Litlington to Jevington circuit via Lullington Heath and Westdean
6 miles
Elevation 1040ft / Hilly
Dog-friendly: Yes
Refreshment: Plough & Harrow, Litlington and Eight Bells, Jevington
The route
Park on The Street at Litlington, near tea rooms and church (BN26 5RB) and walk north on the road, taking the bridleway on your right immediately after the church. A few yards in, the path bears left through farm buildings and then right and uphill.
Stay on this track through open farm fields on both sides, (You’ll see Deep Dean over to your left.) and at the cross-paths, continue straight over on the path that bears slightly to the right down through Lullington Heath Nature Reserve and up the other side of the hill.
Where the track joins the South Downs Way, join it, continuing straight, and drop down into Jevington. (At the time of writing, the SDW sign had broken, but as you desend, take an obvious path rights into the woods, and a waymarker a few yards later will confirm you are on the South Downs Way.)
Pass St Andrew’s Church, turn right at the road at Jevington (unless visiting the pub, which is a few yards up the road to the left). Stay on this side of the road and take the next bridleway to the right through a Pentlands car park.
Stay on this track up the hill, pass a bench and follow the marked footpath sign.
Walk through Friston Forest, crossing prominent tracks but staying on the main path. You’ll come to a clearing on your right, with views over farmland. Keep going until you meet a marked bike trail and turn right, joining it for a hundred yards or so. Where the cycle route bears left by a bench, stay straight towards Westdean.
Drop down into Westdean. Follow the road around this tiny hamlet, then pick up the signs that indicate the South Downs Way in the northern corner of Westdean (not The Lane).
From here, the rest of the walk stays on the South Downs Way, all the way back. Head up out of Westdean, left through the Forest, down some uneven wooden steps near Charleston Manor, and climb up over farmland. Finally, the path drops down into Litlington. Join the road and turn right back to your car.
On this walk, look out for:
The Litlington White Horse, behind you (1) and to your left (8)
The grave of Hartley Shawcross, the lead British prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials, at St Andrew’s churchyard in Jevington
In the area? Why not visit: