Slindon Estate, the South Downs

If you want to lose yourself in England’s youngest National Park you could do a lot worse than a circuit from the Northwood car park, Slindon estate, near the village of Slindon. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/slindon-estateThis takes a little finding, hidden away off the beaten track just to the north of this very pretty village which I have referred to before in my post on ‘Exploring the South Downs.’ You need to come off the main A27 road just to the east of Fontwell, near where the racecourse sits on the south side of the highway, and take the A29 road to Pulborough and Billingshurst. Almost immediately take a left turn off the main road which takes you through a wooded area and into the village. Keep bearing left through the settlement until you reach the far edge of the village with the main church on your right and the boys’ school on your left. Here the road slings abruptly round and down to the left and just after there is a right turn down a narrow lane headed for Gumber Bothy, a destination to warm the hearts of many a Duke of Edinburgh award participant, where after a hard day’s map reading and lugging outsize rucksacks around the countryside many a youngster would arrive at a sheep filled homestead with space for tents and indoor bunks for shuteye, but not before toasted marshmallows and cocoa.

It’s all narrow country lane territory here, so no breaking the speed limit. It has been said that British drivers are (some of) the best in the world. It’s because we have to negotiate teeny weeny windy country lanes like these, honed by centuries of settlement, meaning you have to remain alert at all times!

En route is the inauspicious Northwood car park, where the road hits a confluence of paths, then angles to the right and bulges into enough space for a dozen cars to park. Here you can take your pick of routes. I chose to head north east in the direction of the bothy along the gravel lane, but not for long. After passing Northwood cottages on your left you hit some woodland to your right. The pristine signposts indicate that a lot of work has been done in this area recently, and so it has. The rise of Northwood has been posted on the National Trust website as the biggest woodland restoration that the National Trust has ever taken on. Here’s the link: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/slindon-estate/northwood There’s lots more to say on this but I’ll keep to the walk.

Take a right turn here!

So take a right turn to the east through some woodland and the path meanders for a while then strikes right into more open country. Here the splendour of the downs opens up and paths sprout up all over, like the lines in an elder’s craggy face. Keep following the path and you hit a crossroads, the path left stretching endlessly to the north and the path right to the south and back in the Slindon direction, all through open sheep filled downland (mind the electric fence). 

Wonderful views

Head north up Great Down in the direction of that majestic hill top confluence of paths at Bignor, which still peeps alluringly in the distance but will only be reachable with a serious walk extension. To your right is Ashlee Wood, out of bounds for your casual walker. This is a long exhilarating stretch which ends with a gate/style at the entrance to woodland. But before you leave the downland someone has sculpted a bench out of a mighty old log and perched it perfectly for you to admire the open vista of down and woodland stretching to the English channel, with the spire of Chichester cathedral hiding somewhere to the right and Bognor Regis straight ahead to the south. You just have to pray that no one else has got there before you as its’s a plum picnic spot.

Rolling view to the sea

Spot the bench!

Over the style or through the gate and the path now hugs the east side of the woodland, with Great Bottom, a perfect tongue of woodland over to your right side. Eventually you reach Gumber Corner, a T junction, where you can meander to the east to reach Bignor and its large car park and picnic area. Or you can strike west and quickly pick up the Monarch’s Way which follows Stane Street, the site of an old Roman road. This road linked London to Noviomagus Reginorum, or Chichester to you and me! Aren’t you glad the Saxons renamed it.

There's Great Bottom on the left

And again

We’re still on the Slindon Estate here, and as the path heads south west there is a semi parkland feel to the landscape, with tree strewn rolling downland interspersed with patches of woodland. Makes you want to look for a stately home, but that’s a good walk away back in Slindon Village. http://slindonhouse.co.uk/history-2/ True to form, Stane Street is as straight as an arrow, and soon you reach a junction where you can bear left into Gumber Bothy, a camping barn and leisure area for groups doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award or suchlike.

Rolling parkland, where's the stately home?

 I’ve done my time here as a teacher, a good few years ago, helping look after Bronze/Silver award groups traversing the South Downs. There’s a proper farm here and some cottages, nestling in a natural dip in the landscape. There’s a bit of history here too. Gumber Farm was the site of a decoy airfield in the Second World War to try and deflect bombing from Tangmere, just down the road if you’re unfamiliar with the geography. Wooden airplanes were used during the day and light flares at night to fool the Germans, although in the end it wasn’t foolproof and was only used between 1940 and 1941. Concrete structures can still be seen today such as the builder that housed  the generator to power the lights.

Gumber Farm and Bothy

We’re now heading south and leave the enclosure of Gumber Farm to take the track through a stretch of woodland. Eventually we come to Warren Barn, a fine looking structure built in the 18^th century and a great photo opportunity. Keep heading south with woodland to your left and you’re soon back at Northwood car park. A fine way to spend a couple of hours of a weekend afternoon.

Warren Barn