Sussex

East and West Sussex offer a facinating choice of landscapes in which to walk, each full of associations with English history to add interest along the way. The coast, now with a string of holiday resorts along its length, has seen many an attempted invasion, and many castles both Roman, medieval and Norman, bear witness to its defense.

Behind the coast lie the South Downs, a chalk ridgeway of sweeping grassy slopes, home to Southdown sheep and the location of an ancient route, The south Downs Way, walked by stone age man. This natural barrier is cut by several lovely river valleys such as the Arun, Ouse and Cuckmere, which attract wildlife and anglers and provide some idylic waterside walking.

On the north facing side of the South Downs a steep escarpment drops into the Vale of Sussex. Beyond, northwards lies The Weald, once an impenetrable forest growing on the Wealden clay, now an affluent countryside filled with glorious woods, pretty villages, orchards and hop farms with their characteristic conical oast-houses.

 

  Guide Books: [Click for further information or to purchase]
50 Walks in Sussex by: Nick Channer. This guide explores the best of the Sussex countryside. It includes 50 themed walks of between 3 and 8 miles, each with fascinating background reading. There are clear, easy-to-follow route descriptions, including detailed sketch maps, for every walk. Information on what to look out for during the walk and places to eat and drink is provided. The walk locations include: Rye; Great Dixter; Winchelsea; Hastings; Battle; Burwash; Brightling; Herstmonceux; Pevensey; Birling Gap; Cuckmere Haven; Berwick; Wilmington; Arlington; Firle; Horsted Keynes; Ashdown Forest; Cuckfield; Ditchling; Brighton; Rottingdean; Devil's Dyke; Beeding; Parham; Shipley; Loxwood; Amberley; Highdown Hill; Climping; Arundel; Sundon; Bignor; Goodwood; Midhurst; Black Down; East Lavant; Chichester; West Itchenor; Kingley Vale; West Wittering.
More Sussex Walks by: John Brooks. 28 routes. Locations include: Durford Heath and Rogate Common; Battle and the 1066 Country Walk; Iping Common and Stedham; Cissbury Ring from Findon; Fairwarp and Duddleswell; Cuckmere Haven from Seaford; Ardingly Reservoir; The Chidham peninsular; Bewl Water from Wadhurst; Wolstonbury from Hurstpierpoint; Herstmonceux; Belloc's Mill, Shipley; The Wey and Arun Canal from Billingshurst; Rye from Iden; Icklesham from Winchelsea; Hastings Country Park; The Temple of the Winds from Fernhurst; Woolbeding Common and Hammer Wood; Beachy Head and Long Down; Downland Hills from Devil's Dyke; Lodsworth and Lickfold from Cowdray Park; Kingley Vale, Stoughton and Walderton; Blackcap and Stanmer Down from Ditchling Beacon; Bodiam Castle from Robertsbridge; Bosham and Fishbourne from West Itchenor; Cuckmere River and Norton Top from Alfriston; Downland walk from Telscombe; Bignor Hill and the River Arun.
Walks into History - Sussex by: John Wilks. The lively and informative walks in this guide take you past sites of medieval castles, Roman villas, smugglers' coves and bloody battles whose outcome altered the course of England's history. The 16 circular walks vary in length between 3 and 7.5 miles. Includes the Long Man of Wilmington, a 231 ft tall Celtic chalk figure; the Roman villa at Bignor; a walk along the cliffs from Hastings to Fairlight Glen; Bodiam Castle and the Iron Age hill fort at Cissbury Ring. Locations are: Kingley Vale; Cissbury Ring; Wilmington; Bignor Villa; Pevensey; Bosham; Battle Abbey; Amberley Castle; Lewes; Winchelsea; Bodiam Castle; Cowdray House; Michelham Priory; Arundel Castle; Hastings; Balcombe Viaduct.

100 Walks in East Sussex compiled by: P.L. O'Shea, B.M. O'Shea. An omnibus of local walks covering the whole of East Sussex. The book is ideal for family outings and as a valuable reference book for residents and visitors. The wide choice of routes are spread very evenly across the eastern county. The walks vary in length from 2 to 12 miles, the majority being in the 4/6 mile range. In addition to the route descriptions, details are given of points of interest along the way, places to eat and drink and where to park the car. Sketch maps and route descriptions are on facing pages. This title is temporarily out of print.

