Walk: Hat Hill and the Trundle

West Dean and Goodwood estates provide the background for this 6.2 mile (10 kms) walk. While two strong climbs provide a good workout, too. There are two good car parks to be found on either side of the

Trundle Hill.

I am starting the walk by the race course and so trot gently down Knight’s Hill road towards Charlton. There are wonderful views north to Levin Down nature reserve and Charlton Forest. Look out for all the various spring flowers that will be adorning the hedgerow banks throughout the walk. Count how many different species you see.

After 500 yards left into fields along the West Sussex Literary

Trail and the steep drop down into Singleton where you will find the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary with its Saxon, Norman and medieval parts, its Crusader graffiti, and its tablet to a famous hunt master by the name of Thomas Johnson whose epitaph concludes: ‘…unpleasing truth – Death hunts us from our birth, in view, and Men, like Foxes, take to earth’.

Cross the A286 and the cricket pitch and climb north-westwards up to Hat Hill, which in spring and summer has downland flowers in profusion, and also a good sprinkling of butterflies, such as orange-tip, and small copper and in due course the common blue. There is a good view behind of the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum. You cross the route of the old Midhurst railway line.

Follow the old hedge of field maple, hazel and blackthorn bushes, which latter supports a colony of the autumn flying brown hairstreak butterfly.

Arriving at Puttocks Copse should tell you that buzzards nested here centuries ago – and still do. Turn left on yellow arrow over the stile through Coppice Wood which in spring has several species of orchid.

Turn left again at the main road and trot downhill through the burgeoning pale green leaves of spring growth to the main road. A pavement takes you west past the gates of West Dean College and on past the public house where, turn left down the short steep road, passing West Dean Stores and its very handy little café, to give you a break and some refreshment.

At the River Lavant turn right past the charming little ornamental stone bridge, then find Monarch’s Way running uphill along the stone wall of West Dean Arboretum, which has the tallest Douglas fir trees in Britain – and is also the place Edward James chose to be buried in a simple grave among. Continue all the way to the Goodwood boundary above Lavant Down.

Now you have the final furlongs to the summit of this glorious walk as you clamber up the ramparts of the Trundle, a splendid example of an old Iron Age fort. Its banks have some of the finest chalk flora to be found, with masses of early purple spotted and pyramid orchids in May, June and July. Also found here are chalk hill blue butterflies.

By now, to continue the race horse theme, you will be blowing, in company with the strong spring breeze that funnels up from the plain, but feeling all the better for this strenuous walk-out.