Hooksway to South Downs

Hooksway To South Downs

This is the walk with the most varied views and terrain in our whole catalogue of walks. It passes the famous Telegraph house where many vital messages were passed on from Portsmouth during the Napoleonic wars. There are great views to be had. The over riding feature in many respects is the sheer effort that you don’t realise that you are putting in. By the time you get back to the Royal Oak you will have earned a pint.

Start from the car park and walk up the road that you came down.

(Point 1) Turn right at and carry on a little further up hill. From here onwards it’s a case of follow the path as guided and don’t turn off to any paths or gates however tempting,

(Point 2) at this fork junction take the left fork and go past a cottage on your left. Go through the gate and turn right onto the made-up road. Eventually you will come to Telegraph house on your left.

(Point 3). Go past this house and bear right walk with the forest to your right. At the end of this little stretch you will see a gate on your right don’t be tempted.

(Point 4). Carry on along the path. As you are guided by the path you will come to a stretch that wheels around to your right, this is where the chalk path begins, and it can be very slippery so beware of your footing from here on in.

(Point 5). There now comes a very steep section but fortunately it is quite short. On reaching the top go through the gate by the cattle grid and follow the path down the hill.

(Point 6). This is where my task get a bit easy because for the next two miles it’s a case of follow the signs for the South Downs Way. There are a number of turnings to your right all of which go back to the Royal Oak, if energy isn’t at a premium then these could prove a saving grace for you, they are marked on the map.

(Point 7). However if you choose the full route carry on until you reach a 4 finger post with two fingers point to the S.D.W. one pointing the way you have just come and the other to the left, yours is the right hand turn and it leads to the Royal Oak. A word of warning, however, this path is very slippery and deeply rutted so again be on your guard.

Now you really have earned a pint.

Back to walks from the Royal Oak Hooksway https://westsussexcountrywalks.com/hooksway-west-sussex/