Duration: One and a half hours
Difficulty: Easy
What to bring
- Water
- Hat
- Wet weather gear
- Sun cream
- Money for refreshments
- Camera
- Sensible walking shoes (part of the path is quite rough and can be muddy)
- Hand sanitiser
- Facemask (for inside the church if it is open)
From £18 per person (available on request)
Join Kathryn on an easy-going one and half hour walk around two Sussex villages in the beautiful countryside at the foot of the South Downs just a 10-minute drive north-west of Chichester.
All bookings are made through Airbnb Experiences. If you do not see a date or time that suits you, please do get in touch, KathrynSussexWalks@gmail.com.
Dogs are welcome but advanced notice is appreciated.
Make a day of it!
This walk can be combined with the Tree Tunnel and Windmill Walk. A one hour break for lunch (payable locally) between the two walks allows you to enjoy a meal in the 200-year-old pub where both walks start and end. Please check availability on both walks before booking.
Sussex Villages and Countryside Walk
Sussex has many beautiful villages, dating back over 1,000 years. The two villages featured on this walk were here long before the Doomsday Book was written in 1086. We’ll see some lovely flint and thatched cottages, the oldest dating from the 16th century. The oldest buildings, however, are a stunning church and the adjacent ruins of a priory, both of which date back to 1117. If we’re lucky and no events are happening at the church, you’ll be able to go inside one of the finest Norman churches in England.
The villages are surrounded by the beautiful Sussex countryside and linked by a series of footpaths and hedgerows. The crops grown in the fields vary from year to year but in recent years have included barley, wheat, corn and coriander – yes, a whole field of coriander does indeed smell divine. At different times of the year, camomile, sloes, blackberries and elderflowers can all be seen along the route. In autumn the hedgerows burst into colour, dripping with edible berries. While we won’t be picking or eating any berries, I’ll introduce you to hedgerow foraging and folklore.
As we walk, we’ll talk about local history, folktales and the disappearing Sussex dialect.
The walk starts and ends at a traditional country pub that’s over 200 years old. There’s also a chance to buy refreshments at the village shop towards the end of this walk.
Usually, the ‘Sussex Villages and Hedgerows Walk’ takes place in the afternoon but just get in touch via my email KathrynSusseWalks@gmail.com, if you’d like a walk on a different day or time shown in my booking calendar.
This walk can be combined with my longer walk to a 300-year-old windmill with stunning views of the South Downs and a magical tree tunnel that’s particularly popular with photographers.
Hello, I’m the writer, photographer, and walking guide, behind Sussex Walks. I was born in West sussex and have lived here all my life (apart from a few years in Bristol while at university studying Zoology, Botany and Psychology).
As well as leading guided walks, I am a complimentary therapist, art teacher and travel blogger. I love having this variety in my work and being able to share all my passions with others.