Читать книгу Walks in the South Downs National Park онлайн

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Begin the walk on the route taken by the South Downs Way where it passes along the left-hand side of the attractive church of St Andrew in Jevington. There’s a small car park (please do not use during service times) at the start of the narrow, tree-lined bridleway which rises alongside a series of paddocks. The gradient steepens among mature horse chestnut trees shortly before you come to a signed four-way junction. Leave the SDW here and turn left on another bridleway angling gently across the wooded downland flank.

Jevington is said to be a one-time smugglers’ haunt, and The Eight Bells pub was once owned by a renowned smuggler, James Pettit (known as Jevington Jigg) who was sentenced to serve 17 years in Botany Bay. The lovely old church of St Andrew has a squat Saxon tower thought to date from around AD900–950. Today the village has close links with the world of horse racing.

Emerge from the trees at a bridle gate and cross an open meadow to a second gate. Through this walk towards a marker post and bear left. Come to a major crossing path/track by a bench seat on the edge of Friston Forest, and turn right along a broad ride signed to West Dean. Continue ahead at a crossing track shortly after, and ignoring alternative paths and tracks maintain direction for a little over ½ mile (800m) until you reach a four-way crossing, marked by an oak finger post at TQ 545 005. Turn right to descend the slope on the route signed to the ‘Long Man’.