Wey-South Path Section 2 Cranleigh - Billingshurst

Canal Bed

After the appetiser a few weeks ago, I was keen to get back to this path although I knew that the next section from Cranleigh to Billingshurst would require longer than the extended evening walks/ cycle rides that I have been doing during the summer. It has been almost three months since I last did a walk of greater distance than 8-10 miles and so I thought this would be a good one to kick off the autumn season back on my three weekly frequency between days out. In truth it was a late substitute though as I had planned a trip along the seafront, but a forced mid afternoon start had put me off.

Scarcely Noticeable

Billingshurst is not the typical place to begin or end a walk using the Wey South Path, since it is a good mile off route, but it is an easy place to use public transport across a surprisingly remote and rural part of West Sussex/ Surrey. Since the demise of the rail route through Cranleigh, a less obvious interchange between buses is needed in the village of Slinfold. Despite being only about ten miles apart the bus journey between the two ends of the route is approximately fifty minutes, with a fifteen minute wait outside the Red Lyon pub in Slinfold.

In Water

I didn’t get to Cranleigh until almost 3pm, leaving about five and a bit hours to cover the twelve miles along the Wey South path to Billingshurst. At my normally steady 2.5 – 3 miles an hour that did not leave much room for manoeuvre. On reaching Cranleigh I retraced my steps up the Downs Link for a short distance until I regained the canal route just north of Rye Farm. Initially although on the route it was almost impossible to tell for the canal bed was obliterated although the path itself followed the original line. There was no going north along the line of the towpath though, any temptation was quickly extinguished by a warning sign of private property and dogs patrolling. Luckily I was heading south and within a few yards, a very overgrown stretch of canal started, mostly out of view behind a huge thicket of brambles but there nonetheless. I don’t know why but this early re-acquaintance got me quite excited about the exploration ahead.

Improved Section

The brambles eventually gave way to more established hedge and tree growth, enabling me to get down into the canal bed and have a closer look. There was no water and the canal bed was surprisingly wide and shallow. I wasn’t sure if it had been this way when built or had suffered some infilling over the years. As I continued past the very attractive Rye Farm, the canal bed got wetter and by the time I reached Elmbridge there was some very weed choked surface water.

Approaching Dunsfold

Elmbridge is still used by the B2130 road to Godalming and despite the fact that it has not been necessary for the canal for over 130 years, it still appears to be its original width and on occasion must cause a bit of a hold up for traffic since only one car can pass at a time. I also got very confused about the way forward here and thought I was going mad when the map suggested that the route continued due south of the bridge and I was confronted by a very high fence. Eventually I realised that a very high gate at the side of the bridge was actually where I was supposed to go and wasn’t just a private entrance to a garden. Clearly the owner does not want to go out of his way to publicise the route over his land. As it was I felt quite uncomfortable crossing the garden, while a couple of children were playing there. On the right of me where the canal should have been was completely infilled and built upon, leaving the path as the only remnant of the route (presumably a left over right of way?). I was glad to be across the garden and continued southwards. Further along the infilling was obviously still carrying on as a woman was returning with a wheelbarrow from the head of the tipping area. The canal here is being filled in with tree cuttings and any vestige is slowly being removed. I am sure having the hollow would be a pain if you had plans for the land, but I couldn’t help thinking that this behaviour is seriously undermining the effort going on elsewhere to restore the route.

Three Compasses

South of the tipping head and the canal bed was in much better condition, albeit still without water. The sun was beginning to emerge too and the fleece I had been wearing thus far had to go as the air warmed considerably. The official Wey South path did not continue very far along the towpath, and a deviation via West Cranleigh nurseries seemed on the cards. However, the towpath seemed to stretch forward ahead of me with no warning signs of private land or landowners releasing the hounds so I took the risk of continuing (if you follow too, on your own head be it!). It cut out about half a mile of unnecessary and from looking at the map, rather tedious looking walking. I instead enjoyed the towpath and looking at all the plantlife that had slowly taken over the canal bed. Himalayan Balsam in particular covered great swathes of the canal bed and wooded fringes, crowding almost everything else out. The bees and other insects seemed to love the stuff and with big gawdy pink and white flowers, it is perhaps easy to see why.

