1 - From Southease Station join the lane and turn right, signposted as the South Downs Way to Alfriston. Opposite the entrance to Itford House on your left, turn right with the South Downs Way.

Cross the new bridle bridge over the A26 and follow a clear track obliquely up on to Itford Hill. At a way post, turn sharply left and continue to climb with a fence on your right. Where the fence turns away to the right, go ahead, soon curving right on a well-trodden unfenced grassy path, which climbs to pass the trig point next to Red Lion Pond.

2 - About 150 yards short of the twin masts on Beddingham Hill and just before a cattle grid, turn left across grass, walking parallel and a few yards to the left of the tarmac road, which comes up from the foot of the Downs at this point.

There is no path for the first few yards, after which you can feed into and follow a path that curves left on a descending terrace in a wide arc round the side of a downland combe. This path is not marked as a right of way on OS maps but is within a large area of open access land.

3 - Towards the bottom of the hill, just short of a gate, turn right, walking parallel to a fence on your left. Where this fence turns away to the left, follow the track, now less distinct as it curves right along the side of the combe, then left across the valley and left again, obliquely up the opposite slope to join the access road coming down from the top of the Downs.

Turn left and follow this road for a little over half a mile out to the A27. Cross the main road and turn left along the recently opened cycle track, which runs behind the hedge, parallel and to the right of the A27.

4 - After almost half a mile, turn right over a stile and sharply back to the right, across the corner of a field to pass through a hedge gap, across another field and through a gateway in a second hedge.

From here a path, well- preserved across the current arable crop, heads half-left across a field. On the other side of the field, join and follow a left field-edge. Go over a footbridge and on in the same direction across grass and up shallow steps. A narrow path squeezes along the right edge of a garden to join a road.

Turn left and walk into Glynde, passing the conveniently placed Trevor Arms to reach Glynde Station, where the shorter walk ends.

5 - For the longer walk continue along the road into Glynde village, passing the village smithy on your right. Shortly turn left along Ranscombe Lane, passing the village shop on your left.

A few yards past the shop, go right through a bridle gate, follow a trodden path across pasture to another gate and then climb steadily up on to the Caburn downland, with a fence on your left. Over another stile, maintain direction steadily up to the top of the ridge.

6 - At a crossing track you have the option of a there-and-back detour to the left, up to the summit of The Caburn, adding about half a mile to the walk but not to be missed. At 491ft above sea level, the view from the top is an exceptional one across the valley to the main ridge of the Downs traversed earlier in the walk. The area is a designated National Nature Reserve and is the site of an Iron Age fort.

To complete the walk, go straight ahead from point six, over the crossing track and the stile opposite, from which a clear unfenced path drops steadily downhill. At the bottom of the hill, go over a stile and follow a path along the floor of a quiet downland valley (Oxteddle Bottom).

Pass to the left of a circular fenced pond, go through a bridle gate and bear left. After 60 yards, at a waypost, fork right, obliquely up across a field to another gate and on along the hillside, continuing to gain height.

Go through a third gate and straight on across open downland. Pass through a car park next to Lewes Golf Clubhouse and follow the access drive down into Lewes. For part of the way, there is a path on the bank to the left of the road which offers a magnificent view over Lewes.

From the bottom of the hill go straight ahead along the pedestrianised Malling High Street. Cross the River Ouse and after a few yards, go left for the railway station and a train back to Southease.

  • Distance/Time: Five or ten miles
  • By Car: Roadside parking is possible in several places on either side of the River Ouse to the west of Southease Station, accessible by car only from the west. Choice of car parks in Lewes
  • By Public Transport: Train between Southease and Lewes. Train from Glynde to Lewes from end of shorter walk
  • What’s underfoot: Excellent walking along good paths and tracks, and across open downland. Several substantial ascents, long but all well graded
  • Thirsty Work: Trevor Arms pub at Glynde. Choice of pubs and cafes in Lewes
  • So you don’t get lost: OS Explorer Map 122

Click here for a full-sized map of the Southease to Lewes walk

  • My next walk, which will be published in The Magazine on September 22, will be my last one for The Argus. It is another linear route, linked to today’s walk, taking you on from Lewes Station, over the Downs to the northern edge of Brighton.