Arun Valley Walk, Burpham & North Stoke

By 0950 on Saturday 10 December on a cold but dry and sunny day with white hoar frost everywhere, twenty one  valiant walkers set off from the George pub at Burpham.  Sensibly shod and clad, with armaments including a thumbed walking stick, and  various poles, we set off in a northerly direction towards the River Arun.

In about fifteen minutes we reached  the level crossing just before the riverside, the frost having given the fields and downs good black and white relief for the photographers. Amazingly, despite the rail industrial action the trains were running but the group  bunched up with Jane at the back so we got across the line swiftly. 

After a pleasant walk along the riverside, we walked up a sloping field, occupied by inoffensive bulls,  to a track heading east. Once over the railway bridge, we dropped down to the  right in a field of sheep. Where the path flattened out at the edge of the marshy flood plain, it became very wet underfoot and we were really picking our way. A few minutes later we were at the part I knew would be hard work, a long stepped path ascending one of the downs. What happened was that we discovered a pair of fallen trees which had smashed across the path, even damaging the stair rail. Fortunately Philip Brown guided our group over a bypass of several yards, round uprooted branches. I realised that for once, the benefits of doing things in plenty of time hadn’t helped; i checked the route in October, but if I had left it to the last minute I would have known about the trees and asked people to bring their portable chain saws!   Soon we were at the top, and after  several minutes reached a bench with a fine view westwards to Arundel Castle and the Cathedral spire, reminiscent of Notre Dame. 

We had coffee and nice mince pies generously supplied by Helen Jupp here, before the group was inspired by my message of ‘downhill from now on’ along  a lane.  At a finger point we crossed a field to the right and were soon at the George, at 1228, and John was  waiting for us. 

Twenty two members lunched and seemed to enjoy themselves after 4 and a half miles. 

Thanks for coming and joining in the fun

Richard Worsley