The Royal Oak sits snug, tucked down out of sight in a steep cleft of the Sussex Downs a few miles north of Chichester.
First published in: The Times Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window
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It’s hard to prise the regulars out of this delightful walker-friendly pub, especially Shagger Shepherd. Old Shagger hasn’t left the place since 1680, when he was shot dead in the bar for stealing sheep. He’s been seen by many since then, and photographed by landlord Dave Jeffery. If you should meet Shagger, don’t offer your hand – it’ll go straight through him.
On a steamy, showery morning we set out from the Royal Oak up a broad flinty track through woods of yew and fern beech on Philliswood Down. The pale sun struck gold out of the grass hummocks of the Devil’s Jumps – five Bronze Age bell barrows in a row, lined up with the rising sun at midsummer solstice. Out of the trees on the open downs, the ancient track of the South Downs Way stretched into the distance along the ridge, a ribbon of pale grass and rutted chalk. The view opened out dramatically, pastoral lowlands stretching away north from the foot of the downs escarpment, and a southward prospect of snaky cornfields and woods dipping to a hazy hint of sea.
We turned off the South Downs Way with its hurtling cyclists, and dipped steeply down a woodland path through the yews on Didling Hill. There are still enough sheep in the pastures below to get Shagger Shepherd shot all over again, but long gone are the great days of Sussex Downs sheep farming. Back then the shepherds in broad-brimmed hats and thick cloaks would give thanks in the little chapel of St Andrew, known far and wide as the Shepherds’ Church, in its lonely stance by the lane to Didling.
In one of the diminutive, iron-hard oak pews we sat out a quiet ten minutes, overseen by the fiercely moustached Green Man carved on the pulpit. Then we walked on through timeless farming landscape, from mellow, red-tiled Didling to neat little Treyford. Back up a stiff old track round Mount Sinai to the roof of the downs under clearing skies, and on through rolling barley fields. Obliterated by the green and gold corn lies the herb-rich sward where Sussex Downs shepherds once stood in all weathers, solitary men with their chins on their crooks, ever alert for bloat and scab, rough winds and rustlers.
Start & finish: Royal Oak Inn, Hooksway, near Chichester PO18 9JZ (OS ref SU 815162)
Getting there: Hooksway is signed off B2141 between Petersfield and Chichester. Park at Royal Oak – but please ask permission, and give them your custom!
Walk (6 miles, moderate grade, OS Explorer 120): From Royal Oak turn north-east up broad track, the middle one of 3 (red arrow/RA, ‘Restricted Byway’). At crossing of tracks on Philliswood Down, keep ahead on South Downs Way (824169). In ¾ mile, leave the trees; in 300m turn left (837174; ‘bridleway’, blue arrow/BA) to descend Didling Hill. In ¼ mile, on left curve, turn right up bank (833177; yellow arrow/YA on post) to descend steep woodland path. On down road to pass Didling church (835181). In Didling, keep ahead (‘Ingrams Green’); in 150m, left (837185; YA, fingerpost) through Manor Farm farmyard. Cross stile; follow YAs through hunting gates and along hedges for ½ mile. Cross stile; down through trees, over stream (827187); keep ahead (fingerpost, YA) to road on bend in Treyford. Right (ahead) to T-junction (824188). Left; on left bend, ahead through farmyard (fingerpost). Follow stiles and YAs into field with earthworks. At bottom left corner, cross stile; right (823185; ‘bridleway, BA) along bridleway between fences for ½ mile. At crossing of bridleways, ahead (BA); at next hedge crossing, left (815188; ‘Public right of way’; purple arrow/PA on fingerpost in bush); up trackway between hedges. In 150m, left (PA) up steep track through Mount Sinai wood. In 250m, ahead across track (PA); at top of incline, ahead (816183; ‘Restricted Byway’, PA). In 350m, at junction of paths, cross wide chalk track (815179) and keep ahead on grassy path through trees. In 600m, descend to trackway (816173). Ahead (‘Public right of way’, fingerpost). In 50m, ahead through gate (‘bridleway’, BA); cross field and follow bridleway to Hooksway.
Lunch: Royal Oak, Hooksway (roaring fires, resident spectre, good beer and food): 01243-535257; www.royaloakhooksway.co.uk
More info: Tourist Information Centre, 29a South Street, Chichester (01243-775888, www.visitchichester.org);
www.ramblers.org.uk www.satmap.com www.LogMyTrip.co.uk