The Wey South Path 2025

  The 9th time I've walked this one now. The route is extremely familiar, didn't look at the guide book once this time, perhaps for the first time. The signage seems thin on the ground still compared to a few years ago, but is there in some crucial places still. Was thinking that I might not be walking this anymore a few years ago, but finding the time to do the Camino de Santiago in Spain is proving very difficult still and this is such a good and useful annual physical burn, it's hard to say no sometimes! Same time as last year, approx 0530 start in Guildford at Millmead Lock, ending at 1900 ish in Amberley, i.e 13.5 hours. Not as fast as 2023 as may have over-done the start with no stopping for the first 5 hours, should have stopped/ rested more as ended up with a sore knee which slowed me down later.

Walked in July this year instead of the usual May (kids exams etc) and the difference was huge in terms of vegetation. On the approach to Amberley towards the end, reeds etc normally a couple of feet high were well over 6 feet high, it was difficult to know where the path was, it was really difficult to traverse and not much fun at all...

Took 3.5 litres of water, drank 2.5 litres and ate very little, just a tin of beans/ sausages and a 200g bag of nuts, stopping just twice for 15 minutes to rest the feet/ change socks (no blisters at all thanks to this). Again, probably should have stopped more often!

Will add my packing/ prep list again, in case useful to anyone doing this as a one day walk:-

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High calorie breakfast - Porridge/ Granola/ Muesli etc

*** Bath/ shower night before, so quick to go in morning, and ensures feet are fully dry - avoids blisters !!!   

Sun-cream if hot.

***Phone & charger for train home

Water - 3.5 litres

Food - 3 x easy pull/ no tin opener needed tins of Beans and Sausages or similar. 3 x packs Flapjacks - Energy !!!  Plastic Spork, kitchen roll, small 'bin bag' for any rubbish.  Electrolyte tablets for water, alternate bottle, don't over-do.) 200g Bag of nuts?

4 x spare pairs socks - at least! (for zero blisters!)

Day back-pack (30L ?), & small easy access side bag to access water etc without stopping.

OS Map Route - print out/ in plastic- if needed  (***Wey-South Path guide book might suffice) - available here:- https://weyarun.org.uk/shop/gb/maps-and-books/6-the-wey-south-path.html

Multi-tool etc, Hiking stick - support, probing ahead, clearing overgrown nettles/brambles, fending off dogs etc... v.useful !!!

*** Warm wool hat, fleece for way back if cool in evening. Lightweight poncho (not coat), Light coloured trousers - can see Ticks), cap - keeps rain or sun out of eyes etc.

Sunglasses/ glasses if needed.

Pedometer? Tick remover !!! (I use the O'Tom tick remover)

Compact/ super-lightweight Emergency blanket, Compass, Whistle, Spare laces, string etc - why not!

Cards, (Cash in case need Taxi/ Hotel !!!)  ***Rail-Cards !!!

Small torch (& spare batt !!!), small plastic bags for rain protection - phone/ wallet etc

Something to read - for the way back

Plasters, ***Nail clippers (cut toe-nails a few days before...), (Elastic bands)

Pen, paper

1st Aid kit, Medicines - (Diocalm, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Germolene?)  (Last few years only took Ibuprofen - essential...)

***((Leave Route Info with someone before you go in case of accident etc)

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Top tip is walk between May - July for plenty of daylight, start very early so less pressure on yourself to finish, be mad enough to start, and pig-headed enough to finish!

Once again, the sense of satisfaction lasts for days, probably longer, that you have pushed yourself to your limit, and beyond. 

                                       Not that White House, but a nice Guildford pub!

                                                  Millmead Lock, the official start.

                                                        Passing through Bramley.

                                                               Utworth Manor.

                                                Chocolate box homes along the way.

                                               A new addition to the walk, very creative! 

                        Some of the fabulous work carried out by the Wey and Arun Canal Trust.

                                                               Entering Sussex.

                            A nice rest area at the above restored Lock, 5 hours in and my first stop.

                                A deer in the distance, hard to spot, saw three on the walk.

