magazine winter 2012 magazine winter 2012 Southern Southern England 09/11/2012 11:32 Route 09 Bantham, Devon Route 10 Coombes, West master G Distance 16km/10 miles G Time 5hrs G Type Coastal master G Distance 20km/12½ miles G Time 6hrs G Type Downland NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL

Plan your walk Plan your walk

Dartmoor National Oxford Harlow G Park G G

Ivybridge Reading G G Plymouth G Epsom G G

Wembury DEVON

G BANTHAM COOMBES

Portsmouth G EastbourneG Isle of Wight G

WHERE: There-and-back WHERE: Circular walk from walk along the coast from Coombes via Cissbury Ring Bantham to Bolt Tail via and Chanctonbury Ring. PHOTOGRAPHY: FIONA BARLTROP PHOTOGRAPHY: Hope Cove. FIONA BARLTROP PHOTOGRAPHY: START/END: Coombes – park START/END: Bantham, car The popular stretch of coastline splendid views across Bigbury Bay near the telephone box, just The South Downs are rich in the fi eld and turn R to carry on park (SX665437). between Bantham and Hope Cove to famous Burgh Island, a tidal off the road (TQ192083). prehistoric settlements, of which up past the church and through TERRAIN: Gently provides relatively easy walking island that can be reached on foot TERRAIN: Clear downland Cissbury Ring is the largest and a copse. As you exit the wood, undulating, grassy coast along low, grassy cliffs and sandy at low tide. At high tide, a sea tracks, including a section most spectacular: an Iron-Age turn R, then go through a bridle path and sandy beaches. beaches – ideal for any time of tractor transports passengers back of the South Downs Way. hillfort, with impressive double gate and keep ahead, following MAPS: OS Explorer OL20; year, but particularly striking in and forth. The island is famous for MAPS: OS Explorers 122 and ramparts and a ditch between, the bridleway beside a fence (on Landranger 202. winter. A one-way route along its Art Deco hotel, frequented by 121; Landranger 198. enclosing an area of some 65 your L) towards Coombehead GETTING THERE: Bus this coast is awkward to arrange the likes of Agatha Christie and GETTING THERE: National acres. The views from the top are Wood. Further on, keep by the service Tally Ho 162 runs if you’re relying on public Noël Coward. If you’re thinking train service to Shoreham, superb. Chanctonbury Ring, with fence on the grassy track (where from Kingsbridge to transport. If you have two cars, of visiting Burgh Island before or from where the 2A bus its clump of beech trees crowning another track forks down to the Thurlestone (about 1½km/ though, a second could be left after the walk, note that the ferry to Steyning stops about its hill-top site (a distinctive South R) towards a clump of trees. 1 mile from Bantham), and at Salcombe for a splendid day’s across the Avon operates from 1½km/1 mile from Coombes Downs landmark), is another Ignore all tracks to your L and R. also calls at Outer Hope. walk of around 19km/12 miles April to late September only, and along the A283, near South excellent vantage point. In Cross the road and carry straight Other buses connect from Bantham, with some the river should not be forded. Downs Way crossing between, clear chalk tracks and on west towards Cissbury Ring, Kingsbridge to Dartmouth, impressive cliff scenery between Though you could omit the walk (✆ 0871 200 2233, grassy downland offer splendid passing a restored dew pond. Plymouth and elsewhere Bolt Tail and Bolt Head. However, round Bantham Ham at the start, www.traveline.info). walking, with rewarding views all These are a feature of the South (✆ 0871 200 2233, www. retracing your steps from Bolt it’s worth doing to enjoy the fi ne EATING & DRINKING: the way. The walk starts from the Downs and have nothing to do travelinesw.com). Tail (or however far you walk) views across the river. Nothing en route. Good quiet hamlet of Coombes. The old with dew: they were built to EATING & DRINKING: is no hardship, since this section selection of restaurants, church, with its Norman nave and provide water for animals. The Sloop Inn, Bantham of coast is highly scenic and 1. START From the car park pubs and tea rooms in some 12th-century wall paintings, (✆ 01548 560489, www. the views different in reverse, (SX665437), walk back up the way Steyning, Bramber and is open each day and worth a 2. At the car park, the main thesloop.co.uk); The Hope especially given the constant you drove to a fork and signpost, Upper Beeding (visit www. visit. For children, nearby Coombes route turns R. However, you and Anchor, Hope Cove changes in the tide. Bantham and turn sharp L to follow the steyningsouthdowns.co.uk). Farm offers farm tours (visit shouldn’t miss climbing to the (✆ 01548 561294, www. Beach, situated at the mouth of drive signed for Bantham Ham SLEEPING: Good choice www.coombes.co.uk for info). top of this impressive National hopeandanchor.co.uk); the river Avon, is one of South (public footpath). The ongoing of hotels, B&Bs and self Trust-owned hillfort and walking

The Cottage Hotel, Hope Devon’s best surfi ng beaches. route from the car park is very catering in Steyning, 1. START From the road round the ramparts. On a clear L

