Pulborough is a great place for walks and walking, whether you want long trails, history, bird life or a gentle potter. Here is the first of a number of Pulborough walks that we’ll be featuring. In addition to which, if you are looking for trails in the area, the West Sussex Literary Trail and the Wey South Path both skirt around Pulborough and you are not far from the South Downs Way.
To take full advantage of the amazing surrounding countryside, park at Pulborough Brooks south of the town and on the A283. Parking is £3 for a whole day. Alternatively, get the train to Pulborough and a bus to Pulborough Brooks.
Trespasser!
Look out for the sculpture Trisantonis by local artist, Jon Edgar, as you arrive at Pulborough Brooks. Around 150 AD, the river Arun was called the Trisantonis. It means trespasser and reflects the river’s tendency to flood. The sculpture is made from Pulborough stone and was made in 2013/4 at Wiggonholt.
Wild Art Trail
The Wild Art Trail is a 4 km trail from Pulborough Brooks to the train station. Or you can, of course, walk it the other way around starting at the station, have a coffee at Pulborough Brooks and then walk back again. There is apparently an app you can download to help explain the trail but it doesn’t seem to work which is a shame because I feel the trail would make more sense with it. As an alternative, take a photo of the map at the start point.
The route is well waymarked, and sells itself as having 17 “specially designed wildlife themed sculptures”. These are made up as follows: there are large designs at the beginning, middle and end, eight are illustrations on the top of the finger posts and four are large designs on lamp posts in Lower Street. The app apparently has a photo guide that tells about some of the wildlife in the area and history of the places you are walking through.
A walk of two halves
Shortcomings of the app aside, it’s a lovely walk. Leaving from Pulborough Brooks, the first half is wonderfully rural, and you pass the very pretty and small, 12th century Wiggonholt church. This is part of a family of four churches (St Michael’s Amberley, St Peter’s Parham and Greatham Church being the others).
From there, you cross the nature reserve until you meet the river Arun, which you follow until you can see the village. Then you head across a short stretch of land (which must get very waterlogged in winter) and come out in Barn House Lane which meets Lower Street and the main part of Pulborough village. There are cafés here if you fancy a pitstop.
To keep walking, you turn left onto Lower Street and walk along the pavement until the first footpath off to the right. You’re heading for the church which you can see ahead of you, and after a short climb through a field, you come out by The Chequers Hotel and cross the road to the church. There is a helpful information board of the views beyond.
St Mary’s is another Medieval church although it is much larger than Wiggonholt but the door was sadly locked.
Carry on down the lane and at the railway bridge, the footpath is off to your right and will take you alongside the tracks to the station.
If you want to retrace your steps back to Pulborough Brooks, you can take a slightly different route. When you get back to Lower Street carry on walking until just before Marehill, and then turn right down the footpath which will take you all the way back to Wiggonholt via the site of the old Roman baths.
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