South Downs dog walks
10 Snippets from ‘The South Downs – A Dog Walker’s Guide’
As well as the beautiful chalk grassland and forestry of the Downs, the walks here cover
open farmland, wooded hangers, and important heathland. The routes often follow the
course of long-distance national paths.
The Angmering Park Estate extends to around 6,750 acres, with a stud farm at its centre.
The recommended dog walk here covers 5 miles from Angmering Park to Patching Hill. Visit
in spring if you want to see the carpet of bluebells that covers much of the woodland floor.
You will also get a chance to admire the panoramic view from the grassland at the top of
Patching Hill. Dogs with good recall can be off lead for nearly all of the walk.
Flexham Park is a privately owned, commercial coppiced woodland with the Serpent Trail
running running through its middle. Either side of the trail is a network of forest tracks and
paths which are open to the public. Dogs love this short 2-mile walk as they can run free all
the way round. There are some lovely views across to the Surrey Hills.
There's an excellent 5-mile walk at Older Hill and Woolbeding Common. Starting out on
open heathland with views of the South Downs, the dogs will have plenty of room for a
good romp. Woodland tracks, grassy fields, a deep valley with gentle inclines and a couple
of steep ascents - this route has it all.
Black Down is a special place. There's a delightful 2-mile walk here, mainly on sandy paths
across heathland and through wooded areas. Throughout the walk you are treated to lovely
views of Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex across to the South Downs. As long as they
don’t bother the cows, the dogs can run free all the time you are in the enclosure.
Chapel Common is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so this is a suitably varied walk
through woods, across heathland. The dogs will need to be kept close or on leads in places,
but they will have plenty of opportunity to run free for most of the walk. The route mainly
follows the long-distance paths of the Serpent Trail, the Sussex Border Path and the
Shipwrights Way.
Binsted is a delightful rural Hampshire village. The walk here starts in the oldest part of the
village, where the church nestles between open farmland and half-timbered cottages close
to the village school. The first part of the route passes through the graveyard, which is the
final resting place of Field Marshal Montgomery. After passing a series of ponds, there is a
steep climb up above the village, where the open, mainly arable landscape gives views
across much of Hampshire.
With thatched cottages, a 12th-century church, a stone cross and delightful weeping
willows, Cheriton really is a quintessential English ‘chocolate box’ village. Starting in the
village, this walk follows a simple, fairly gentle route up onto downland and along old
drovers’ trails with views across Hampshire, returning via pasture land alongside the river
and flood meadows.
For much of the walk at Petworth Park, the tree planting and landscaping make it easy to
believe you really are in open country rather than parkland surrounded by a high stone wall.
The park is also home to around 500 fallow deer, one of the largest herds in the country,
and as long as your dog is under control, you should be able to observe them at close
quarters.
Heyshott Common is teeming with footpaths and bridleways and is crossed by two long-
distance paths. It is open-access land, owned in the main by the Cowdray Estate and
managed by the Wildlife Trust. This figure-of-eight route starts on the heathland of Heyshott
Common, where the colours and views are worth returning to see in every season.
South downs dog walks, Hampshire dog walks, Sussex dog walks
As well as the beautiful chalk grassland and forestry of the Downs, the walks here cover
open farmland, wooded hangers, and important heathland. The routes often follow the
course of long-distance national paths.
The Angmering Park Estate extends to around 6,750 acres, with a stud farm at its centre.
The recommended dog walk here covers 5 miles from Angmering Park to Patching Hill. Visit
in spring if you want to see the carpet of bluebells that covers much of the woodland floor.
You will also get a chance to admire the panoramic view from the grassland at the top of
Patching Hill. Dogs with good recall can be off lead for nearly all of the walk.
Flexham Park is a privately owned, commercial coppiced woodland with the Serpent Trail
running running through its middle. Either side of the trail is a network of forest tracks and
paths which are open to the public. Dogs love this short 2-mile walk as they can run free all
the way round. There are some lovely views across to the Surrey Hills.
There's an excellent 5-mile walk at Older Hill and Woolbeding Common. Starting out on
open heathland with views of the South Downs, the dogs will have plenty of room for a
good romp. Woodland tracks, grassy fields, a deep valley with gentle inclines and a couple
of steep ascents - this route has it all.
across heathland and through wooded areas. Throughout the walk you are treated to lovely
views of Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex across to the South Downs. As long as they
don’t bother the cows, the dogs can run free all the time you are in the enclosure.
Chapel Common is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so this is a suitably varied walk
through woods, across heathland. The dogs will need to be kept close or on leads in places,
but they will have plenty of opportunity to run free for most of the walk. The route mainly
follows the long-distance paths of the Serpent Trail, the Sussex Border Path and the
Shipwrights Way.
Binsted is a delightful rural Hampshire village. The walk here starts in the oldest part of the
village, where the church nestles between open farmland and half-timbered cottages close
to the village school. The first part of the route passes through the graveyard, which is the
final resting place of Field Marshal Montgomery. After passing a series of ponds, there is a
steep climb up above the village, where the open, mainly arable landscape gives views
across much of Hampshire.
With thatched cottages, a 12th-century church, a stone cross and delightful weeping
willows, Cheriton really is a quintessential English ‘chocolate box’ village. Starting in the
village, this walk follows a simple, fairly gentle route up onto downland and along old
drovers’ trails with views across Hampshire, returning via pasture land alongside the river
and flood meadows.
For much of the walk at Petworth Park, the tree planting and landscaping make it easy to
believe you really are in open country rather than parkland surrounded by a high stone wall.
The park is also home to around 500 fallow deer, one of the largest herds in the country,
and as long as your dog is under control, you should be able to observe them at close
quarters.
Heyshott Common is teeming with footpaths and bridleways and is crossed by two long-
distance paths. It is open-access land, owned in the main by the Cowdray Estate and
managed by the Wildlife Trust. This figure-of-eight route starts on the heathland of Heyshott
Common, where the colours and views are worth returning to see in every season.
South downs dog walks, Hampshire dog walks, Sussex dog walks
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