100 Walks in West Sussex compiled by: Den Skinner. An omnibus of local walks covering the whole of West Sussex. The wide choice of routes are spread very evenly across the western county, so no matter where you find yourself, a walk in this book will not be far away. The walks vary in length from 2 to 12 miles, the majority being in the 4/6 mile range. They are listed in the contents by length, making it easy to find routes that suit your circumstances. In addition to the route descriptions, details are given of points of interest along the way, places to eat and drink and where to park the car. Sketch maps and route descriptions are on facing pages.

A Year of Walks in Sussex by: Roy Woodcock. These 12 circular walks, one for each month of the year, visit a range of exceptional locations is Sussex. You have the option of a full or half-day walk to each spot, whilst the month by month approach encourages you to walk in harmony with the changing seasons. The walks are from 6 to 14.5 miles in length, and almost all of them have short cut options. They can all be enjoyed at any time of the year, but there are seasonal notes to add to the enjoyment of completing the walk in a particular month. Each walk has a detailed description of what can be seen in the area and features of interest are highlighted along the way.
Village Walks in East Sussex by: Ben Perkins. The 20 routes in this book, from 3 - 9 miles, introduce the walker to the homes of two important 20th century writers - Virginia Woolf and Rudyard Kipling; to a national nature reserve at Lullington Heath; to Bewl Water Reservoir, the largest area of inland water in the south east of England; and to a 170ft long tithe barn once used by Battle Abbey to collect its rents. Picturesque villages include Rodmell, Alciston, Jevington, Mayfield and Sedlescombe. There is a seperate section about places of interest nearby such as A.A. Milne's Pooh Sticks Bridge, the Seven Sisters Country Park and Visitors Centre, the Lavender Line steam railway.

Day Walks on the South Downs by: John Allen. This guides's 31 detailed walk plans come complete with sketch maps to provide a thorough exploration of the Downs between Beacon Hill in Hampshire and Beachy Head in East Sussex. Almost all of the walks are full-day affairs, but many have short cuts to cope with the unexpected. Every route has been designed to see the very best of the splendid countryside and to visit places of interest along the way. There are plenty of opportunities to see the area's unspoilt villages and facinating old churches - and visits to the local pubs are highly recommended! A detailed commentary gives background information on the area, as well as such essential practical points as opening times, car parking and even recommended lunch stops.
Surrey and Sussex Walks by: John Brooks and Brian Conduit. 28 routes varying from extended strolls to exhilarating hikes with OS Explorer mapping. Locations include: St Leonard's Forest; Kingley Vale; Reigate and Colley Hills; Cranleigh; Pevensey Levels; Rye and Winchelsea; Hastings Country Park; Battle; Bosham and Fishbourne; Leith Hill and Friday Street; Albury Downs and St Martha's Hill; Hambledon, Hascombe and the Hurtwood; Ashdown Forest; Arundel Park and South Stoke; Wisborough Green, Arun valley and the Mens; Alfriston, Long Man of Wilmington and Jevington; Box Hill, Ranmore Common, Norbury Park and Juniper Bottom; Bignor Hill and Stane Street; Lewes, Balmer Down and the River Ouse; Friston Forest, the Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Haven; Ditchling Beacon and Wolstonbury Hill; Frensham Common and Kettlebury Hill; Cissbury and Chanctonbury Rings.
Kent Surrey and Sussex Pub Walks by: Michael Easterbrook and David Weller. 40 circular walks between 3 and 8 miles in length take the walker through some of the most beautiful scenery in south-east England. Pretty village greens, with duck ponds, cricket pitches and a village pub, rub shoulders with Iron Age hill-forts, Roman Villas, Tudor Mansions, moated manor houses and half-timbered cottages. Sussex has the South Downs, the coastline and restored watermills and windmills to explore. Locations are: West Sussex - Bosham; Chilgrove; Lurgashall; Duncton; Amberley; Billinghurst; Partridge Green; Clayton. East Sussex - Fletching; Hartfield; Blackboys; East Dean; Cowbeech; Burwash; Ewhurst Green; Winchelsea.