Elsted
South Harting
Children will enjoy the chickens at the pub on this walk.
The South Downs Way above Elsted
The Basics
Time: 1 hr 35 mins
Distance: 4.9 km / 3 miles
Terrain: Very steep sections. Woodland, field and downland paths that can be uneven. A quiet country lane with no pavement.
Pushchair: This walk is not suitable for pushchairs.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk, but they must be on leads at the pub and we also recommended keeping them on leads in the woodland during shooting season.
Refreshments: The Three Horseshoes in Elsted.
Toilets: There are no public toilets unless you are customers of the pub.
Public Transport: The Stagecoach route 91 between Midhurst and Petersfield stops once a day at The Three Horseshoes public house.
Parking: Free parking at the pub if you are a customer or use the car park at the village hall opposite if no events are taking place (Postcode: GU29 0JY - W3W: ///degrading.bloom.pace)
The views from the garden at The Three Horseshoes
Elsted is a tiny, tranquil village on the South Downs near Midhurst. Our walk takes you from the village, up through woodland, to a ridge of the South Downs where there are marvellous views of the Weald. The return pathway takes you directly into the garden of the traditional country pub, Three Horseshoes, which has some of the best views from a pub garden we know of, as well as a brood of friendly chickens.
If you want to make a weekend of it, then we highly recommend a stay at Wild Combe Camping, an off-grid site in peaceful countryside with fabulous views and a reservoir where you can swim and paddleboard!
The Route
If you parked at the pub car park, return to the road and turn left. If you parked at the village hall, return to the road and turn right. Walk up the lane until you meet a junction and then take the left turn signposted, ‘Treyford one mile’. Follow the quiet road downhill. At the bottom of the hill, the path will take a bend to the left. Leave the road here by walking straight ahead onto the restricted byway. Follow this track until you reach a junction at the entrance to the woodland.
Turn right at the entrance to the woodland. When you reach a fork, keep left and begin the steep climb through the trees up the hillside. Continue straight when a public footpath forks off the to the left and then keep straight again when you reach a cross path with a forestry track. Keep going until you emerge from the trees at the top of the hill.
Proceed forward and then turn left at the cross path and join the South Downs Way. You will have one more short climb to the top of Pen Hill and then everything is downhill after that! Follow the South Downs Way as it descends from Pen Hill and the most marvellous views will open up beneath you. When you reach the bottom of this open section, a path will fork off to the left. Ignore that, and keep right. Once you are under the trees, turn right and continue straight on the South Downs Way for around five minutes. You will pass a small gate into an open-access area to your left, but you should keep going straight until the path drops down on a bend. Here, the South Downs Way will continue ahead, but you should take the public bridle way on your left.
The bridle way will take you down into the trees. As you descend, ignore a public footpath branching off to your right and continue on the bridle way, making your way down the slope. At the bottom of the hill, the path will take a bend to your right and you should follow it until you emerge from the trees at a junction of field gates.
Turn left and walk along the top edge of the field with the hedge and trees to your right and the field to your left. When you reach the far edge of the field, go through the gateway and turn right onto the track. This is the same restricted byway from step one, and you should follow it back to the road and towards Elsted.
Just before you reach the top of the hill and the main village road again, look out on your right for some rough steps going up the bank and a footpath marker. Take the steps and then walk along the top edge of a field. Go through the gap in the hedge on your left where the footpath marker is, and then follow the top of edge of the next field in the same direction. The path will take you directly to the garden of The Three Horseshoes.
Please note that the woodland between steps 2 & 3 is privately owned and used for pheasant shoots. You will know as soon as you get out of your car if a shoot is taking place that day as you will hear the guns from the village. You are within your rights to use the public rights of way through the woodland at all times but keep dogs on leads, stick to the paths and listen for the horn signalling the start and finish of firing rounds.
Gain access to the member's only area of our website where you will find the complete A-Z library of all our PDF files. This includes over 220 self-guided walks ready to print or download, as well as various children's activity sheets. You will also find a digital membership card, giving you access to our current discounts.
Wild Combe Camping
If you would like to spend more time in the area, then we highly recommend a stay at Wild Combe Camping in Elsted. This welcoming site is an off-grid experience allowing you and the family to completely switch off in a peaceful part of the countryside.
The highlights of our stay included:
Views of the South Downs and the Western Weald
A reservoir where you could wild swim or paddleboard (strong swimmers only)
A relaxed feel where children are welcome to play and explore
An easy walk to The Three Horsehoes
Plenty of open space so no feeling of being crowded in
Glamping bell tents for those who prefer not to put up their own tent
Fire-pits and wood available to rent for every pitch
Blissfully quiet for mid-week stays
Welcoming owners whose family have been on the farm for almost a century
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at Harting Down, which comes within touching distance of this route.
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