Both Amberley and Arundel have many reasons to visit. They are beautiful, historic, they both have a castle and museum, as well as excellent places to eat. This 6.5 km Amberley to Arundel walk takes you well off the beaten track from one town to the other other, through sleepy valleys and countryside, via two ancient churches, along the banks of the river Arun and over the “Gurkha Bridge”.
In parts of this walk you could be forgiven for thinking you’re in a remote and forgotten corner of Sussex as you walk secluded paths with no one but birds and cattle for company.
Logistics
Catch the train to Amberley (regular trains from London take just over an hour). As you leave the station, Amberley Heritage Museum is immediately in front of you, and you’ll find two good pubs and the Amberley Tea Room close by.
If you wish to visit Amberley Castle, it’s about 2 km to the north. Perhaps book an overnight stay and start your walk in the morning. Your walk finishes in Arundel and there are regular trains from there back to London.
Amberley to North Stoke
From the station at Amberley, walk down the road a short distance to the The Bridge Inn and The Boathouse. Between these two pubs is a quiet, narrow lane that will take you to the first stop on this walk, North Stoke. It’s a distance of about 2 km.
Alternatively, take the footpath that runs along the south side of the river. Follow the path and it will bring you out on the lane just outside North Stoke, a village that was recorded in the Domesday Book.
Before you walk onwards, visit the church which dates back to the 11th century. There are the faint remains of Medieval wall paintings, a mass dial and a 13th-century font. The views across the water meadows towards Arundel Park are stunning. You may also spot a red London bus parked up roadside.
North Stoke to South Stoke
Just to the left of the phone box in North Stoke is a narrow footpath that leads to a sloping field down to woodland. You’re in a little valley surrounded by the South Downs and it feels quite magical. In the distance you can see South Stoke church.
As you enter the woods, you quickly come to the Gurkha Bridge. Surrounded by thick, lush woodland and a swampy area below, on a hot day, you may feel like you’ve been transported to an exotic jungle as you bounce and wobble across the bridge. It was re-built by British Army Gurkhas after being damaged in a storm.
If you want to drive from North Stoke to South Stoke, it’s a trip of just over 12 km. To walk it, via this Amberley to Arundel walk, it is 1.5 km, so it’s not hard to imagine the folk of yesteryear travelling this way. Once you’re over the bridge, follow the narrow woodland path, until it comes on the edge of the river once more from where you follow it onto a dirt track of a lane, across another bridge and into the tiny hamlet of South Stoke.
South Stoke to Arundel
South Stoke almost feels like an island as the river bends its way around it from north west, clockwise, to south. Both the village and the church get a mention in the Domesday Book and the unusual church is enchanting.
Head back to the river but don’t recross the bridge. Instead, take the riverside path that heads south. Stick to the riverside path and it will lead you all the way to Arundel.
You’ll pass the Black Rabbit pub at Offham and skirt round the outside of the Wetland Centre. Here, you can either leave the river behind turning right and coming on to the road at Swanbourne Lake or stick to the river path all the way to the foot of the town. If you go this latter route, you will enjoy magnificent views of Arundel Castle castle across the water meadows and wetlands.
It’s about 4.5 km from South Stoke to Arundel, although there are slightly quicker routes if you’re tiring.
When you arrive in Arundel, either stay for a day exploring or hop on a train back home.
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