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Pulborough to Halfway Bridge via Tillington Walk

The Rother and Lod valleys, Littleworth and Sutton Common heathlands, South Downs views, Burton Park and three good pubs

Long West Sussex

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sat, 17-May-25 Pulborough to Halfway Bridge or Petworth via Tillington 3 sunny
Wed, 19-Sep-18 Pulborough to Halfway Bridge 6 heavily overcast with about an hour of rain
Sat, 09-Sep-17 Pulborough to Halfway Bridge (via Tillington) [New Walk] 10 initially bright sunny clear and crisp skies

Saturday 17-May-25

Thomas G
Length: 26.0 km (16.1 mi) [shorter or longer walk possible]
Ascent/Descent: 484/467m
Net Walking Time: ca. 6 hours
Toughness: 7 out of 10
Take the 09.05 Portsmouth Harbour & Bognor Regis train from Victoria, arriving Pulborough at 10.22 (you have to be in the rear part of the train, as it splits in Horsham) [CJ 09.12, EC 09.23].
After the walk you will need to catch a Bus Line 1 (Midhurst – Worthing via Pulborough Station) from Halfway Bridge. The bus leaves Midhurst hourly on xx.30, then 15.35, 16.40, 17.50 and 19.00 and passes Halfway Bridge six minutes later, Tillington 11 and Petworth 14 later resp.
Return trains: xx.24 and xx.54.

This walk is a winding excursion through the Rother and Lod valleys in central West Sussex, routing through various quaint, remote villages, some atmospheric woods and several fine commons, part-wooded, part sandy heathland. Frequent southerly views of the South Downs and of Black Down to the north and long stretches in deep, shady holloways add to the mix, making this a very varied outing.

After leaving Pulborough on a westerly route familiar from other walks, past the picturesque Stopham Bridge and church and on to Littleworth Common, the walk leads in a southerly direction through the Rother valley and picks up the Serpent Trail Long Distance Path up to the idyllic Sutton Common heathland and various woods to Burton Park, a large estate with multiple ponds in a fold of the South Downs.

Leaving the Serpent Trail, the two recommended lunch options are back in the Rother valley, in Coultershaw Bridge and Tillington, and in the afternoon the route rises to Upperton and Hoe Hill, in between dropping into the Lod Valley through woods and fields. The finish is a descent back to the Lod River at Halfway Bridge, where another well-run pub helps whiling away the wait for the bus back to Pulborough.

Note: The route off Hoe Hill includes a precipitous descent down a very narrow and slippery gully.

Walk Options
A Morning Shortcut cuts out Sutton Common heathland (cuts 1.2 km and 48m ascent).
An Afternoon Shortcut cuts out several woods and the last sharp ascents around Hoe Hill by taking a much more direct route through the Lod valley (cuts 4.4 km and 135m ascent).
Bus Line 1 (see above) can be used for finishing the walk at Tillington (late lunch stop) and Petworth (reached shortly after lunch via an alternative route through Petworth Park).
For an epic walk, use the alternative route after lunch through Petworth Park to Petworth and there pick up SWC 128’s Pulborough Ending.
Lunch
The Badgers in Coultershaw Bridge (13.0 km/8.1 mi, food to 14.30); The Horse Guards Inn in Tillington (16.0 km/10.0 mi, food to 15.00).
Tea
The Hollist Arms in Lodsworth (1.6 km from the end); The Halfway Bridge (a table has been booked for 18.00 hours); The Chequers Hotel in Pulborough (650m beyond the station.
Tea in Petworth
Audit Room Café at Petworth House (NT); Plenty of options in Petworth.
For walk directions, map, height profile , photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.294
  • Sat, 17-May-25

    2 off the train with another 1 half an hour behind, who then took a bus from the station to Stopham, Church Lane to join us on a sunny day.

    Loads of buttercups in the meadows, rhododendrons around the many large houses passed, ducklings and goslings on Chingford Pond (Burton Park), dragonflies around the mire on Sutton Common, many delightful woods and a couple of long shady sunken tracks. Also still plenty of bluebells, in decent form in the early woods, way past it later on though. One highlight was a large fallow field that was resplendent in colours: poppies plus lots of white and deep blood red flowers and very green grass. Or herd of (tame and uninterested) bulls, one herd of deer in a high grass field.

    All in, a well varied route seemingly perfect for the season and weather.

    We stopped for lunch at The Houseguards Inn in Tillington (1 ate, 2 didn't), then got to Lodsworth at 16.40, so could have gotten the 5 o'clock bus had we pushed on, but we turned left, got ice creams from the Larder, then shuffled on to next door, the reopened and rejuvenated Hollist Arms for a drink, where the barwoman is from LA!

