We’re a Ramblers group aimed mainly at people in their 20s, 30s and a bit beyond, offering guided hikes and social events across Herts, Beds and south Cambs.
Join us at the end of May for a long weekend in West Sussex, where we’ll have four varied walks in and around the seaside town of Worthing - including a South Downs hike, a coastal walk and a stroll around the rewilding project at Knepp Castle. We'll also have evening meals on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
There is no obligation to join every walk or group meal but please be confident you can attend for most of the weekend before you book your place.
Organiser: Al M
Booking:
Booking opens 6pm Thurs 12 Feb.
The weekend is exclusive to current (paid-up) members of the Ramblers. Space is limited to 16 people. Book your place by clicking the ‘Attend’ button on the Meetup event page. If the event is full, click ‘join waitlist’ and you will be added if a place becomes available.
After booking your place, please complete our spreadsheet to tell us about which meals you plan to attend, any dietary requirements and offers of car-sharing. Please complete this as soon as possible and by 30 April at the latest.
The usual Stag Walkers booking policy applies: please book only if confident you can attend and remember to update your RSVP if you have to cancel, and DON’T NO-SHOW unless it is absolutely unavoidable. If you no-show three times, without extenuating circumstances, we will decline further bookings from you for a period of six weeks.
Accommodation:
When you have confirmed your place, please book your own accommodation. Prompt booking is recommended. Worthing has many options for hotels (e.g. Travelodge and Premier Inn on the seafront), B&Bs, guesthouses and Airbnb. The nearest campsites are at Wild Heart Hill, Findon or Fox Wood, Patching (20 mins drive) and there is a YHA hostel along the coast at Littlehampton (c. 25 mins drive or train). Feel free to post on the event page if looking to share accommodation with other members.
Transport:
Worthing is around 2.5 hours away by road or rail from Herts. Please consider car-sharing if possible.
Meals:
Details of restaurants for Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be provided nearer the time of the trip. Alternatively, you are welcome to make your own arrangements for dinner if you prefer.
Walks:
Friday 29 May: Worthing Twittens, Parks & Pier - 5.5mi - Leisurely, Circular
Starts 4.30pm at Worthing railway station, Railway Approach, Worthing BN11 1UR.
This afternoon walk will explore the seaside resort town of Worthing, heading up and down several twittens (a local word for alleyways which were once field paths), through public parks and gardens and along the promenade and pier. The route is flat and on surfaced paths so trainers are recommended.
Saturday 30 May: South Downs, Cissbury & Chanctonbury - 13mi - Moderate, Circular
Starts 10.30am outside Findon Valley Library, Lime Tree Ave, Findon Valley, Worthing BN14 0DH.
Free on-street parking or accessible by bus no. 1 from Worthing to Findon Valley (alight at Hillview Rise).
This hilly hike begins just north of Worthing and visits two Iron Age hill forts in the scenic South Downs National Park. After a steep climb to Cissbury Ring (one of the largest hill forts in Europe) we'll meet the South Downs Way south of Chanctonbury Ring. We'll have an early lunch enjoying the views from this beech-covered hilltop then drop down to Washington for a drink at the village pub. Another steep climb takes us back onto the South Downs ridge before we turn south back to our start point.
For those who prefer a shorter walk, there is a drop out option after 6 miles at Washington where you can catch the bus back to the start point or to Worthing.
Boots or walking shoes are recommended. Bring a packed lunch.
Sunday 31 May: Knepp Wilding Walk - 9mi - Leisurely, Circular
Starts 10.30am at Knepp Walkers Car Park, off Worthing Road (A24 access road), Dial Post, RH13 8NQ.
£5 suggested cash donation for parking. Accessible by bus no. 23 from Worthing to Partridge Green Turn then 1.5mi walk to car park via Castle Lane and the Orange Trail, but driving and car-sharing highly recommended.
A leisurely stroll around the Knepp estate, as documented in the book and film 'Wilding'. Here we'll hope to see Exmoor ponies, longhorn cattle, deer and rare storks - bring binoculars for a good view.
We'll visit viewing platforms in the trees and a bird hide by the lake, and have a pub stop at The Countryman Inn in Shipley, where we'll also pass the windmill home of TV's Jonathan Creek.
The route is mainly through farmland, parkland and woodland, with some gentle slopes. Boots are recommended in wet weather. Bring a packed lunch.
Monday 1 June: England Coast Path to Goring Gap & Littlehampton - 9.5mi - Leisurely, Linear
Starts 10.30am on The Promenade, Marine Parade, Worthing BN11 3QP, opposite Heene Road.
Free parking on Marine Parade west of Heene Road (approx 1mi from West Worthing railway station).
The final walk of our long weekend is a linear route to the resort town of Littlehampton, mostly along the England Coast Path, with a detour to the Goring Gap (an area of woodland and farmland backing onto the coast), inland to the village of Ferring, alongside the Ferring Rife stream and through the hamlet of East Kingston. We then proceed along public footpaths through private estates to reach Littlehampton before leaving the coast at the mouth of the River Arun.
The route is flat throughout on a mix of pavement, rural footpaths, greensward and some shingle. Bring a packed lunch.
Optional pub stop near Littlehampton railway station before catching the train back to West Worthing (£6.50 standard fare) or Worthing (£7.70).
Any questions?
If you've not been to a Stag Walkers weekend away before, they are a great chance to explore somewhere new and to spend some time socialising with other members of the group.
If you have any questions about the weekend, please post on the Meetup event page.
About the organisers
This event is hosted by Stag Walkers - we are a Ramblers group aimed mainly at people in their 20s and 30s but all are welcome and we have members of all ages. We run weekly walks, on Saturdays or Sundays, varying in length from around 5 to 15 miles, and we host regular social nights. Walks and socials generally take place across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and south Cambridgeshire.
For details of how to join the Ramblers and how much it costs please see our website.
We will be based in Worthing, West Sussex BN11. Worthing is around 2.5 hours away by road or rail from Herts. Please consider car-sharing if possible. See full description for walk start points.
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