Sussex Walks - Mid Chailey Meander

Adventures

30 Aug

I have an admission - I’ve been keeping this walk under my hat. I’m not sure it was a conscious thing but this hour long walk has a little magic to it and it feels like a lovely little secret. It’s so tranquil and has a romance to it that when I do this walk it feels like I’m taking myself on a little date.

As you navigate your way through the trees it’s not rare to see a deer or two darting out, especially this time of year, or to witness a buzzard taking flight overhead. When you’re among the trees the cover feels dense but you are often dipping in and out of open fields - meaning this walk gives both and embrace and a sense of freedom.

You’ll find some expanses of water along the route too - the main being the large lake (fenced off) towards the beginning of the walk but there’s also a few running streams so this walk is great for water loving dogs like Monty.

A magical woodland walk in Chailey, near Lewes.

The walk stats

Duration: just clocking in over 1 hour

Terrain: solid and fairly flat in dry weather with some bumpy ground but does get muddy/boggy in places when it’s been wet/in winter. Some stiles and no hills.

Parking: Park at St Peters Church in Chailey - there’s an ample car park and a layby just by the side of the green. Careful pulling in as the turning in and coming back out again is just after a very sharp bend. Postcode BN8 4DA.

Public transport: The Compass bus 121 from Lewes serves the church - this service isn’t overly regular so check the timetable.

Starting point

We’re starting at St Peter’s Church, heading down the lane that goes away from the road with the church car park to your right. Looking down the lane past the houses to your left you’ll see gateposts that lead to what looks like a Manor House. It is a private drive and you’ll out whether you can go down it but the footpath can be accessed by turning left just before the main house at the end of the drive - dog owners beware, there’s a stagnant pond here!

Once you’ve taken the footpath to the left go through the gate/over the stile and turn to your right so you’re now heading down a magical path through the trees towards a bridge.

When you get to the bridge you’ll see a huge lake to your right - carry on with it still to your right until you see a gate ahead - there are two public footpaths here, ignore the one that goes through the gate ahead of you and instead take a left over the stile and into a space where trees are growing and deer can be spotted. Carry on along the path and enjoy the magic of this spot - the path forks into two but both head in the same direction so take whichever way you fancy but just before the path opens out onto the field you’re going to take a right along a footpath through the trees. If you missed it and you’re in the open field just look back on where you came from and you should see it.

Walk along the tree lined path and you’ll get to a rickety old gate, pass through that and go straight on through the left hand side of a field (there is often cattle present here). You’ll pass another through another gate into a new field and then keep an eye out on your left for a stile through the hedgerow.

You’ll now see a path across a field that leads you into some trees - take this and from here on out your footpath markers can be spotted on trees trunks. Follow the footpath sign through this peaceful cluster of trees over a mini bridge and into a field of corn (at some parts of the year his field might be ploughed) - follow the trodden path up until you come to another tree lined path.

After a few minutes you’ll find a footpath sign pointing 4 ways. Take a left here through a field and past a large circular cow trough towards a big stile next to a gate. Go over this and you’re taking a diagonal across this new corn field, I’d say about 10’clock to the far left corner. Once you get to the corner of the field you’re going to take a left along a track. There's a little brook here flowing through the trees - wild garlic spotters will find some here in Spring.

You’ve now done a loop so head across the field to pick up the path you’ve already taken back on yourself heading through the trees and back to the lake that was next to the big house. From here you can head back to the car over the bridge and back along that magical path through the trees.