    On to the Halfway Bridge Inn for a lovely meal (at Central London prices) and a jolly owner (he who used to run The Sportsman near Amberley). 19.06 bus.

    Great day out, in some ways a throwback to the good old days of the SWC, when everyone ate at pubs and the pubs were gastro and there was a lengthy tea stop in-between as well.

  • Sat, 17-May-25

    3

Wednesday 19-Sep-18

Thomas G
Length: 26.0 km (16.1 mi) [shorter walk possible]
Ascent/Descent: 439/422m; Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ¼ hours
Toughness: 8 out of 10
Take the 10.06 Portsmouth Harbour & Bognor Regis train from Victoria, arriving Pulborough at 11.19 (you have to be in the rear part of the train, as it splits in Horsham) [CJ 10.13, EC 10.23]
Return trains: xx.24 and xx.55.
This walk is a winding excursion through the Rother and Lod valleys in central West Sussex, routing through various quaint, remote villages, some atmospheric woods and several fine commons, part-wooded, part sandy heathland. Frequent southerly views of the South Downs and of Black Down to the north and long stretches in deep, shady holloways add to the mix, making this a very varied outing.
After leaving Pulborough on a westerly route familiar from other walks, past the picturesque Stopham Bridge and church and on to Littleworth Common, the walk leads in a southerly direction through the Rother valley and picks up the Serpent Trail Long Distance Path up to the idyllic Sutton Common heathland and various woods to Burton Park, a large estate with multiple ponds in a fold of the South Downs.
Leaving the Serpent Trail, the two recommended lunch options are back in the Rother valley, in Coultershaw Bridge and Tillington, and in the afternoon the route rises to Upperton and Hoe Hill, in between dropping into the Lod Valley through woods and fields. The finish is a descent back to the Lod River at Halfway Bridge, where another well-run pub helps whiling away the wait for the bus back to Pulborough.
Note: The route off Hoe Hill includes a precipitous descent down a very narrow and slippery gully.
A Morning Shortcut cuts out Sutton Common heathland (cuts 1.2 km and 48m ascent).
An Afternoon Shortcut cuts out several woods and the last sharp ascents around Hoe Hill by taking a much more direct route through the Lod valley (cuts 4.4 km and 135m ascent). Rated 7/10.
After the walk you will need to catch a bus line 1 (Midhurst – Worthing via Pulborough Station) from Halfway Bridge. Convenient stops for further shortcuts are: Tillington (late lunch stop) and Petworth (reached shortly after lunch via an alternative route through Petworth Park). The bus leaves Midhurst hourly on xx.30, then 17.40 and 18.45 and passes Halfway Bridge a few minutes later, Tillington 8 and Petworth 15 later resp.
Lunch:
The Badgers in Coultershaw Bridge (13.0 km/8.1 mi, food to 14.30);
The Horse Guards Inn in Tillington (16.0 km/10.0 mi, food to 15.00).
Tea :
The Hollist Arms in Lodsworth (1.6 km from the end);
The Halfway Bridge at the end of the walk.
Back in Pulborough:
The Banyan Tree restaurant (300m beyond the station);
The Oddfellows Arms (1.2 km beyond the station);
The Chequers Hotel (650m beyond the station);
Petworth Ending:
Audit Room Café at Petworth House (NT);
Plenty of options in Petworth.
For walk directions, map, height profile , photos and gpx/kml files click here .
T=swc.294
  • Thu, 20-Sep-18

    6 in heavily overcast with about an hour of rain type weather. Some of the rain was quite heavy, but - as is often the case - it stopped the very moment the last hardy types had finally relented and put their waterproof trousers on...

    1 went her own ways at her own pace, 1 other walked the morning shortcut to meet the other 4 at The Badgers, one of the many very nice pubs en route, where he retired to the sunny back garden, while we ate inside. The shortcutter also took a short afternoon route, so wasn't seen again, but later reported he had explored the Old Railway Station for coffee and ventured the opinion it might possibly be the "Best Ever SWC tearoom".

    One needed to be back in London early so stopped in Tillington to wait for the bus back to Pulborough. The others reached The Halfway Bridge (pub) in time for a convivial drink before the last bus of the day. Only that the bus didn't turn up and a call to Stagecoach's HQ did not enlighten us on its fate. So back to the pub and call a cab (while waiting, we struggled - but eventually succeeded - to resolve the "Puzzle of the Week" from the chalkboard). Back in London quite late, but yet: varied if tough-ish walk as per the posted text, and everyone enjoyed it.

