Surprisingly only 8 on a bright sunny day perfect for walking. were slightly slower than the rest and soon lost sight of them. One of them stopped at the pub in Nutbourne, the other carried on to reach Wigginholt church just as five picnickers were leaving, the sixth having gone ahead to the RSPB centre to get some lunch there.

The morning stretch of this walk is very scenic with views of the downs all around,, fields, ferny heathland and wetlands leading to the Rspb centre.. After that, a sandy path leading down to a road and a long stretch on tarmac before reaching the downs. A short steep ascent and a pleasant stroll along the top before descending to Amberley where 1 had a very high calorie cake and tea at the Bridge cafe and another visited the pub before catching the 15.58. 5 had caught the 15.58-. I hope the pub luncher got back ok

I can report that the pub luncher completed the walk, despite sore knees! Great walk, very scenic and lots of variety. I also had a high calorie tiffen slice at RSPB cafe!

Does anyone know the state of the area which "can be under water after periods of heavy rain" and whether there is an alternative route if it is too wet?

It's not the same path, but a blog on the RSPB Pulborough Brooks site has several entries for April saying there were "plenty of visitors on the wetland trail". Part of this area is indeed intentionally flooded in winter but I think you'd be very unlucky to find it impassable now.

I was at RSPB Pulborough last week and also walkers right across the Wild Brooks. There is no sign of flooding whatsoever, and it has been dry since.

Incidentally, if anyone takes the trouble to walk 200 metres down the woodland path into the reserve (entrance through the end of the Visitor Centre shop), they may hear nightingales. Several were singing here last week. There was also a cuckoo singing and a white-tailed sea eagle flying overhead.

10 of us at the start of this walk, including three friends who may or may not have been new to the walks (some uncertainty about this later…). We had woken to a forecast of morning rain, but it did not materialise. Instead it was cloudy with a few sunny periods , the latter especially mid morning and early evening. All walks look lovely at this time of year, with cow parsley on every verge and buttercups in every field, but I thought this one was particularly well-suited to the season.

Group cohesion was excellent until we got to the Rising Sun in Nutbourne at 12.25pm, one of the nicer pubs on the SWC walks in my opinion. But the group dithered on the doorstep, pronouncing it too early to eat. There was talk of going instead to the next pub or the RSPB cafe. So just two of us ate in the Rising Sun’s leafy garden, enjoying nice vegetarian/vegan options while being serenaded by blackbirds.

We expected to catch up with the rest of the group in the Marehill pub, but no, the only person there (in its also not unpleasant garden) was walker number 11 who had arrived on a later train, but failed to find the two of us in the Rising Sun. She was just starting her meal, so we carried on, promising to wait for her at the RSPB cafe.

Once on the Wild Brooks, a slight surprise was that the path was rather squelchy in places and a bit indistinct due to nettles (I don’t remember the latter ever being an issue before). But we got to Wiggonholt church in due course. I could hear a nightingale here, but forgetting that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (not quite the right metaphor….) took my companion into the RSPB reserve via the public footpath, hoping for better. Alas, in several places where they were nine days ago, no nightingales were heard. The cuckoo seems to have moved on too. Other birdsong was rich and varied, however.

At the RSPB cafe we found the three “newbies” but no one else of our party. I later learned the rest of the group picnicked in Wiggonholt churchyard (worrying shades of midweekwalkism here…) and variously got the 4.17 and 4.50 trains. Our late starter caught us up at the cafe and three of us had a nice open air tea with vegan chocolate cake. The three newbies, who had had hot food there, decided to return to Pulborough across the Brooks.

So just three of us continued down the long forest road - three miles flew by in interesting chat - and made the steep but lovely climb (one of my favourites) up onto the downs. To my surprise both my companions were in favour of doing the longer river loop ending, so we did that.

We had an idyllic walk through the flower-bedecked Amberley village and out in the evening sun onto the Wild Brooks beyond. There was a gorgeous buttercup meadow here, though the path to the riverbank was surprisingly waterlogged for the time of year.

Along the riverbank next, with reed warblers scolding away, and one lone swallow seen, to the Bridge Inn. Two of us had chips and three drinks in its garden, and we got the 7.17 train, well satisfied with our adventures.

10 and a dog at the station, increasing to 14 and a dog by the time we reached Nutbourne, on a largely sunny day.

Lunch at the Rising Sun. Two had a second stop at the White Horse. Just a teensy little second stop, you understand.

Pulborough Brooks Reserve had kindly put little notices by all the fungi saying what they were. This saved our resident expert a job.

Later came the climb. It was tough but we got to the top, went along a bit and come down again.

At Amberley there was a agonising choice between just enough time to catch the 17:17 or a little too much time in the Bridge Inn. Some stayed some went.

Please note that the route of this walk has changed slightly after lunch. So if you are one of these people who store old GPX tracks or walk directions for re-use, you might like to download the new version.

