Chiddingfold
Children will enjoy the play area and river on this walk, as well as a nearby family-friendly pub with large garden.
The Basics
Time: 1 hour 40 mins
Distance: 5.5 km
Terrain: Short sections on quiet country lanes - sometimes with pavements, fields, woodland paths - very muddy by river in winter
Pushchair: No
Dogs: Yes
Refreshments: You will pass The Crown in the village which is a fascinating 14th century pub oozing with history. There is also Elliot’s Coffee Shop with tables facing the huge village green. We ate at The Mulberry, a minute’s drive out of the village as it has a great garden with a children’s play area.
Toilets: None
Parking: Free car park at the recreation ground (Postcode: GU8 4PY - W3W: match/hiring/withdrew)
Chiddingfold is a gorgeous Surrey Hills village with fine homes and a timber framed pub set around a large green and village pond. Our walk starts from the recreation ground with small play area and heads across farmland and woodland with river crossings. The walk also reveals a bluebell wood in April/May.
Leave the car park and turn left down Coxcombe Lane. Walk along the pavement until reaching Beckham House. Here you will see a finger post, follow this and then enter the graveyard. Walk along the flag stone path that takes you through the graveyard towards the church. Pass by the church to your left and then exit the churchyard via the lynchgate and arrive at Petworth Road.
You will now be at the large and attractive village green. There is a duck pond, a coffee shop, a historic pub and some beautiful country cottages and houses to admire. Once you have had a look around, walk along the right hand side of the village green all the way to the end,
The last house along the right hand side of the green will be The Coach House. Cross the road here and then turn left down Pockford Road. Walk along the quiet country lane passing some lovely old cottages. Look out for the finger post on your left beside a swing hanging from a tree. This will take you up a track and then into a field. Children should look out for alpaca in the field to the right.
The path across the fields is easy to follow as electric fences on either side will funnel you in the right direction. At the edge of the field you will see yellow footpath arrows and you should follow the one pointing right here to stay in the field and keep the hedge to your left. Continue along the perimeter of the fields with the hedge to your left until you come to a large gap in that hedge. The footpath takes a swing to the left here into the adjacent field. It is not signed, but the worn path is obvious. You should see a house away to your left and now the hedge should be to your right. Continue through the field towards the houses and then walk along the track that will be straight ahead. Soon follow the finger post directing you to the left and out onto Skinners Lane.
Turn left at the lane and walk along the road. There is no pavement, but it is a quiet minor road. Continue until you see a footpath to your right and a sign for Yew Tree Cottage.
Walk up the track to Yew Tree Cottage and then go through the metal kissing gate into a field. Cross the field where you can see horse paddocks to your right. At the other side of the field you will go out through another gate onto a tarmac access road. Cross this and take the footpath opposite going into woodland. This is private woodland, so you should stay on the track, but note that you will see plenty of bluebells through this section of the walk in April/May.
Follow the path through the woodland until you reach the river and a wooden bridge. Turn left after the wooden bridge and follow the path parallel to the river. This path can be extremely muddy in winter. The path will eventually take you through a shabby looking builder’s yard and past the now derelict Winterbourne Arms. Beyond this, you will reach Petworth Road again.
Cross the road and look for the finger post and a metal kissing gate opposite the pub. Follow the path and go through another metal kissing gate onto a brick bridge over the river. The river flows fast through here in the winter and our children had a great game of pooh sticks off this bridge. After the bridge, continue along the path into the woodland.
There has been some tree fall along this path during the winter and at the time of writing (March 2024) we needed to switch paths through the woodland a couple of times to avoid them. This did not cause a problem to the route and you should just keep onwards in a westerly direction. Continue through the woodland until you reach two side-by-side bridges made of wooden planks. Take the left bridge and enter an open space planted with young trees.
Follow the footpath diagonally across the space and then veer left onto the path on the other side. This will take you past some houses before bringing you to Woodside Road. Turn left here and then almost immediately right into Coxcombe Lane. Follow the pavement back to the recreation ground and car park. There is a public play area on the opposite side of the football pitches, next to the school.
Did you know?
The Crown Inn is one of the oldest inns in England and it is well worth a peek inside to see the low beams and fireplaces. It has a distinguished past, with at least two monarchs having stayed there: the boy king, Edward VI, in 1552 and his sister Queen Elizabeth I in 1591 on her way to visit Cowdray.