A relaxing 8¼ km stroll onto the South Downs surrounding the mystical Kingley Vale. Rural villages, quiet tracks and a magnificent setting with stunning views as far as the Isle of Wight make this an ideal family walk for exploring and picnicking.
Pubs & refreshments
There are three pubs that link to this
walk, providing plenty of opportunity for refreshments at the start or along the way.
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The
Horse & Groom, East Ashling
The Horse & Groom is a delightful
traditional English Pub, serving well kept real ales
http://www.thehorseandgroomchichester.co.uk/ and the high-quality food is hearty and diverse which includes regularly changing specials and seasonal local ingredients. The Horse & Groom also provides accommodation. |
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The Hare & Hounds, Stoughton
A privately owned free house, the pub has been a focal point of the
village since the nineteenth century, the pub retains a traditional feel
in unspoilt surroundings.
The Hare and Hounds takes it’s beer very
seriously and offers finely conditioned cask ales including award
winning bitters, along with premium draught cider and top flight lagers.
There is also a carefully selected wine list offering fine classic
wines. If you’re looking for some peace and quiet or time to yourselves, the chance to loose the children in the garden watching the cows and horses, or sustenance after a long walk with the dog, a warm welcome awaits. http://www.hareandhoundspub.co.uk/ |
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The Barley Mow, Walderton
The Barley Mow offers a warm and friendly welcome with cosy log fires in the winter and a pretty garden to sit in the Summer. Open every day and evening the pub offers home cooked pub food, superb service
with local real ales and fine wines. Food is available from ‘specials’ to an extensive pub grub menu and a popular lunch time Sunday
Carvery. Look for bar skittles & jazz nights.
http://www.thebarleymowpub.co.uk/ |
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The walk
You can open this link to view the Around Kingley Vale walk in a larger map window or to open the walk on your smartphone in Google Maps.
This is a fully interactive map that will enable you to follow the
route
as you walk and to access additional information such as bus timetables
and
pub or tea room websites, You can use Street View to check features on the route,
for example, to recognise the route on the ground and to identify where
the bus stops are or what to look out for. By activating your phone's GPS you can
identify your location and follow your progress as you move along the route. This is usually best viewed with the aerial photography in the 'satellite' mode.
Route Description
. 1. Arriving
in East Ashling on the Countryliner 54 service from either the Chichester or
Petersfield direction. The bus stop is directly outside the Horse & Groom.
Leave the pub and turn left and take the first turning on the right, signposted
to National Nature Reserve. As the road enters the woodland, go through the
green access gate on the left hand side and follow the track straight ahead
into Stoke Wood. These peaceful coppiced woods have a good display of bluebells
in the springtime. After a few minutes turn right at the first crosspaths and
then straight across the second crosspaths. The footpath rejoins the road at a
stile and gap and you turn left. At the road junction, follow the road to the
left (signed National Nature Reserve). Pass the West Stoke car park, go through
the kissing gate and follow the footpath to Kingley Vale (¾ of a mile).
At the end of the footpath it meets a public
bridleway and straight ahead of you is the entrance to Kingley Vale. Our route
does not go through Kingley Vale but it is well worth allowing plenty of time (an
hour or more) to leave the route and to explore the nature reserve – the chalk
grassland makes an ideal picnic stop or
you might follow the nature trail and explore this hidden valley.
Some of the yew trees at Kingley Vale
have stood for 2,000 years,
giving it a mysterious and magical atmosphere
2. At
the entrance to Kingley Vale, having arrived at the top of the footpath from
the West Stoke car park, turn left onto the bridleway (if leaving Kingley Vale,
turn right onto the bridleway). Take the turning on your right and follow the
bridleway uphill, alongside the edge of Kingley Vale. The view to your left
opens up to reveal a panorama across Chichester Harbour and the Solent to the
Isle of Wight.
3. At
the top of the hill you are now at a height of 185 metres above sea level – 153
metres (502 feet) higher than the starting point at East Ashling!
The view extends right across the Solent
Ignore the turnings to your right and carry on
straight ahead, over the top of the chalk ridge and follow the bridleway as it
descends the other side, with views (left) across to Portsmouth Harbour. Take
care as the chalk track descends as this can be slippery when wet! At the edge
of the woods is a stone bench which offers a welcome rest and fabulous views.
In the hedgerow on the right hand side is a
memorial to Pilot Officer Bolestaw Wtasnowolski, of the Royal Airforce 213
Squadron, who died when his Hurricane aeroplane crashed in this field following
aerial combat with a German aircraft.
The Saxon church of St. Mary, in
Stoughton
4. Leaving
the Hare & Hounds, turn right (back the way you have come), and then right
at the village green, past the footpath to St. Mary’s church, to follow the
public bridleway past the cottages. Take the left fork signed as The Monarch’s
Way along the edge of the woodland. At the junction with a footpath, turn left
into a field. In the hedgerow behind you, once you are in the field, is a bench
with fabulous views. Follow the crossfield path as it winds its way through the
fields and hedgerows, across a small lane, and continue through more fields and
hedgerows, until reaching the back gardens of the houses in Walderton.
The crossfield path winds its way through the
landscape
Ignore the path that turns right and continue
straight ahead and then left, passing between two gardens, to bring you out at
the road.
5. Turn
right into Cooks Lane and then follow the footpath on the left, where the road
bends to the right. At the end of the footpath, to reach the Barley Mow
continue on the road round to the left.
To reach the bus stops, turn right and follow
the road to the next junction (with the B2146) and the bus shelter is to your
right.
Getting There & Away
The start (East Ashling) and finish (Walderton) points are both served by Countryliner's service 54 to & from Petersfield and Chichester
For directions to arrive at the start of the walk (East Ashling, West Sussex) by public transport
For directions on leaving the end of the walk (Walderton, West Sussex) by public transport
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