Road Causeway

At Mill Farm I had hoped to continue along the towpath in much the same way as a mile further back, but a big fence ahead of me put paid to that idea and I instead had to make do with the diversion along a nearby road. This emphasised the problems that the would-be restorers of the Wey and Arun Canal will have. If even the rights of way that would once have come with the towpath have been extinguished, what hope is there for a group of people wanting to rebuild the whole canal, fill it with water and potentially have dozens of pleasure boats going backwards and forwards along it? In these days of NIMBYism, people are very protective of their privacy and their land and don’t want the hoi polloi trampling all over it.

Reedbed

Ahead of me the canal bed was devoid of water and almost all structure, but could still be distinguished by the shape of the terrain. As I wandered sadly towards the road I could hear the sound of screeching tyres and a rather annoying plane that seemed to be taking off and landing every few minutes. Initially I thought the screeching of tyres was due to some very bad driving but when it persisted I remembered that I was approaching Dunsfold Aerodrome, where Top Gear is filmed. It all made sense to me now; maybe the plane was also involved in the filming?

Hint of Sunshine

The next part of the canal I reached was a bit of a milestone, since Flash Bridge coincides with crossing the main Horsham to Guildford road and also is the summit point of the whole canal. On the northern side of the road is Flash Bridge, perhaps the best preserved bridge on the route southwards so far. Since it is privately owned I did not inspect it too closely, but at last I felt that the canal was worth exploring not just for a few muddy and weed choked watery sections, but also for some of the remaining infrastructure.

Winding Hole

On the south side of the road the canal looks to be fairly well preserved as it skirts along the southern edge of Dunsfold Aerodrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunsfold_Aerodrome). I followed the towpath for some distance until the next overbridge. There was absolutely no chance of exploring that as it was firmly fenced off by British Aerospace, although it is no longer owned by them. Apparently the current owners are trying to develop the site as a housing estate and retail park, or possible Eco-Town. When I crossed the field and rounded the mobile home estate further along I wandered along past the Three Compasses Pub to inspect the canal at this point and was rather surprised to see that the gate still suggested a military presence, such was the tightness of security and warnings not to take photos (I later discovered that a significant amount of test flying still takes place).

Derelict Garage

The Three Compasses was the pub that hosted the opening of the canal way back in 1816 and the owners are probably quite keen on the reopening of the route. The pub has lost not just passing trade from canal boat owners, but also the road in front was completely cut off when the aerodrome was built, severing the original route from Alfold to Bramley and necessitating in a more modern route to the east. Nevertheless the pub seemed quite popular as I passed by on a Saturday teatime, with quite a few people outside having a drink. I’ve no doubt that having a mobile home park on the doorstep helps, and maybe even Jeremy Clarkson pops in for a half of shandy when he needs a rest from the rigours of driving round the test track and pontificating on the various features of the cars he drives.

Sidney Wood

From the Three Compasses, the route follows the road again for a bit, which is fortunately quite quiet since there isn’t much room to get on to the verge. At Cobdens Farm the canal meets the road once again and when operational this must have been the scene of a fair amount of activity since there is obviously the remains of a wharf and winding hole (area used to help turn the narrow boats around). This is a recently restored section and the towpath is available for use, although I wasn’t sure for how far. I instead continued along the Wey South path through the adjacent forest until reuniting with the tow path about a mile further along the route.

