Walderton
Children will enjoy the seasonal river and games at the pub.
The water here runs past Watergate House and down to the River Ems
Ambling Path Members plus one guest get 10% off food and drink at The Barley Mow
🍽️
Ambling Path Members plus one guest get 10% off food and drink at The Barley Mow 🍽️
The Basics
Time: 1 hour 45 mins
Distance: 5.9 km / 3.7 miles
Terrain: Fields, gentle hills, uneven ground, road crossing.
Pushchairs: This route is not suitable for pushchairs.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk.
Refreshments: The Barley Mow, Walderton.
Toilets: There are no public toilets on this walk.
Public Transport: Stagecoach route 54 between Petersfield and Chichester stops at Walderton Bridge near the car park.
Parking: There is a small car park at the side of Breakneck Lane as you approach Walderton from the B2146 (Postcode: PO18 9ED - W3W: ///houseboat.booms.kebab)
Enjoy views as far as Chichester Harbour
The cosy Barley Mow sits in the quiet South Downs village of Walderton with the River Ems running through its garden. It is the perfect starting point for a number of excellent walks including this one that passes Watergate House and has views as far as Chichester Harbour.
The Route
Take the unmarked path in front of Primrose Cottage, leading away from the road on a grassy area between the car park and the pub. This will take you over the Ems. Continue after the bridge, heading up to Cooks Lane. Turn right at the lane and then turn left onto the footpath by Finchfield. The path will take you narrowly up between the two properties and then into a field.
Turn right at the field and walk with the hedge to your right. About half way along the field, the path will drop to the right and travel in the same direction in along the top of a lower field. At the edge of this field, cross the lane and re-join the footpath in the next field directly opposite. At the edge of this field, continue forward through the gap in the hedge into another field. Cross the field to the other side and enter the copse beside a bench.
Turn immediately left and walk down hill through the trees. Exit the trees into a field and continue down hill with the field boundary to your right.
Cross the lane at the bottom and join the track opposite with The Haven to your right. Walk up the track for around 200 m and then exit the woodland via a bridle way on your left. Walk around the side of the hill with the trees directly to your right and the open space to your left. The path will curve around the side of the hill and then eventually take you back through the trees, following the blue arrow.
Follow a couple more blue arrows and then veer left out of the woodland. Walk between two large oak trees and proceed along the farm track. This will bring you past the back of Watergate and the associated buildings. Once past the house, continue forward on the lane until you reach the B2146.
Cross the road and join the path opposite, to the right of Little Butso. Pass the house to your left and then turn left at the cross path, passing the back of the house. Walk along the bottom of the wooded hanger until you see a kissing gate on your left. Use this to cross the field using the permissive path and cross the road again at the bottom.
Enter the parkland of Watergate and cross the little bridge. Veer right, following the path up to the top right corner. Go through the gap in the hedge and follow the path across the fields in line with the telegraph poles back to the village.
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Did you know?
Pressure from increased housing, industries and climate change mean that parts of the River Ems now completely dry up in the summer. This can have serious consequences on the wildlife that use the river, but it may also mean the walk will look different in the height of summer.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…you can enjoy this walk to the Racton Monument from the same car park.
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