tarmac road which continues through gates to a broad gravel track.

As the track bears slightly to the right, with the ‘Cowdray’ ruins on the left, go through the gates ahead.

Bear left at the fork and bear left again onto the tarmac road.

With ‘Cowdray’ ruins immediately to the left, go right across a bridge over the River Rother and continue on the path ahead to the bus stand and car park in North Street Midhurst, SU887218.

On the opposite side of the road is the South Downs National Park Centre and exhibition.