On the South Downs Way to Blackcap

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Walk directions

Leave the car park at the bottom corner, by the recycling bins, and follow Brook Street. At the junction with St John’s Hill, turn right beside the L-shaped pond (a former millpond), passing the entrance to the Pells outdoor swimming pool. At the footbridge, do not cross but rather turn left on the Sussex Ouse Valley Way, along the river.

Just after a railway building marked ‘Offham TP Hut’, go through a gate and turn left under the railway bridge. Go along the field edge by a water channel, and through a gate into woods (the site of the foot of the inclined railway). Turn right on the woodland track. Eventually keep to the left of a pylon.

Emerge on the road opposite Offham church, turn left and cross the A275 opposite the Blacksmith’s Arms. Turn left along the pavement, then after the last house (Toll Cottage) turn right into woodland, immediately forking right. The track rises steadily.

At the next waymarker go through the gate on the right (leaving the track) and follow blue arrow markers through the woodland, eventually rising to an open strip up on the left, along the edge of the woods. On emerging onto downland, go forward, keeping to the left of the nearest pylon, and pick up a path, through a gate and forking left up to the fire beacon on Mount Harry. Go along the top of the escarpment to the trig point on Blackcap, then carry on.

Just beyond a gate, turn left onto the South Downs Way. After a gate, fork left at a signpost. At the end of the field, between two gates, leave the South Downs Way by bearing half left along a fence on your right. At the fence corner carry on down, on a grassy path, to descend into Ashcombe Bottom.

Cross over the track and take the rising path half right opposite. Enter a field and turn left along the edge to a gateway, then half right to a gate on the skyline (to the right of the rightmost pylon). Carry on half right, eventually reaching a gate into woodland. Turn left.

Turn right at a T-junction with a chalky track. Descend past gallops and stables of the former Lewes racecourse. Keep ahead through a gate near the buildings, on a hard track which becomes a lane. Where this turns left, go ahead on the bridleway on the left side of a hedge. Ignore cross-tracks and follow this for 1 mile (1.6km).

At a T-junction near buildings, turn left, past the wall of Lewes Prison. Cross the A275, take De Montfort Road ahead, then walk down Paddock Lane. At the end cross by the Elephant and Castle pub, and go down St John’s Terrace (which becomes St John’s Hill), turning right at the bottom to reach the car park.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Footpaths and downland tracks

Landscape - River banks, woodland, downland

Dog friendliness - Lead required where sheep are grazing and in town

Parking - Brook Street pay-and-display car park, off North Street

Toilets en route - Several in Lewes

Walks in East Sussex Dog-friendly walks in East Sussex

About the walk

The South Downs National Park encompasses Lewes, the largest town within a national park in England and Wales. The placid river scenery of the Ouse just north of the town and the Downs immediately outside create an abrupt transition into deep countryside. From the river you look towards Hamsey’s...

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Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

East Sussex is a land of stately homes, castles and the South Downs, with miles of chalk cliffs overlooking the English Channel. For history buffs, there are a great many historic landmarks within Sussex, such as the battlefield where the Battle of Hastings took place, or visitors can enjoy pretty towns such as Lewes, Rye and Uckfield and the city of Brighton.