The change avoids a horrid walker-unfriendly farm just after Nutbourne. Instead it goes along the edge of a vineyard (much more middle classs…). It means you turn left out of the pub, not right as before.

The old path still works, if you don’t mind discarded farm machinery, aggressive cattle and picking your way through a mucky farmyard wondering where the path is.

The posted train from Victoria was meant to separate at Horsham, but due to lack of train crew, this did not happen, and our service to Bognor, calling at Pulborough, was cancelled. So 11 of us got off at Horsham and waited for the next service, fortunately only 30 minutes later, which duly arrived on time. Waiting patiently for the train travellers at Pulborough was one car driver, and so 12 of us set off on today's walk only slightly behind schedule. To make up time to ensure we arrived at the lunch pub at lunchtime, our car driver took us on an attractive short-cut to Nutbourne, which worked very well, and we reached the Rising Sun at 1 pm. 6 of us decided to dine in the pub's pleasant back garden, and most of us sipped Harvey's Sussex beer (excellent) whilst waiting for our meals to arrive. The wait was a long one (pub short staffed) but well worth it as the food when it arrived was well up to this pub's high standard. One or two of our picnickers joined us for a drink before 5 of them opted to head off on the afternoon leg. The diners suitably replete set off 30 minutes later. The walk author's new route after the pub is a major improvement on the farm route and we observed the vines in the vineyard to be laden with bunches of red grapes, due for harvesting in a week or two.

We were fortunate with the weather today. It was mostly sunny and comfortably warmish with a gentle breeze at times, ideal for today's adventure. On reaching the RSPB centre in Pulborough Brooks early afternoon 3 decided to take tea there, with at least one taking the circular route back over the Brooks to Pulborough. That left 4 of us to continue to Amberley where we were reunited with the picnickers at the railway station. The 17-17 hrs service arrived on time to take 9 of us home, having enjoyed a fine day's walking in the best SWC company. During the day the walk's author had e-mailed me say he had wanted to join us on the walk but had to call in sick. We wish him a speedy recovery and thank him for writing such an excellent walk, full of variety, with one good stiff climb up onto the Downs to remove the cobwebs : and the views "on top" were wonderful today in the bright sunshine.

Correction to my walk report below: the car driver was actually on the train - having intentionally taken the service half an hour after our posted service: no-one saw him board the train. He also tells me he had one companion for his walk back to Pulborough from the RSPB centre, with the other walker who stopped for tea at the centre continuing alone to Amberley on a solo walk - I hope she made it OK.

The Overground to CLJ was down as well. Otherwise you would have had Unlucky 13 tagging along behind, whistling a happy tune and smiling a smiley face

Glad this walk has been changed given two other marathon walk/journey posted this saturday.

You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment....

Also Mike A's posting? That's also a shorter walk - you must have missed that Anonymous. Seems like a fair split with something for everyone - 2 short/moderate length walks in familiar territory, as well as one good leg-stretcher and a new location for the energetic and adventurous who don't mind an early morning.

Mike A's walk has been posted in the last hour or so, after our initial conversion. Good to see there is another shorter choice for Saturday.

Anonymous is spoilt for choice then (^_^)

23 at the station but I am reliably informed at least one was on a later train and one turned up after lunch having driven to Pulborough and hidden in his car to watch the group walk off, so 25 in all. As for the weather: 2 out of 10: must try harder. The Beeb had implied sunny intervals and showers: what we got was permacloud with showers in the afternoon . I kept thinking I must come back and try this walk at a sunnier time of year - mid June, for example.

OK, I am moaning a bit. There were a couple of sunny intervals. One nicely coincided with some of us getting to the RSPB cafe. We sat outside in the sunshine with a lovely view and nice Eccles cakes, and the temperature soared ten degrees and my mood fast-forwarded from October to August while sparrows and white doves sparred for cake crumbs. One of the party split off here to do the short circular route back to Pulborough - possibly the first time it has ever had an SWC outing.

We had split for lunch between the two pubs, the sandwichistas using this halt, as usual, to sneak off into the lead. Those of us who went to the White Horse found it a nice place, with a characterful interior, picture window views of the South Downs, and a pleasant enough garden, though as it was now drizzling we ate inside. There were few other diners and the food took a long-ish time to emerge, but was nice and well-portioned when it did (three times the size of the meal in the gourmet pub in Brill last week and half the price).

The 3km road walk after the RSPB place was somewhat marred by there being a gymkhana going on half way along it, which generated quite a bit of traffic. The climb up onto the downs - one of the loveliest in the south east in my humbles - was marred by rain (so no butterflies apart from one small heath who may have taken to the air to avoid being trodden on). But up on top the rain stopped and we had grand views.

I am assuming many ended in The Bridge Inn and got the 6.17 train. Three of us decided to try for the Amberley Village Tea Room and, arriving just ahead of their 5.10 cut-off, were admitted to the elect. After tea we decided to walk through the village, across the watermeadows and along the river to the station - an idyllic walk through lush grasses and interesting flowers on which unfortunately it decided to rain relentlessly. We dried off in The Bridge, shared a large chips and caught the 7.17.

