Haslemere to Midhurst via Midhurst Way Walk
Quiet hills and forests, 2 country pubs, and Cowdray Park.
Black Down from Verdleyhill
SWC Walk 218 Haslemere to Midhurst (The Midhurst Way)
Jun-23 • thomasgrabow on Flickr
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Views out to Butser Hill/South Downs from Marley Common car park
SWC Walk 218 Haslemere to Midhurst (The Midhurst Way)
Jun-23 • thomasgrabow on Flickr
swcwalks swcwalk218 walkicon 52995468374
Cowdray Park: Fortified Cowdray House (ruined)
SWC Walk 218 Haslemere to Midhurst (The Midhurst Way)
Jun-23 • thomasgrabow on Flickr
swcwalks swcwalk218 walkicon 52995798383
Spread Eagle Hotel, Midhurst
SWC Walk 218 Haslemere to Midhurst (The Midhurst Way)
Jun-23 • thomasgrabow on Flickr
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Tree Roots on sunken track up Marley Combe
SWC Walk 218 Haslemere to Midhurst (The Midhurst Way)
Jun-23 • thomasgrabow on Flickr
swcwalks swcwalk218 52995329326
| Length | 16.3 km (10.1 mi), with 332/449m ascent/descent. For a shorter walk see below Walk Options. |
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| Toughness | 4 out of 10, with 4 hours walking time. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 7 ½ hours. |
| Walk Notes |
The route of this walk leads out of Haslemere in a southerly direction through Camelsdale and steeply up to Marley Common, a mixture of mature woodland and open heathland and then continues south through a fine mix of quiet forests with frequent far views out to the South Downs or back to Black Down. The walk continues to the scenic villages of Fernhurst and then Henley with their respective pubs, the latter halfway up another steep ascent to Verdleyhill. Finally it passes Easebourne village and priory and enters Midhurst via Cowdray Park with its polo fields, then past the ruined Cowdray Castle by the River Rother. This walk is the northerly section of the unmarked Midhurst Way, which has been created by John Trueman, local to the area and a passionate advocate of outdoor pursuits. It runs between Arundel and Haslemere. The southerly section Arundel to Midhurst is available as a separate SWC Walk.
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| Walk Options |
For a shortcut, the Midhurst to Haslemere bus line 70 also stops along the route in: Fernhurst, Henley (above the village on the A-road) and Easebourne (350m off-route on the A286).
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| Maps | OS Explorer: OL33 (Haslemere & Petersfield)
OS Landranger: 186 (Aldershot & Guildford) and 197 (Chichester & the South Downs) |
| Travel |
Haslemere Station, map reference SU 897 329, is 62 km south west of Charing Cross, 139m above sea level and in Surrey. Midhurst Bus Station, map reference SU 887 218, is 11 km south of Haslemere, 25m above sea level and in West Sussex. Haslemere station is on the Portsmouth Direct Line from London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour, with up to four trains an hour Mon-Sat (two on Sundays). Journey time is from 48 minutes Mon-Sat (56 minutes on Sundays). Midhurst Bus Stand has services connecting to Haslemere, Petersfield, Pulborough and Chichester stations. Line 70 to Haslemere runs about hourly Mon-Sat (last at 19.15 hours) and every two hours on Sundays (last at 18.35). The fare in 11/21 fare was £5.40. Saturday Walkers’ Club: Take the train closest to 10.00. |
| Lunch |
The Hub 2 Crossfield, Fernhurst, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 3JL (01428 641 931). The Hub is located 5.8 km (3.6 mi) into the walk.
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| Tea |
Plenty of options in Easebourne and Midhurst, check the pdf for details. |
| Midhurst |
Travel from Midhurst Updated Nov-21Catch a bus to/from a station, preferably on the same rail line you arrived from. If not possible, buy a more expensive ticket to Chichester, which is valid on both rail lines. Bus times change frequently. Check before you travel. Especially the time of the last bus!