Access Bridge

The next section was a joy as the route follows the towpath through Sidney Wood. In fact, I didn’t know it at the time, but apart from a few short diversions, the path now follows the side of the canal for getting on for six miles. As I wandered through the woods I could now see the vision of the Wey and Arun Canal Trust. Restoring this section is surely not a pipe dream but will become reality in the next few years, since much of the canal bed is intact and the route positively beautiful. By now most of the cloud from earlier had burned off and I was treated to a lovely early evening woodland walk. I passed by another winding hole and a section that was obviously once governed by some long disappeared locks, since the level of the canal abruptly changed at one point. A little way past here and I reached a large fenced off house, which was a bit of a surprise. This house, and the old lock keepers cottage a little further south are likely to be the cause of the most serious obstacle to restoring the route through here. It is unlikely that the homeowners are going to want to restore the route immediately past their houses, and the Trust are thinking seriously about re-routing the canal entirely here.

Awaiting Restoration

The path diverts away from the towpath for a short distance before coming to High Bridge, where the tow path is regained once more. The line of the old canal is obvious through the back garden of the old lock keepers cottage (now rather bigger than the original house!). I now left Sidney Wood and continued alongside the canal bed all the way to Loxwood and beyond. This is a section undergoing restoration and active work seems to be going on in a number of places, since I passed a number of warning signs about the path being closed. Fortunately I managed to get through without being inconvenienced in any way, but some sections have no real alternative routes so it would have been tough on me if I had come across any closures. In one place the bank looked as if it had been repaired to help with water tightness, while further along the lock at Devils Hole was undergoing what looked to be the final throes of restoration to help connect another section for cruising.

Work Underway

At Loxwood, the dry canal bed suddenly gave way to the very newly restored section under the B2133, which only opened in May 2009. This was a major obstacle to progress northwards from the adjacent Onslow Arms, since the road was built across the canal bed many years ago, completely severing the north and south sections. To enable the road to continue its present course without a level change (and maintain visibility along the route), the canal profile had to be altered to enable it to cross underneath the road.

Loxwood Improvement

The Onslow Arms is a very popular pub and is the point that most visitors will get top see the restored canal. Boat trips are run from here to help get people interested in the route and act as a fund raising opportunity (restoring the canal looks like it is hideously expensive!). It was pretty quiet as I passed, probably because of being a Saturday night. However, there were a few dog walkers about ambling along the towpath. This section makes for a very pleasant walk and seeing the canal properly restored here gives a lot of hope for the future.

Onslow Arms

As I meandered around the canal I came upon the Wiggonholt, the electric boat now operated by the Canal Trust, which was taking out a group of enthusiasts. I couldn’t help but smile as most of their cameras were focused on a very bemused looking swan going about his business on the canal. I crossed the Drungewick Aqueduct shortly after, another obstacle overcome a few years back which takes the canal over the River Arun. Sadly, this was to be the last of the towpath walking for the day, for beyond the lane bridge next to the aqueduct, the towpath forms a dead end and for onward walkers like me another lengthy diversion was ahead.

Zecchariah Keppel

By now I was also getting quite concerned about the time. With all the route problems earlier and the stopping and looking at features along the route, I was faced with the prospect of darkness falling before I got to Billingshurst. My camera battery had also died and so I decided that I would hot foot it to Billingshurst as quickly as possible, not stopping too much to look at any further features but save them for another day. However, I had not appreciated how much further it would be and the relative difficulty of the route (including a fairly scary section of road walking along the B2133). It was another hour between Drungewick Lane Bridge and Billingshurst and by the time I reached the car I got back just after the sun had set.

Improved section

This is a most enjoyable day’s walk, spoiled only by some fairly unpleasant road sections that are unavoidable but mercifully quite short. Eventually as more of the canal becomes restored hopefully there will be rights of access along the towpath and as and when this becomes reality this will make it a very enjoyable route indeed. As I wandered along the towpath I felt as if I needed to come back along here on a five year frequency to see how much progress has been made!

Open Sesame

In addition to my additional Flickr pictures of my walk (click title to view), you might also like to look at the excellent http://www.canalnavigations.co.uk/weyarun/wyarun01.html site where there are more pictures available. Some of the winter pictures of the section through Sidney Wood make for a good contrast with mine from high summer.

