WALKS IN SUSSEX at EAST LAVANT & THE TRUNDLE (SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK)

In this episode of my series “ Walks in Sussex”, I take a 5 mile circular walk starting & finishing in the pretty village of East Lavant which is located 3 miles North of Chichester. Once again I am accompanied by my Whippet, Logan.
I park my car in a layby in Sheepwash lane near the village green / cricket pitch and start off with a wander around East Lavant and an exploration of the delightful church of St Marys (inside & out).
My countryside walk takes me from the village, Northwards along a bridleway towards the outskirts of West Dean. Along the way I make a small detour to check out the disused Midhurst to Chichester railway line.
On reaching the splendid flint wall at the boundary of the West Dean Estate, I head Eastwards and start my gradual ascent of The Trundle (also known as St Roche's Hill). There are some stunning views to the South to enjoy as I climb including the Isle of Wight, Chichester & Chichester Harbour as well as the Goodwood Motor Racing circuit.
There was once an Iron Age Hill Fort at the top of the Trundle and the remains of the earthworks can still easily be made out today. Walking around to the Eastern side of the hill, there are some magnificent views of Goodwood racecourse - surely one of the prettiest racecourses in the country.
My homeward journey back to East Lavant is all downhill along Chalkpit lane, passing the Lavant caves (location of excavations of a Neolithic flint mine in the last 19th century) and Bexley Bushes where there are remains of an Iron age settlement.
My final destination is The Royal Oak pub in East Lavant where I got to enjoy a pint of the local ale - called Lavant Corner.
Map courtesy of Google Maps.
Music by Original Spruce (Copyright owner). Permission for me to use this track has been given to me by the copyright owner. 2022. Tracks (in order of appearance in the video): 1) Eko Eko ,2) Nicely Stone, 3) Pembrokeshire, 4) Open The G, 5) ,Martin Down 6) Marching The Moors & 7) No Time For Lillies. To download these tracks & other music by Original Spruce go to spruce1.bandcamp.com/album/fi...
For further videos in the series, please go to: / @daveford or my website at daveford5966.wixsite.com/website
My Facebook page is: / davescountrysidewalks
I use a GOPRO HERO 7, 8 or 10 Black Action Camera (sometimes with a Gimbal) & a Rode microphone (either a “Shotgun” or a Rode Wireless Go) together with a Canon Powershot SX530 HS.

[@jhnshearn51]

Another wonderful walk Dave, really enjoyed the extra history regarding yourself growing up in that area, most enjoyable thankyou kindly.

[@craigmarsh3221]

Good evening dave yet another fantastic video very enjoyable lots of interesting about the history brilliantly filmed and edited makes my day thank you dave.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Craig. Glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@melissaphillips3088]

Dave you pick some of the most beautiful places for your walks. Just lovely scenery. Wished I could go on walks throughout this beautiful country of yours. Thanks again to you and Logan for showing us around. 👏🏻🇺🇸

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Melissa. The top of the Trundle is a great place for views, that is for sure!

[@keithjoseph5671]

Stunning walking tour in the countryside of Sussex with beautiful places

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Keith. Sussex at it's very best for sure!

[@JimNicholls]

As a Sussex man now exiled 12,000 miles away, I enjoyed this very much, as I have your other Sussex walks (and others). My last visit to Goodwood was back in the 1960s, when I was photographer for the West Sussex gazette. Those were great days!

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Jim, glad that you are enjoying the series. I was a regular reader of the WSG (as well as the Chi Observer) when I lived in area.

[@nickjh1968]

Another lovely walk sir, just beautiful views and historical facts to boot, wonderful! Looked like Logan enjoyed it too( great shot of him atop the trig point)😄

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Nick. I have lost count of the number of Trig points that Logan has "bagged" now!

[@eldred1809]

Hi Dave, great video as usual, I particularly like the Trundle Hill King sat on his trig-point throne. Keep up the good work

[@DaveFord]

Thank you. Yes, there is just about enough room for him to sit on top!

[@jeanblemings5352]

One of my favourite walks but as usual you have lots of extra bits of information I did not know about - so thank you! Also strangely I have never been in the church though I have walked by it often. There are also good views down to Singleton from the back (north) of the Trundle as I expect you saw. Glad the trig got bagged and you did not seem to fall foul of the threatening clouds!

[@DaveFord]

I think we got lucky with the weather .... I was convinced that we would get wet!

[@laviniagray5637]

You have done it again! Picked the most beautiful day to take a walk in Sussex a place I love. Okay What did we get at the "pit Stop". thanks to both of you.

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Lavinia. I was very good this time .... just a coffee!

[@davidkeel]

Great video Dave. It's nice to know you were born in Chichester. I frequent it often from Bognor Regis. Not sure if you know that the old Almshouses in Chi has it's own church in the grounds and people live inside the walls of that church. It's on the history of Chichester walking tour. Anyway apart from that I really liked the video again. Lovely compositions / views. Lots of interesting information to tell us of the local history that lots of people like myself didn't know about. Great ! Have given it a thumbs up as always. And I used to drive my car down that old Chalk Pit Lane in my younger days for some excitement... nearly scaring to death my friends in the back. : ) David.

[@DaveFord]

Thanks David. I must do a walk that includes Chichester sometime as it has so much history. I worked in Bognor for about 6 years in the 1990's - I expect it has changed a bit since then! Thank you for watching.

[@lionelmarytravels6003]

A superb video there Dave. Loads of interest throughout. The dried up river bed and the old railway track bed. I imagine that river is probably flowing by now. Not sure if Midhurst has a railway anymore, whereas it was quite a large junction in the 50s. Beautiful scenery from up on those downs with views of the Isle of Wight and Chichester, plus a good view of Goodwood race course. Fancy you being a member there. Would have thought one would have to be titled to be allowed in there. Did you have any big wins on the horses?

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Lionel. Alas, all my wins at Goodwood were "little ones"!