There are 4 bus routes to choose from. Portsmouth Direct Line from Waterloo to Haslemere or Petersfield
Arun Valley line from Victoria to Pulborough or Chichester
Both lines (a more expensive ticket to Chichester is needed, valid for all the above stations)
Taxi from Midhurst BJ's Private Hire (01730 716 327 or 07732 590 806). Uber is about £20 for Midhurst to Haslemere. |
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| Profile | |
| Help Us! |
After the walk, please leave a comment, it really helps. Thanks! You can also upload photos to the SWC Group on Flickr (upload your photos) and videos to Youtube. This walk's tags are: |
| By Train |
Out (not a train station) Back (not a train station) |
| By Car |
Start Map Directions Finish Map Directions |
| Amazon | |
| Help |
National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234 |
| Version |
Jul-23 John Trueman Thomas G |
| Copyright | © Saturday Walkers Club. All Rights Reserved. No commercial use. No copying. No derivatives. Free with attribution for one time non-commercial use only. www.walkingclub.org.uk/site/license.shtml |
Walk Directions
Full directions for this walk are in a PDF file (link above) which you can print, or download on to a Kindle, tablet, or smartphone.
This is just the introduction. This walk's detailed directions are in a PDF available from wwww.walkingclub.org.uk
- From Haslemere Station take the ‘In’ entrance to the right, cross the main road and go up Longdene Rd, a gentle upward climb to the the top of the hill.
- At a sharp left bend go straight ahead into Hedgehog Lane and then turn right down the footpath to Sturt Farm.
- Cross the main A287 road and follow the pavement to the junction with the B2831. Turn right along the pavement and walk down the B2381 pavement for half a mile until you see a wooded hill and National Trust sign on your left.
- Just past this on the left is the footpath which rises to Marley Common. Cross Marley Common and intersect with the lane to Kingsley Green. Follow the road south east a little way and then break off right and continue down a path in a southerly direction. This crosses the Marley Heights private road and descends the hill to Fernhurst via Vann Common. There is a wonderful view of the next wooded sandstone ridge which you cross shortly before dropping down hill gently to Midhurst and the Rother Valley .
- Turn left into Vann Road and continue east. Cross the A 287 and follow the one way road past the church on the left until you arrive at the cross roads almost opposite the Red Lion pub.
- Turn right and follow the lane south and turn right at the next junction on a sharp bend left after about half a mile. This road loops round. At the first sharp bend to the right go straight on down the metalled track ahead of you with Verdley Place hidden behind a wooded rise to your left, bearing gently right – not straight ahead to Bridgelands Farm - to cross the bridge over the stream and turning sharply right into the restricted byway before Courts Farm. Follow the stream bank a little way and then continue south west via Dawes Highfield Copse and the westward edge of Verdley Wood until you reach the hamlet of Henley perched on the side of a long east-west sandstone hill.
- Turn left into Henley Lane, go past the pub on the right – The Duke of Cumberland Arms – and walk up the slope 100 yards to the hairpin bend. The path breaks south east at this bend and follows the underside of the hill, rising gently, until you get to Verdley Farm.
- Walk down the access track to the farm until you hit the lane, turn left and then right down a footpath through the wood crossing the bridleway. When you leave the wood you get a wonderful view down a gentle rise to Midhurst and, beyond, to the South Downs . The path drops straight down this farmland and enters Wick Lane . Follow Wick Lane south for half a mile and where it suddenly turns left – south east – continue along the path in a southerly direction, through the allotments, down the side of some houses until you hit a side road leading immediately to a sharp bend in the A272.
- Walk along the pavement in a south easterly direction through Easebourne with The Priory and Church of St Mary to your right, and then turn immediately right into the Cowdray Estate Road . This passes after 100 yards or so the Cowdray Farm Shop and Café on the right - known locally as the Food Emporium or Fortnums on Rother - and the 100 space free car park on the left and continues as a rough unmetalled track in a south westerly direction with polo fields to the left and finally, near the banks of the serpentine River Rother, to Cowdray Castle.
- Opposite the wrought iron gates to Cowdray Castle there is a bridge over the river leading to the Castle Causeway, a half-mile-long broad sandy pathway to North Street car park, the bus station and, across the main road, Capron House, the new HQ for the South Downs National Park Authority.