A walk from Chilgrove

A walk from Chilgrove to Hooksway,then up to the South Downs Way and returning through Linchball wood.

From the A286 Chichester to Midhurst road take the B2141 that is between Lavant and West Dean and at Chilgrove park on the grass near the White Horse Inn (Now called The Fish House Hotel)

Ordnance Survey Map: Landranger No 197/ 1-50000 Or for more detail Explorer No 120/ 1-25000

Distance 6.5 miles. Time 3 hours.

The White Horse Inn Chilgrove

Walk past the Inn and turn right along the main road on the grass verge. After a short distance you come to the stile in the picture on the right. Follow this footpath as it crosses four small fields and a number of stiles

Now called The Fish House Hotel

At the last stile No 1 on map turn to your right. This is called Phillswood Lane track on the map. At the gates in the picture on the right the track is the gate on the left. Continue along the lane all the way to The Royal Oak pub shown in the picture below left.

Phillswood lane track

The Royal Oak Hooksway

Walk along the road past the pub turning to your right and take the path straight ahead,shown in the picture on the right. No2 on map

Keep heading up this track as it climbs uphill to the junction of the South Downs Way shown in the picture on the right. No3 on map

Here you join the South Downs Way

Take the path straight ahead which soon swings to the right and when you see the high metal fence on your right this is the grounds of Monkton House. There used to be peacocks in the grounds but it seemed to be a bit quite, so maybe they are not their any more. At the end of the fence you come out onto the open downs as the picture below left. You can see the South Downs Way that you are on all the way to the horizon. It doesn't look far in the picture but I have zoomed in with the camera. No4 on map

Looking East along the South Downs Way

Looking North from the South Downs Way

Continue along the SDW and when you see the trig point out to your left in the field, you soon come to the junction in the picture on the left. No5 on map. Turn right here and head downhill. When you reach the fir trees as in the picture on the right, No6 on map turn right and take the path straight away on the left.

Continue on this path through the trees as it eventually swings to the right and take the path to the left as in the picture on the right

After a short distance this path then swings to the right, to the junction in the picture on the left, where you turn to your left. After a few yards you arrive at the point shown in the picture on the right. No7 on map. Take the right hand track and very soon you will have open grass to your left as picture below left.

Keep following this track all the way to the road. Just before the road you may notice a tarmac road to your right, this is the driveway to Monkton House. At the road turn right and keep going along it

When you reach a sharp right hand bend in the road take the footpath straight ahead as the picture on the right. No8 on map.

This soon comes out into the open where you cross a field heading slightly to your left to the hedge in the picture on the left which you follow all the way to the grassed area shown in the picture on the right. Turn right here ahead is the White Horse Inn from where you started your walk.


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