Ashington Bluebell Walk
Ashington Bluebell Circular Loop
9.8km – 6.1 miles Difficulty – Easy (note: this walk includes quite a few stiles)
Parking: Ashington Community Centre, 3 Foster Lane, Ashington, Pulborough, RH20 3PG.
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Please use an OS map or you can follow the route on Komoot in addition to our directions.
This walk starts in the small village of Ashington, just off the A24, and takes you across the footbridge over the A24 and into Capite Wood. The walk loops around Capite Wood, where there are bluebells galore, before heading back through a mixture of woods and fields, to the village. It is worth checking if there are any stalls at the Parish Yard in Ashington (just a minute up the road from the nursery) for a post-walk refreshment. On alternate weekends, the Oranges and Bananas stall is located there selling freshly squeezed orange juice, a range of banana smoothies and cakes and pastries.
Walk Directions
1. This walk begins at the Ashington Community Centre, which can be reached by following Church Lane off the main road through Ashington village. There is usually plenty of available parking here and it is free. From the car park, head back down Church Lane until you reach the main road. At the main road, take a left and head up the village past Co-op on the right. Continue until you reach Ashington Children’s Nursery on your right (which was the old church). Here follow the public bridleway sign which takes you down a narrow path to the left of the nursery.
2. The path shortly brings you out onto Cricketers Close – continue straight over the road, continuing to follow the public bridleway signs which bring you out at the footbridge over the A24. Cross over the footbridge and follow the path past the mounting block on your right.
3. You will then reach a signpost, where the path splits into three. Take the path in the middle and continue on this path for a while, which will take you through the woods.
4. After passing through the woods, continue to follow the signposts which will take you alongside a field to your right. The path will then split either left or right as shown by the signpost below. Take the path to the left and continue on this path which will bring you out at East Wolves Farm.
5. Follow the signposts through the farm, and when you reach the signpost below, take a right following the public footpath.
6. When you reach a stile, pass over the stile and continue North-East through this open field. The path then heads over a number of stiles (which have wooden hatches for dogs to get through!). After passing over the last stile, bringing you out of the field, continue right down the drive (Hook Farm is on your left). Continue down the drive until you reach a T-Junction. Here take a left down the metal road (as shown below) and continue along this road for a while.
7. This road will come out at Woodman’s Farm, where you will pass a large shed on your right and reach the signpost shown below. Here take a right and follow this path over a few small logs on the ground.
8. You are now entering Capite Wood, where hopefully there are plenty of bluebells! Follow the public footpath signs through the woods (essentially you are heading straight on or in an Easterly direction).
9. The path eventually comes out onto Honeybridge Lane, but you want to follow the path round to the right, continuing on the gravel path shown below.
10. Continue on this path for a while until it starts to bend round to the right. Here follow the signpost straight ahead instead of taking the path to the right, which takes you through a gate into a field. Continue through this field which takes you towards Daylands Farm. Once you reach the signpost shown below, take the path to the right which takes you between the crops.
11. Pass through the gate and follow the path straight ahead, past Daylands Farm on the right. Follow the path down the hill and cross over the small bridge. After passing over the bridge, head through the metal kissing gate as shown below, and follow this path through the woods, where there are more bluebells to be seen as well as wood anemones!
12. After passing through the woods, take a left at the end and through the gate which brings you out into an open field. Continue following the signpost across the field.
13. Follow the path running along the right side of the field, and through the gate. Continue through the next field. As the path heads into a shadier area, follow the signpost below, taking the path leading off to the right over a small bridge.
14. The path then heads to the right, before shortly heading left bringing you out into a large open field. Head straight ahead through the middle of this large field. There is a signpost halfway across this field as shown below, and although missing the other half of the sign (!) continue straight ahead, until you eventually exit the field.
15. Continue straight ahead on the path running alongside the wooden fencing until you pass a greenhouse on your left and a house. Carry straight ahead on the large white stoned path which brings you to the signpost below. You are back at the drive leading up to Hook Farm, so you will need to retrace your steps (unfortunately back over the stiles!) and back across the footbridge to Ashington.
We hope you enjoyed this walk! If you have tried out this walk, we would love to hear your
feedback – please send us an email to info@discoversussex.org or you can drop us a
message via the contact form on our website or send us an Instagram message.