                                                       Just love these open vistas.

                         Loved the light on the leaves, like a painting. This was in Sydney Wood.

                                                Pallingham Quay Farm in the distance.

                                                          Another chocolate box.

                                      Passing Coombelands with it's horse racing tracks.

                                                           Spot Shaun the Sheep!

Looking back at the path over the 'wetlands' approaching Amberley. Impassable at wetter times of the year, and nearly impassable in July as it's incredibly overgrown...

                                                                The South Downs.

                                                                  Amberley at last.

                                                                  circa 1550 !

                                                              Must go in one day!

                                                                  The tea room.

             At last! The official end, just beyond Amberley, up a hill. Another half mile and you are at Amberley station.

South Downs Way Part 1 (Winchester to Buriton) - July 2024

 Finished the North Downs Way last year so it's off on the South Downs Way! Did my first part in July 2024. In a lot of the guides this is actually 2 stages - Winchester to Exton (12 miles), and then Exton to Buriton (13 miles).

A good online guide here, with a useable map:-

https://southdownsway.org/activities/walking/

However, although it was around 29oC one stage is never enough, being a glutton for punishment. With a little detour here and there for a view etc and a walk to Petersfield to catch the train home after the end of the 2nd stage it was probably around 29 miles.

I took around 4 litres of water and the usual food (tinned food and high energy flapjacks) but supplemented the fluids on the way! A pint of blackcurrant cordial in a pub never tasted better. I also used (again) an Army surplus desert 'boonie' hat with a neck flap once the sun was up, mitigating the risk of any sun stroke etc. It really doesn't come any better, and with the hat and plenty of fluid the heat was not an issue. No blisters to speak of due to about 3 sock changes throughout the day. 

This really is a wonderful walk. You are soon out into the green heaven after leaving Winchester, and I remember thinking to myself 'it doesn't get better than this', no worries or concerns, peace and beautiful views for miles.

If the other parts of the walk are anything like the first 2 stages it will be an excellent experience, done in stages/ parts over the next few years. The SDW is shorter than the NDW at 100 miles, which will likely be 4 days for me with a little luck and future good health!

The guide book I used was "Walking the South Downs Way" (National Trail) by Cicerone. Reprinted in 2023 this will remain current long enough for me, with 3 more parts to do, hopefully finishing in 2027.

Available here and elsewhere:-

https://www.cicerone.co.uk/the-south-downs-way

Having said that I did not use the book much at all. I must confess to finding Google maps on the phone way too easy, and the waymarking was (mostly) excellent. Nevertheless I would not be without the book, possibly more reliable than a phone?

                                   Arriving in Winchester at 0635, walking to the start point.

                                           The official start point, Winchester City Mill.

                                                                And we're off!

                                                Not much visible Roman wall left sadly...

                                             Not all modern builds have to be boring.

                                                                     Pure joy...

                                                         Only 98.5 miles to go!

        The guide book, good to have to be on the safe side, nothing worse than a wrong turn...

Boomtown, quite the event when it gets going apparently, and a lot of prep work beforehand. This was over a week before it started and a lot of work had already been done - https://www.boomtownfair.co.uk/

                                                         But this is more my thing...

                                       An abandoned home, something sad about that.

                                 It's an easy route, well signed and often quite obvious!

                                                  Exton, not a big place, but quaint.

                 A memorial for 33 men killed in an air crash on 4th April 1944 whilst training for D-Day.

          An Iron Age hill fort on Old Winchester Hill. Excellent views and well worth a small detour:-                                      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Winchester_Hill

                                                        Some views from the fort.

              Always seems to be a bench when you don't want one, and never see one when you do... :-)

           Heading down to Queen Elizabeth Country Park. The runner has got ahead of me somehow!

                                       Someone is following the Olympics no doubt.

      Coming into Buriton, a short distance from the end of the 2nd stage. A bit 'Midsomer Murders' for my liking...

A few more miles after Buriton to get to Petersfield and the train station but by then the '2nd wind' has kicked in and it's all effortless again. A great days walking.

                                                                   Great idea!