Saturday 09-Sep-17

Thomas G
Length: 26.0 km (16.1 mi) [shorter walk possible]
Ascent/Descent: 439/422m; Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ¼ hours
Toughness: 8 out of 10
Take the 09.06 Portsmouth Harbour & Bognor Regis train from Victoria, arriving Pulborough at 10.17 (you have to be in the rear part of the train, as it splits in Horsham)
Return trains: xx.23 and xx.55 to 18.23, then 19.05, 19.35, 19.59, 20.36, 21.36, 22.38, 23.08.
Buy a Pulborough Return.
This walk is a winding excursion through the Rother and Lod valleys in central West Sussex, routing through various quaint, remote villages, some atmospheric woods and several fine commons, part-wooded, part sandy heathland. Frequent southerly views of the South Downs and of Black Down to the north and long stretches in deep, shady holloways add to the mix, making this a very varied outing.
After leaving Pulborough on a westerly route familiar from other walks, past the picturesque Stopham Bridge and church and on to Littleworth Common, the walk leads in a southerly direction through the Rother valley and picks up the Serpent Trail Long Distance Path up to the idyllic Sutton Common heathland and various woods to Burton Park, a large estate with multiple ponds in a fold of the South Downs.
Leaving the Serpent Trail, the two recommended lunch options are back in the Rother valley, in Coultershaw Bridge and Tillington, and in the afternoon the route rises to Upperton and Hoe Hill, in between dropping into the Lod Valley through woods and fields. The finish is a descent back to the Lod River at Halfway Bridge, where another well-run pub helps whiling away the wait for the bus back to Pulborough.
Note: The route off Hoe Hill includes a precipitous descent down a very narrow and slippery gully.
A Morning Shortcut cuts out Sutton Common heathland (cuts 1.2 km and 48m ascent).
An Afternoon Shortcut cuts out several woods and the last sharp ascents around Hoe Hill by taking a much more direct route through the Lod valley (cuts 4.4 km and 135m ascent). Rated 7/10.
Note: Both Shortcuts are currently only available map-led.
After the walk you will need to catch a bus line 1 (Midhurst – Worthing via Pulborough Station) from Halfway Bridge. Convenient stops for further shortcuts are: Tillington (late lunch stop) and Petworth (reached shortly after lunch via an alternative route through Petworth Park). The bus leaves Midhurst hourly on xx.30, then 17.40 and 18.45 and passes Halfway Bridge a few minutes later, Tillington 8 and Petworth 15 later resp.

Lunch:
The Badgers in Coultershaw Bridge (13.0 km/8.1 mi, food to 14.30);
The Horse Guards Inn in Tillington (16.0 km/10.0 mi, food to 15.00).
Tea :
The Hollist Arms in Lodsworth (1.6 km from the end); The Halfway Bridge at the end of the walk.
Back in Pulborough: The Banyan Tree restaurant (300m beyond the station); The Oddfellows Arms (1.2 km beyond the station); The Chequers Hotel (650m beyond the station).
Petworth Ending: Audit Room Café at Petworth House (NT); Plenty of options in Petworth.

For walk directions, map, height profile , photos and gpx/kml files click here .
T=swc.294
  • Wed, 23-Aug-17

    Table booked for 13.30, at The Horse Guards Inn.

  • Thu, 07-Sep-17

    Intend going.

  • Sun, 10-Sep-17

    10 adventurous walkers set off under initially bright sunny clear and crisp skies to test out this new route in initially familiar territory. After passing the always charming Stopham Bridge and atmospheric Stopham House, the route soon ventured into uncharted territory through the Sutton Common heathland which painted a pretty picture against the backdrop of the South Downs ahead on the horizon. The route continued through a combination of woods and open parklands before eventually leading into a deep and atmospheric holloway initially with sandstone bluff and then trees rising tall on either side -- truly worthy of a film set...Lunch soon followed and, at least for the pub diners, was definitely well worth waiting 10 miles....an idyllic country pub with an interesting and varied menu of freshly prepared offerings which they were happy to adapt as required...Not long after lunch some dark and brooding clouds closed in eventually dropping their load of moderate rain for about an hour before the sun re-emerged when we were atop Hoe Hill with interesting cloud formations lingering around us. Although shorter, the afternoon stretch included more ascents and descents with some great views of the Blackdown and Bexleyhill (visited on other SWC walks) and of course the "precipitous descent" highlighted in the walk post -- which we approached with some trepidation -- but managed without too much difficulty....Most rounded out the day with drinks and more tasty treats at the very pleasant and accommodating Halfway Bridge before catching the 18:45 bus to Pulborough for a smooth train connection back to London -- made more interesting with the sighting of a vintage train (rumored to be the Orient Express) passing through the station and some provisions for the journey back .....All in all, a good day out - an interesting and varied walk with culinary delights for all.....