Having spent a few days in London and here in Hastings I can tell you that it is a bit cooler on the coast. Perhaps a coastal amble. Dover - Deal?

How about Sandgate to folkestone?

No cancel that, can't attend

29 on this walk, including 2 late starters but not including the "walk inspector", who only joined us for tea at the RSPB reserve. The weather was drizzly at the start and finish with a bit of near sunshine in the early afternoon . In other words generally cloudy, but some were pleased not to be doing the walk in the heat we had earlier in the week.

Others should comment on the walk route not me, since I am its author, but in my hearing people reported themselves pleased with it. For me this was a walk of little pleasures - a meadow that was alive with chocolate-brown Ringlet butterflies, the flatlands of the Wild Brooks, loads of lesser stitchwort everywhere, the lush greenness of the verges and field corners.

14 or so of us lunched in the Rising Sun in its lovely garden. They huffed and puffed about the intrusion despite having almost no other customers but the food was good when it finally came. Some, I am told, tried the other pub. I would love to know how they got on, having never been there myself. It looked nice when we passed it and someone reported it had a garden.

I assumed most would stop at the RSPB centre for tea but only a handful did. It gets Brownie points for having vegan cakes. Those who did not stop had the Riverside Tea Garden at the end of the walk as their reward. Huge slabs of cake, I hear.

Some of us considered dining at The Bridge but it was too soon after tea so we took the 6.17 train instead. Seven of us then had a Thai meal near Victoria.

24 on this walk (including the walk inspector), possibly a winter Sunday record? Weather bright and sunny with a cool breeze in the afternoon . The going was good with only short stretches of mud. The large group gradually split up into smaller ones but most people I think continued past the first pub and a group of us stopped at the 2nd which was packed for a drink and sandwich.Here we saw a helicopter land in a nearby field (bit OTT for Mothers Day?) and we were then treated to the fine sight of four people in their Sunday best picking their way over the field to get to the pub.

We then made our way to the RSPB reserve where we stopped for refreshments which was rather spoiled by the slow service. (I joined the queue with 6 people in front of me and it took me 20 mins to be served.)

Next the long tarmac lane to the hill which we toiled up before setting the pace to catch the 16.20 train which we made easily with 15mins to spare. I wish I'd missed out the RSPB stop and enjoyed a drink at the Bridge but c'est la vie. A splendid day out and good to see "old faces" with tales of their recent foreign adventures.

The Rising Sun's announcement that they wouldn't be able to feed 20+ walkers came as no great surprise on Mother's Day, but the walk inspector had already prepared a cunning plan to get his Sunday lunch. His diligent research had spotted a few shortcuts and one of these got him and three companions to Nutbourne by 12.20, a good 15 minutes ahead of the pack. A tense negotiation with an initially hesitant landlady resulted in a table by the front window and four splendid lunches. Unfortunately we failed to attract the attention of the passing group but I'm sure they would have heartily congratulated us on our stratagem.

Suitably refreshed we then made a little detour to the nearby Nutbourne Manor Vineyard. However, it didn't look as if any wine tasting was on offer so we resumed our leisurely progress to Pulborough Brooks, slowed down by a few squelchy fields and muddy paths. The service in the RSPB Tea Room was no quicker at 3pm but we eventually got to enjoy tea on the veranda, speculating on which artist would have best painted the scene. The dark grey clouds which were now scudding overhead would have enlivened any landscape but they merely reinforced a joint decision to call it a day and head across the brooks to Pulborough (where we were pleased to find that a low embankment had been constructed across an often flooded field, potentially making this route practicable in all seasons). Apologies to the walk author for the numerous liberties we took with his directions, but we all greatly enjoyed our day.

Inn order to lessen numbers at the lunch time pub I did my own version of Pulborough to Amberley. I enjoyed bright sunshine and wonderful view of the Downs. i also managed to get served lunch at the White hart pub.

However the last part involved very very boggy Wild lands and will have to be re written.i was pleased I hadnt taken three unsuspecting Americans with me.

jfk

Nobody has mentioned the blocking of the path through the farmyard in paragraph 40 - just after the pub in Nutbourne. The field next to it was crisscrossed with electric fencing blocking three walking paths that go through it. Some of the fence was even attached to the footpath signs. There was also a sign warning of a bull in the field though we didn't see it. It seems that farmer doesn't like walkers. We spoke to some locals who said they would raise the issue with the village residents association. We eventually ducked under the electric fences to get back on the route.

In reply to the last comment, I noticed that taking the path through the farmyard (as per the directions) looked problematic and decided to take the more direct footpath going diagonally across the large field. The right of way is well marked with hand-painted "Footpath" signs and there are handles with insulation in the electric fences dividing up the field which you lift to get through. This alternative route wouldn't be quite so appealing if there had been a bull in the field, of course.