Cove (✆ 01548 561555, It’s also shallow and sandy, so straightforward, as you simply Bramber and Upper L (TQ192083), head up past the day, the views along the coastal it’s good for families. There are follow the Coast Path signs, cottages to the farm. Bear L into plain are extensive; in the ▼ ▼ 57-58 walk37 routemaster_southern.indd 1 57-58 walk37 routemaster_southern.indd 2 Ordnance Surveymapping©Crowncopyright.AM34/08 Ordnance Surveymapping©Crowncopyright.AM34/08 continued...

www.hopecove.com); Sun Bay Hotel, Hope Cove Map not to scale. ✆ Representation of ( 01548 561371, www.sun OS Landranger MAP 198 bayhotel-hopecove.co.uk). 1:50,000 Sleeping: The Hope and www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk Anchor, Cottage Hotel and Sun Bay Hotel (as above); SWCP Association’s guide (see below) has a useful list of B&Bs; Toad Hall Cottages has a good selection of self-catering cottages (✆ 01548 853089, www. toadhallcottages.co.uk). ViSitor information: Kingsbridge TIC, The Quay (✆ 01548 853195, www. visitsouthdevon.co.uk); or visit www.swcp.org.uk. Map not to scale. gUiDeBooKS: The South Representation of West Coast Path 2012 Guide OS Landranger MAP by the South West Coast 202 1:50,000 www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk Path Association (£9.95, SWCPA, ISBN 978 0907055181); The South West Coast Path by Paddy Dillon (£14.95, Cicerone, ISBN 978 1852843793). car park, head north along an 4. From Chanctonbury Ring, local ramBlerS groUp: continued... initially fairly level track. Ignore retrace your steps to the previous South Hams Ramblers turnings to your L and R and a junction and continue on the (www.ramblers.co.uk/ Beeding (visit www.steyning track that forks R and continue SDW as it gently descends in a groups). southdowns.co.uk). in the same direction. The track southeast direction. When you ViSitor information: now climbs gradually towards reach the road at the head of Steyning Post Office, High the main ridge of the South Steyning Bowl – a huge dry keeping the sea on your R. Street (✆ 0845 7223344); Downs, along which runs the valley, or combe, sometimes used There are excellent views back Horsham TIC, The Causeway South Downs Way (SDW). for hang-gliding and paragliding after the initial ascent. Follow (✆ 01403 211661); or visit – cross and carry on alongside it the grassy cliff-top path past www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ 3. Turn L along the SDW up in the same direction for about Thurlestone golf course, round bed and very important for from Hope Cove, but you’ll be southdowns. to Chanctonbury Ring, another 1km/½ mile. Warren Point to Leas Foot Sand. marsh-dwelling birds. Continue rewarded by fine views. The little gUiDeBooKS: South Downs Iron-Age hillfort – much smaller past the car park and café at loop out onto Bolt Tail headland, Way by Fiona Barltrop than Cissbury – distinguished 5. The SDW leaves the road, 2. The Coast Path continues South Milton Sands. The dunes past the site of a hillfort, is (£10.99, Rucksack Readers, by its clump of trees. The circle turning L to head down grassy along a small lane crossing a low here were re-established a few worthwhile. Continue along the ISBN 978 1898481447); of beeches was planted in Annington Hill. When the fence headland, from where you have years ago. Continuing south, Coast Path, heading southeast. Walks in the South Downs 1760 by Charles Goring, a does a L turn, keep ahead along a fine view over Thurlestone you reach Beacon Point National Park by Kev local landowner. In clear the obvious path. Further down, Sand, with distinctive Thurlestone (passing a Hope Cove viewpoint 4. Take the next footpath on Reynolds (£12.95, Cicerone, weather, the view from here keep by the fence on the R. Rock in the distance and Bolt information panel) and descend the L (re-routed in 2012 to run ISBN 978 1852846183). in all directions is magnificent. At the bottom (near a house), Tail beyond. Thurlestone comes to Hope Cove, which is divided alongside the field edge at the local ramBlerS groUp: Cissbury Ring lies due south, follow the track round to the L from Anglo Saxon, meaning into two parts: Outer Hope and start, rather than across the Arun-Adur Ramblers with Worthing beyond to its R. and almost immediately turn R holed or pierced rock (Durdle Inner Hope. It’s a good place for corner of the field). This leads (✆ 01273 596164, www. The Sussex downs stretch away down a short but steep slope. Door shares the same origin). some refreshment. down to the square in Inner arun-adur-ramblers.org.uk). to the east and west, while to Go through a gate, turn R again Pass a parking area, then cross Hope, with its pretty thatched the north lies the vast area of and follow the bridleway along a long wooden footbridge at 3. You could turn back here if cottages. Turn L back to Hope distance to the southeast you woods and fields known as the the field edge. At the road, South Milton Ley (pronounced you’ve had enough, but it’s well Cove and retrace your steps to 09/11/2012 11:32 can see the famous chalk cliffs Weald. The 238m/780ft trig point turn R back to Coombes. Lee). A nature reserve, this is worth going on to Bolt Tail (if the start at Bantham. of the Seven Sisters. From the is a short distance to the west. Route devised by Fiona Barltrop Devon’s second-largest reed not further). It’s a fair climb up Route devised by Fiona Barltrop