Sussex Walks: Southease to Telscombe Village Loop.

Sat at my desk, sipping on a lemon infused Earl Grey and eyeing up another distraction task (cleaning the kitchen cupboard doors) I realised I’d been pushing around a mouse for the past hour with not a lot of purpose. I’d set aside the day to get my head around Instagram reels (but what text will I pointing at? 🧐) and edit a podcast episode but when I sat down to get them done suddenly the house chores seemed more important.

The dog stirred on the sofa just as a shard of light made contact with my rubber plant and I realised there was another way - it was time to lace up the boots, load a new memory card in the camera and hit the trail.

And you asked for it - an epic walk that gives you variety as well as being accessible by train - hop on a direct train from Brighton and you’re transported to the start of this lovely walk in under 30 minutes.

As I watched the landscape rush by en route to Southease I knew I had made the right decision - inspiration started creeping in and by the time I hit the river I knew that I was going to be doing reels in a different way!

Monty cantered along the river, happier than I’d seen him for days and I took great delight in observing and listening to the feather grass dancing in the mild wind. Continuing on I spotted a black egret dipping in and out of the water until it emerged with an eel like creature that it played with for a while before finally devouring it. Then heading down a lane grouse darted around and a hovering kestrel made an appearance. The further I got into this walk I realised my shoulders were dropping and my mind started to get more balanced.

And what do you know? When I got home I made my first reel while waiting for the bath to run, Then, warm and bedded in on the sofa with a blanket, I set the headphones on my head and got that podcast episode edited.

The walk stats

Duration: you’ll need around 2.5 to 3 hours

Terrain: some soft, muddy ground, a few fairly steep hills but mainly sturdy ground. If you use poles, take them on this walk.

Parking: Park just before Southease swing bridge (turn off the main road into Southease village - drive through the village slowly straight on and you’ll pick up the lane) - there’s a parking verge to the left as you face the bridge.

Public transport: A direct train goes from Brighton or Lewes to Southease station every hour. Make sure you check timetables as Sundays and certain days can see reduced timetables.

Starting point

We’re starting at the lovely Southease station. Head over the level crossing away from the YHA (if it’s open you can stop for tea and cake en route back while you wait for the train) and pick up the road that takes you over the swing bridge.

Just at the other side of the swing bridge take a left through the gate to pick up the river heading to Piddinghoe. Take an amble along the river for a while until it meets the busy road (the C7/Piddinghoe Road) where we’re going to head south for just a few yards to cross on over when the pavement stops to the driveway of Chapel Barn.

Now - when I went I couldn’t see a footpath sign (naughty, naughty) but to the left of the gates is open access by foot. As much as it seems like you shouldn’t enter the driveway through this entryway and make your way infant of the house and continue on up the track. It will narrow out for a short while until it opens out to a tree lined driveway. Keep an eye out here for a footpath/bridleway to the right. You’ll enter a field and will still be continuing slightly west. Looking up to the incline you’ll soon see a gate in the hedgerow. Take the gate and you’ve got a short(ish) but sharp incline up a narrow path that is lined with sloe trees. Don’t forget to look back - you’ll be rewarded for the uphill effort.

When you come to the gate and enter the field turn left and continue round the bottom left corner of the field to the gate halfway up the field. Go through the gate and after a very short narrow hedged path you’ll find yourself on a track which homes 70’s prefab houses. Follow the track past a number of houses (pamplegrass - *taps nose and winks*), some beautiful decay and epic views and keep going straight on until the track narrows, bends to the left and there’s two options to the right - a gate going right and down into a field and a bridleway going straight on. Take the bridleway and keep going straight on until the cemetery of Telscombe church (St Lawrence - most of which is thought to be from C19) comes into view. Emerge into the village opposite a beautifully manicured duo of trees on the porch of a cottage.

Head right into the village and up the hill, take some time to take Telscombe in as it really is a beautiful village (I am so finding a reason to hire that village hall) and start to head away from the village. Just after the national speed limit signs you’ll see a gate that takes you left off the road - take this and follow the track until you come to a gate and you have a couple of South Downs Way options - take the track going right and before long you’ll start passing through a busy farm.

Once through keep going straight along (you may catch the pumpkins if you’re at he right time of year 🎃) until you start to see the busy C7 in sight. Just before you hit it a footpath sign will lead you right which will take you to the mouth of the lane that leads to Telscombe. Cross that and then cross the C7 into Southease. Head down the street through the village (passing the church on your right) and you’re now heading back to the swing bridge where you can get back to the station.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful walk - do tag me if you do this walk!