Lewes And Offham Walk

This month Robert Veitch and our former sales executive Lucy Sayers head to Lewes and Offham to enjoy a few miles in the hinterland of the river and racecourse; they set out from Lewes Station

From Lewes station, head north along Station Road. Turn right into Lansdown Place and follow the brick pavement into the crescent of Friars Walk, evolving into Eastgate Street at the mini roundabout. Continue in the same general direction, past the bus station to the traffic island.

Cross at the lights then take the flint wall bordered footpath opposite, which

St. Peter’s Church, Offham Hart’s Tongue Ferns

leads to Wellington Street. Turn right at the far end of Wellington Street and head downhill, turning left into Brook Street. After 200m turn right, into The Pells, and continue past Pells Pool to the River Ouse and Wiley’s Bridge.

Do not cross the river. Instead, turn left and follow the path atop the levee. After 300m a gate opens into fields and the path continues with the railway line in close attendance. It’s muddy in places, but that’s all part of the fun. “I’m full of positive thoughts,” noted Lucy with a grin.

Continue for another ½ mile, to a metal 7-bar gate. Turn left, downhill from the levee, under the railway bridge and across the field. Keep left of the metal gate and find the wooden steps topped with a stile. A few steps beyond is a T-junction.

Turn right and after 100m, turn right again, by the 2-way fingerpost and pair of metal posts.

Continue through the avenue of ivy-clad trees into a glade populated with Hart’s Tongue Ferns. This is the base of what was the Offham Chalk Pit funicular railway, which had a vertical drop of 40m at a gradient of 30%, and operated from 1809-1870. Beyond the glade, the path begins to ascend, but not too steeply, passing to the left of the electricity pylon, and ending at a metal gate.

Looking north around the final bend of the old racecourse

Beyond the gate is St. Peter’s Church, Offham and the junction with the A275. Cross the road with care, then turn left and along the pavement for 50m, before turning right just prior to the chevron road traffic sign.

Once among the trees, bear right at the fork almost immediately, then follow the chalk path across the contours, ascending the escarpment of Offham Hill. The gradient gradually ramps up, before easing further on. Once past the metal 7-bar gate the trees thin out and the views become all the more impressive.

Beyond the wooden ‘no sheep’ gate, keep right in the field that follows, following the fence line to the wooden 5-bar gate.

Once through this gate, the path runs alongside the post and rail fence, and the crop fields until the point it’s parallel to the gallops. Almost ¼ mile further on, cross the old racecourse at the roped off crossing point. At 133m (436 feet) it’s the high point of the walk.

Turn right on the other side and follow the path around the inside of the horseshoe, of what was the final bend of the racecourse. The view to the left into Cuckoo Bottom is glorious and if the weather is in a forgiving mood, Mount Caburn, Firle Beacon and Ashcombe Mill will all be visible.

The walk eases ever so gently downhill, past another crossing point and into the scrub. Almost ½ mile further on, the path turns sharp left, away from the old racecourse and into the woods. After rolling gently through the The view to the left into Cuckoo Bottom is glorious

trees for a while, the path descends the contours, eventually emerging into open fields by a solitary fingerpost.

Keep left and continue downhill to a confluence of paths at the far end of the field.

Follow the track in the same general direction, through the valley of Houndean Bottom to another fingerpost in front of a redundant barn with a corrugated roof. Turn left here, then right at the 3-way fingerpost 100m further on. The path leads to a track,

From the top of Offham Hill towards Mount Caburn

eventually arriving at the junction with the A277 Brighton Road.

Cross the road carefully, and walk for 60m down the concrete drive opposite, then take the footpath on the left, just before the railway bridge. The path runs parallel to the railway line for about ¼ mile, forking right at the red dog waste bin and continuing for another ¼ mile to the flint wall. Turn left at the wall and descend 81 steps to Hillyfield, then 16 steps on the other side to Bell Lane.

Cross over the road to Winterbourne Mews and follow the path alongside the Winterbourne Stream to the bottom of Rotten Row. Walk up Rotten Row to the junction with the High Street.

The barn in Houndean Bottom

Lucy by the Winterbourne Stream

Turn right at the top and wander down through the High Street as far as the junction with Station Street.

From here, it’s a right turn and downhill back to the station. Alternatively, it might be more enjoyable to enjoy a little treat or two in Lewes before making the journey home. As Lucy pointed out, “I always feel better after a Sussex Living walk. They’re so good for the soul and this is a really good walk.”l

Robert has tested the route personally, making sure it is suitable for walking. However, even he cannot guarantee the effects of the weather, or roadworks, or any other factors outside of his control. If you would like to send your feedback about a local walk, please email editorial@sussexliving.com

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