SPRING has sprung and Brits are lacing up their walking boots and heading out to get their steps in.
In the UK, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to forest rambles, circular trails and hilly hikes.
In the UK, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to forest rambles, circular trails and hilly hikes.[/caption]
Near Ditchling in East Sussex, the National Trust’s 6km Wolstonbury Hill nature walk takes ramblers through verdant woodland[/caption]
But there’s one route you’ll certainly want to add to your rotation as we hop into the third season of the year.
Located near the village of Hassocks in East Sussex, the National Trust’s 6km Wolstonbury Hill nature walk takes ramblers through verdant woodland and across chalk cliffs.
The circular stroll is also a convenient pick for a spring excursion as trekkers can enjoy patches of eye-catching bluebells and take in the pungent scent from rows of wild garlic.
As the walk begins and ends at a charming pub, punters can enjoy the fruits of their labour with a hearty meal washed down with cold pint or glass of bubbly.
THE WALK
You can expect to tick off the Wolstonbury Hill trail in a couple of hours if you’re the average Joe or Jane.
The route begins at the Jack & Jill Inn in Clayton, a small village around a 20-minute walk from Hassocks station.
You can reach the latter in just over an hour by train from London Victoria station.
If you want to extend your walk, you’re welcome to take a slight detour and make a bee line for the postcard village of Ditchling.
It was here where beloved author and illustrator Raymond Briggs lived during the final years of his life before passing away aged 88 in 2022.
Briggs – best known for his 1978 story The Snowman – loved the rolling hills of the South Downs and used them as inspiration in many of his drawings.
The walk can be dizzying as there are plenty of ziggzaggs and
But be sure to keep your eyes peels for two things you can only lock your eyes with during Spring.
Bluebells usually flower from late March to early May, but it does vary from year to year.
However, they can be found dotted around throughout the walk, so don’t panic if you think you’ve missed them as you chalk up the kilometres.
Elsewhere, walkers will very likely smell the pungent scent of wild garlic – known as ramsons.
Some visitors stuff as many as they can in carrier bags to use when they get home.
The leaves can be chopped and drizzled on salads, blended to make pesto or used in soups.
The National Trust has an exhaustive breakdown of the full Wolstonbury Hill route, so it’s best to check each step on your phone as you work through your journey.
It was here where beloved author and illustrator Raymond Briggs lived during the final years of his life before passing away aged 88 in 2022.[/caption]
WELL-DESERVED DRINK
The Jack and Jill Inn is a wonderfully eccentric family-run pub at the foot of the South Downs National Park.
And after a bruising couple of hours navigating bridleways and steep chalk paths, a plate of piping hot grub and a stiff drink is always welcomed.
The bar area is decked out with ornaments from seemingly every decade from the last century.
Be sure to enjoy the interior but grab your drinks and head outside to enjoy an encore of spectacular views of the South Downs.
The watering hole’s food menu reads like a short story – with staff dishing up everything from pork and fennel sausages dripping in ale gravy and accompanied by mustard mash to a fresh sea bass fillet neatly plated up with capers and wilted spinach.
The Harman family have headed operations since the 70s and pride themselves on sourcing local ingredients.
The route begins at the Jack & Jill Inn in Clayton, a small village around a 20-minute walk from Hassocks station.[/caption]
All their fish is caught by the nearby Sussex coast, while herbs and salads are delicately picked from their garden area out back.
So walk, eat, drink and be merry before heading back home as dusk starts to set.
