Book 1, Walk 32 - Arundel to Amberley

Length: 18.8 km (11.7 miles). Several options to extend or shorten - see the Directions
Toughness: 7 out of 10 Just one ascent in the afternoon up a steep flight of steps onto the Downs (which can be avoided). Remainder of walk 4 out of 10

London Victoria: 09-36 hrs Southampton Central and Bognor Regis service. CJ 09-43; EC 09-53; Horsham 10-27. Train splits at Horsham. You need to be in the Bognor section.
Arrive Arundel: 11-01 hrs

Return Arundel to Victoria: 13 and 46 mins past the hour
Return Amberley to Victoria: 17 mins past the hour (just one an hour)

Check: as it's a Bank Holiday do check the accuracy of the above travel information. Occasionally, travel websites do not reflect timetable changes over Bank Holiday weekends.

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Arundel

Lunch: bring a picnic in case the lunch pub in Burpham is fully booked

It's almost a year since this Book 1 favourite was given an outing, so here it is for your Summer Bank Holiday (long) walk.

Leaving the railway station you head towards the centre of Arundel to walk (quite steeply) up its High Street, to pass Arundel Castle, then the Roman Catholic Cathedral before you enter Arundel Park, the Duke of Norfolk's modest back garden (....the old ones are the best ones.....). There are some lovely views from the Park. Leaving the Park, and with the River Arun now down below you, you head towards the hamlet of South Stoke. Its church (usually open) is well worth a peek inside. You now cross the River Arun on an ugly, modern steel pedestrian bridge, and head over water meadows, at times beside the river, and into the village of Burpham, where you stop for lunch. If you are lucky, you might find an outside table at the George Inn (indoors is likely to be fully booked some weeks ago): tel: 01903-883131 - but you might be lucky: your e.t.a is 13-05 hrs. But I suggest you bring a picnic, just in case - there are seats by the church nearby, and in the cricket ground also nearby.

After your lunch stop, do pop into Burpham Church, before you set off on your afternoon leg. You can avoid the steep flight of steps (see later) on the Book 1 walk by reversing the morning leg of Book 2, Walk 22 -Amberley to Arundel which offers a gradual, steady ascent onto the Downs: if you take this easier route you will meet up with those following the Book 1 route in Amberley. Otherwise, reverting to the Book 1 route, you walk through the churchyard and along a quiet road to Peppering Farm. You now follow a track which is soon beneath a chalky embankment to the South Downs. You now turn sharp right and climb up 244 earthen steep steps (do count them - some say there are 246, others 242 - but I'm sticking to 244). At the top, take a breather, then enjoy the views as you head along and over the South Downs. You eventually descend to Downs Farm, where you often encounter sloppy, chalky mud ( but the farm tracks should be firm today), then you drop down to a road junction above Amberley. You now have a choice of onward route: if you have time and the energy, you follow the walk directions to the village of Amberley, then walk over Amberley Wild Brooks and back beside the River Arun to Amberley Bridge. Otherwise, you can take the direct route down High Titten for tea at the Bridge Inn, close to the railway station. For other tea options, in Amberley village centre or near the railway station, please refer to the walk Directions.

I almost forgot to mention - your water feature for today is the River Arun.
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Walk Directions are here L=1.32
If you are contemplating any "backwards"options, the Book 2 Directions are here

Book 1, Walk 32: Arundel to Amberley

Length: 18.8 km (11.7 miles)
Toughness: 7 out of 10 (one steep climb up steps onto the Downs)

Lots of options to mix-and-match your route after South Stoke.

London Victoria: 09-32 hrs Southampton Central and Bognor Regis service. CJ 09-42, EC 09-53
Arrive Arundel: 11-00 hrs

Younger walkers: take the 10-06 hrs service from Victoria, arriving Arundel 11-26 hrs. Your younger legs will probably catch up the oldies during the morning leg.

Return: Amberley to Victoria: 17-17, 18-17 and 19-28 hrs

Return Arundel back to Victoria: 17-12, 17-47, 18-12, 18-52 and 19-23 hrs

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Arundel.


Today's walk is one of the best walks in Book 1 and a favourite amongst many a SWC walker - me included. Mid-week walkers did a mix-and-match variation of this walk last February, when it tipped down with rain all morning. Let's hope the weather is kinder to us today.
Soon after leaving the railway station you walk uphill through the pleasant town of Arundel, passing the Duke of Norfolk's Castle and then the Roman Catholic Cathedral, before you enter Arundel Park, all 1,240 acres of it. Walking through the park is quite lovely. On leaving the Park you walk above the River Arun (your water feature for a good part of the day) and head for South Stoke, a pretty hamlet with a lovely church. From South Stoke you have lots of options to continue your walk. The Book 1 route takes you beside the river to the village of Burpham for lunch at the very popular and always busy and booked up George Inn tel: 01903-883131. A table will be booked for us in advance. But if not heading for Burpham you can head for North Stoke for Lunch at the Bridge Inn in Amberley or return by the river to Arundel, taking lunch at the Black Rabbit pub.
Continuing on the Book 1 route, after lunch you have a lowland section before you climb up a steep flight of 196 steps up onto the South Downs. If you don't fancy this ascent, from Burpham you can reverse the Book 2 Walk 22 Amberley to Arundel walk which takes a gentler route up and along the South Downs. Back to the Book 1 walk, you now have a pleasant leg on top of the Downs before you walk through a farmyard and drop down to Amberley - either through the village and then to the station via Amberley Castle and a sweep of Amberley Wild Brooks, or direct down High Titten to the station. Tea is best taken at the Bridge Inn, next to the railway station, although there are other options in Amberley village.
If you are new to the SWC or a walker yet to try out this walk, it comes with my personal recommendation.
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Walk Directions here L=1.32