Natural Attractions: Wild Walks in the West Weald Landscape Taking Care of Sussex Welcome to the wonderful West Weald Landscape We encourage you to explore this beautiful natural area by enjoying Editor Rich Howorth ‘wild walks’ around the nature ‘hotspots’ of this internationally important Research Lesley Barcock environment. Design Neil Fletcher The West Weald Landscape extends over 240 square kilometres of West Front cover photo by Richard Cobden, Cowdray Colossus photo by Klauhar Sussex and south Surrey. It characterised by gently undulating terrain on Low Weald clay soils, framed by elevated acidic greensand hills on three sides and All other photos by Neil Fletcher and Rich Howorth the Upper Arun river valley in the east. © Sussex Wildlife Trust 2011 The high-quality traditional countryside of the West Weald is one of the finest All rights reserved lowland landscapes in Britain. Standing amongst the small fields and strips of woodland, peppered with historic small hamlets, you could be stepping back to medieval times or beyond, as much of the landscape remains fundamentally We are grateful to our partner organisations for providing valuable unchanged since then. information for this booklet. Woodland blankets one-third of the area, with two-thirds of this classified as Production supported by donations from ‘ancient’ in nature, making it one of the most wooded landscapes in Britain. The Tubney Charitable Trust, It includes natural areas akin to the ancient ‘wild wood’ that once covered South Downs National Park Authority, the whole country after the last Ice Age. A wide range of wildlife calls this Lisbet Rausing, Peter Baldwin, Dick Poole, landscape home, including numerous rare species such as the Lesser-spotted Bat & Ball Inn, Crown Inn (Chiddingfold), Foresters Arms, Hollist Woodpecker, Wood White butterfly and Barbastelle bat which are all regional Arms, Lurgashall Winery, Onslow Arms, Star Inn, Stonemasons Inn, specialities. Sun Inn, White Horse (Easebourne), Winterton Arms The West Weald is notable for more than just its forests and winged wildlife, representing an ‘island of tranquillity’ for people who live in and visit the highly populated south east of England. The walks that we have included offer the Please follow The Countryside Code to help to respect, protect and very best of what this landscape has to offer - taking in diverse and intimate enjoy our countryside. ancient woodlands, historic parkland, farmed countryside, heathy hills and The information contained within this guide was correct to the best tranquil river valleys. of our knowledge at the time of publication. The Sussex Wildlife Trust accepts no responsibility for individuals’ use of this guide or any We hope that these walks provide something for everyone. Each offers incidents resulting from it. a unique snapshot of the natural interest of the West Weald, as well as information on historical features and distinctive local services available en- route. We hope that you enjoy the remarkable resource that awaits you. Wild Walks in the West Weald Landscape Arun valley, near River, floodplain meadows and historic 1 3 km Billingshurst canal B2130 CRANLEIGH Brook Hambledon Bexleyhill Common, Woodland plantations and copses on A3 A283 2 5 km Lodsworth high ground Great hill with heathland, woodland 3 Black Down, Haslemere 3 km Dunsfold and panoramic views Chiddingfold Alfold 4 Crossways Chiddingfold Green - Wooded streams and charming old 4 12.5 km A286 A281 Dunsfold Common villages A287 13 HASLEMERE Medieval deer park with giant veteran 5 Cowdray Park, Midhurst 6.5 km B2131 trees 3 Loxwood Ancient grazed pasture woodland and Ifold 6 Ebernoe Common 3 km Plaistow ‘re-wilding’ land 14 7 Fernhurst Ancient woodland descending to a Northchapel B2133 7 Frith Wood, Northchapel 5 km large lake Ebernoe Lurgashall Hesworth Common, Wooded common with heathland and 8 2 km 9 Fittleworth high views 6 Kirdford 1 Wisborough Old wooded commons surrounded by Green 9 Kirdford Commons 4 km 10 flower meadows A283 A272 Lodsworth Lod valley, Lurgashall to Meandering river valley with woodland, A286 10 6 km Lord's Wood grassland and lakes 2 Adversane The Mens woodland, Wild ancient woodland with wildflower 11 4 km 5 A272 11 near Wisborough Green meadows nearby 12 A29 MIDHURST PETWORTH Ancient deer park with veteran trees in Ambersham 12 Petworth Park 3.5 km a designed landscape Fittleworth Sidney Wood, Ancient woodland, old canal course A285 8 A283 PULBOROUGH 13 5 km Chiddingfold Forest and farmland Heyshott Duncton Wey & Arun Canal, Wooded canal towpath with restored B2138 14 5 km Loxwood locks and aqueduct 1 Arun valley, near Billingshurst Flat and gentle, but there are stiles to cross and the route is prone to flooding especially in the winter months. 