Day Walk – Droke

Saturday 13th January 2024

Honouring the brave

The walk is between 10 and 11 miles long and should take between 4 to 5 hours, so please arrive at 9.45am for a 10.00am start. Please bring a packed lunch.

Parking is at Droke Forest Car Park on the minor road between Upwaltham and East Dean (the West Sussex one!) and is free. Some of the route near East Dean is quite wet so hiking boots rather than hiking shoes probably the better option.

The route will take us up through Selhurst Park along to the Benges, cross the A285 and at first multiple junction head roughly NNW towards Upwaltham church passing first memorial. From the church ascend North Down to Crown Tegleaze passing second memorial onto SDW with views to the north, to Graffham Down before descending SW to East Dean to ascend East Dean Hill before joining the Monarchs Way to head east with views to the coast before turning north to head back into Selhurst Park Hill and return to Droke with a downhill finish!

Please let the organiser know if you intend to join us for this walk.

Length of Walk: 10 -11 miles with a shorter option of about 7 miles.
Height Gain: 400 metres give or take.

Day Walk – West Grinstead

Saturday 3rd February 2024

Nostalgia, Bluecoats and a Castle

We’ll meet at 10.00 at the car park by the disused West Grinstead Station for a 10.15 departure. Coming from Buck Barn Crossroads the entrance is on the north side of the A272 immediately after Little Barn Owls Forest and Nursery School. Coming from Cowfold it is immediately before it. It looks like a private drive. Care, there is a height restriction of 2 metres.

The walk takes us along the Downs Link railltrack bed past past Southwater Country Park and just past Southwater village where we turn off to skirt part of village before walking through the sports field area of Christ Hospital School, a blue coat school. We rejoin the Downs Link adjacent to the mainline from Bognor to Horsham and beyond following it to The Bax Castle pub just off the Downs Link. Here we can have our sandwiches outside providing we buy drinks from the bar though some of you may wish to tuck in to bread and soup (well-recommended by Sue and Anthony on their reconnaissance walk 20th January) After our break we return to the Downs Link and follow it back to West Grinstead station.

This is very flat, 10¼ mile walk with neglible ascent (200 feet only) and although the majority of the walk is on a solid base I would recommend wearing boots as there are a few parts that are a tad muddy.

Please let the organiser know if you are coming by emailing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We can arrange car shares where relevant.

Day Walk – From Washington

Saturday 2nd March 2024