South Downs Odyssey
Odýssey n. a long, wandering and eventful journey!

South Downs Way legs

Leg 7

QE Country Park to Harting Hill  
5.5 miles

We were on home territory today for a 5.5 miles leg from Queen Elizabeth Country Park to Harting Hill. Both cars were needed and Liz turned up in style in her Mazda MX5. A quick selfie at the start and we were on our way, soon encountering our first hill. Shouldn’t really make excuses so early on, but we were both feeling the after effects of the recent cold virus, so there was quite a bit of puffing!

Spring had well and truly sprung and along the lanes there were bluebells, violets, primroses and celandine. The wildlife was prolific too with bees and butterflies.


A break for lunch in the lane near to the entrance to Ditcham Park School then on we went. Apart from a couple of cyclists and walkers we didn’t see anyone else so it was a very peaceful walk (apart from our constant nattering).

Walking through Queen Elizabeth Country Park

Across the road to Uppark, and a brief sit down on a convenient fallen tree, and we were ready for the final push across the Chichester road and up to the car park.

It is fair to say that we were both fairly knackered towards the end, but exhilarated to have completed another leg.

Our 5.5 miles took us 3 hours but this did include our lunch break as well as numerous stops for photos and breath control! Recovery was in Buriton at the renamed Maple Inn (formerly the Master Robert), amazing the healing power of a diet coke and a bag of crisps!

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1

Winchester to Cheesefoot Head

Sun 21 Sep 2014

3.5 miles

2

Cheesefoot Head to Beauworth

Sun 31 Aug 2014

5.5 miles

3

Beauworth to Exton

Sat 2 Aug 2014

4 miles

4

Exton to Old Winchester Hill

Mon 28 Jul 2014

3.125 miles

5

Old Winchester Hill to East Meon

Mon 5 May 2014

5 miles

6

East Meon to Petersfield

Sat 12 Apr 2014

4.5 miles

7

Q.E. Park to Harting Hill

Thu 10 Apr 2014

5.5 miles

8

Harting Hill to Cocking

Thu 17 Apr 2014

7 miles

9

Cocking to Duncton

Thu 15 May 2014

5.25 miles

10

Duncton to Bury Hill

Sat 23 Aug 2014

5 miles

11

Bury Hill to Storrington

Sat 23 May 2015

6 miles

12

Storrington to Washington

Fri 11 Sep 2015

4 miles

13

Washington to beyond Chanctonbury Ring

Sun 6 Sep 2015

2.75 miles

14

Chanctonbury Ring to Beeding

Sun 20 Sep 2015

4.5 miles

15

Beeding to Devil’s Dyke

Sun 4 Oct 2015

5.25 miles

16

Devil’s Dyke to Ditchling Beacon

Sun 5 Jun 2016

6 miles

17

Ditchling Beacon to Housedean Farm

Tue 21 Jun 2016

5 miles

18

Housedean farm to Southease

Sun 31 Jul 2016

7 miles

19

Southease to Alfriston

Tue 6 Sep 2016

7 miles

20

Alfriston to Cuckmere River

Mon 26 Sep
2016

3 miles

21

Cuckmere River to Birling Gap

Fri 7 Oct
2016

5 miles

22

Birling Gap to Eastbourne

Mon 10 Oct
2016

5 miles