3 km (2 miles) Wonderful wetland wildlife Start at New Bridge on A272 main road between Billingshurst and Wisborough Green found along the river and OS map reference: TQ068259 canal watercourses in this Nearest Post Code: RH14 0JG tranquil floodplain valley SatNav Lat/Long: 51.023320, -0.478122 Limited to two small lay-bys on the west sides of the road by the bridge. L Bus - Compass Bus Service 75/76, Billingshurst to Petworth The River Arun valley above New Bridge oxw ood 4 m Train - Billingshurst station 2 km is considered to be a county Site of iles Nature Conservation Importance for its Head north from the bridge along the signposted Wey South range of habitats and wildlife, whereas Path with the Wey and Arun Canal just to the west and Upper the river course below the bridge is Arun River meandering to the east. The walk takes you past designated as a national Site of Special Northlands Lifting Bridge and Rowner Lock (and bridge) as far Scientific Interest.The watercourses, as Loves Bridge, which you cross to the west bank to follow a wet ditches and river meadows of this short permissive “country walk” loop (River’s Rest, by Loves Hanger) around the cut-off river meander and a floodplain floodplain are notable for the great meadow. The walk then returns south to New Bridge the same diversity of dragonflies and damselflies way that you came. in the summer months, ranging from the common Beautiful Demoiselle to Fishers Farm Park - popular family attraction on Newpound the rarer Scarce Chaser, Club-tailed Lane between Newpound Common and Wisborough Green. and Downy Emerald dragonflies. The The Bat and Ball, Newpound Common, Wisborough Green, area is also important for wading birds RH14 0EH. 01403 700313. Local ales, beer garden and The camping area. such as Lapwings, and other waterfowl Bat and Ball such as Swans can be easily seen here Limeburners Arms throughout the year. Yellowhammers W e y and Bullfinches are readily observable in Fishers Farm & A the field boundaries in the summer, and Park r u n big flocks of Goldfinches, Redwings and C a Wey-South Path - follows the original tow path of the disused Fieldfares pass through in the winter, n a Wey & Arun Canal. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust (WACT) l Rive i when the majestic Barn Owl is also often r A provides information boards and leaflets along the canal, and r spotted. The conservation walk’s old u have restored some features here such as Northlands Lifting cut-off river meander and wet meadow is n Bridge (1980), Rowner Lock and Bridge (1982) and Loves Farm rich in wetland flora, including declining Bridge (1975). species such as Greater Water-parsnip. The water meadows are generally farmed in a low-intensive way without the use of agricultural chemicals, and with special efforts made by landowners to encourage the return of endangered aquatic mammals such as Otters and Water Vole. .3 miles shurst 1 s Billing mile 1.3 reen gh G New Bridge orou Wisb Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right (2011) Barn Owl 2W Balekx rleoyuhteill Common, Lodsworth The majority of paths are flat, but the walk includes an ascent to higher ground along some rougher sections. Diverse woodlands with some 5 km (3 miles) stunning views from the greensand Start at Lodsworth village, 1 km north of the A272 main road turn-off by Halfway Bridge between ridge, reached from the attractive and Midhurst and Petworth dynamic community of Lodsworth OS map reference: SU927230 Nearest Post Code: GU28 9BW The walk takes you through pockets of SatNav Lat/Long: 50.999377, -0.679609 ancient woodland on the free-draining acid Please park considerately by the small village greensand soils, including steeply incised green at the Hollist Arms pub gill woods dominated by Beech and Sweet Chestnut coppiced woods, as well as ex- Limited services to Lodsworth itself, including the tensive areas of conifer plantations. Stun- Midhurst Community bus, but regular Stagecoach ning views can be enjoyed over the Rother Service 1 buses along A272 Midhurst to valley to the south. Snapelands Copse just Pulborough road. to the east is designated as a Site of Spe- cial Scientific Interest (SSSI), particularly From Lodsworth village green walk west towards for its interesting species of mosses and the village hall and then north along School Lane ferns. This area is excellent reptile habitat, to find the footpath that ascends up through with Adders, Grass Snakes, Common Vining Copse woodland. On exiting the wood you Lizards and Slow Worms in abundance Snapelands then proceed beyond Vining Farm to follow a long Copse during summer. Other wildlife is evident (SSSI) circuit through diverse woodland all the way up year-round, including large numbers of to the small settlement of Bexleyhill, situated up native Roe Deer, as well as the introduced Highstead Lane. The section that runs through and diminutive Muntjac Deer from Asia Bexleyhill Common itself and Ovis Common to - no larger than a Labrador dog.