Evening Trip

Sussex Coast Walk Day 8 Shoreham-by-Sea to Brighton

Shoreham Harbour

Another ten days passed before I was able to get out on the next section of the Sussex Coast, in part due to the weather. I actually completed the whole section from Worthing to Brighton as originally intended today, finishing at the bottom of West Street rather than perhaps the more natural finishing point of the Palace Pier (I know it’s called Brighton Pier these days, but I’m a traditionalist and have always known it as Palace Pier). This due to the deterioration in the weather, which threatened to dump a large amount of rain on me at any time.

St Mary de Haura Church

I shall ignore the early section of the ride in this report, which was covered in detail last time. In truth I didn’t linger for any part of it, wanting instead to get to Shoreham as quickly as possible so that I could properly explore the onward section. The weather at the start of the ride was almost identical to the last time out, with a stiff breeze at my back (helping progress considerably!) and clear sunny conditions (although a fair amount of sea spray hampering distance views beyond Brighton from Worthing).

Shoreham Lighthouse

At Shoreham I ignored the beach this time and crossed the footbridge once again. Most walkers tales describe the awful route along the A259 from here into Southwick but since I was on my bike once again I decided to try out the relatively new signposted route for bikes through Shoreham. This passed around the old church of St Mary de Haura and gave me a good look at the town, which was pretty quiet in this early evening. I sat and waited for the crossing gates to open for what seemed an age before continuing my journey on the north side of the railway, which seemed rather odd as I was by now about a mile from the sea. The route initially took me through various Council housing estates full of bored looking kids not sure what they should be doing other than ‘hanging out’. It was then through a very large allotment site, by now bulging with all sorts of tasty looking produce before more housing estates. At the edge of Southwick I headed back towards the coast road so I could take a look at the lighthouse.

Shoreham Harbour

Believe it or not this is the first ‘proper’ lighthouse that I have come across on my travels along the Sussex Coast and it has been here since the 1840s and was refurbished in the 1980s as it was showing its age after 140 years of solid service! The lifeboat station next door is under construction and is beginning to take shape. There must be a major refurbishment programme going on in the RNLI since this is one of a few construction projects involving the organisation I have come across recently. When finished it will apparently look like the artists impression on the website at http://www.shorehamlifeboat.co.uk/

Southwick Beach

I continued along the coast road into Southwick and upon reaching Shoreham Harbour I ventured over the locks of the port on to the eastern spit which formed at the mouth of the Adur. Road access to the spit exists only from the Brighton end so by vehicle to get to the other side of the locks is about 6 miles by road, rather than a couple of hundred metres on foot. Looming large ahead of me was Shoreham Power Station, a relatively new building that although big is less than half the size of the old coal fired plant that I remember at this site when I was growing up. A history of the old brick built plant (that resembled a smaller version of the famous plant in Battersea) can be found at http://www.yeoldesussexpages.com/misc/power/swickps1.htm

Hove Lagoon

The port at Shoreham is still relatively busy, in comparison to the inactivity nowadays at Littlehampton and even at Newhaven (still to come). Aggregate traffic still uses the port and a couple of these ships were berthed not too far from the locks, which control the water level in the port. There are still quite a lot of fishing boats using the port as well as the inevitable pleasure craft. As a pedestrian it is quite difficult to get any good views of any but the closest ships, since most of the wharves are off limits and surrounded by some very tall metal fences.

Hove Beach Huts

On the spit I turned right initially to take another look at the mouth of the River Adur and the eastern breakwater. This is a great vantage point for views eastwards and Beachy Head could be picked out quite readily. Ahead of me the blue skies were slowly being replaced by some threatening clouds, which gave some interesting light in the late evening sun. After lingering for awhile getting some lungfulls of fresh sea air and enjoying the view I pressed on along the very depressing port road towards Hove. In truth the section from Shoreham so far had been pretty industrial and not exactly the prettiest part of Sussex. I was glad I was cycling and not walking since it enabled me to press on more quickly.

Angry Sky in Brighton

Eventually I reached Hove Lagoon after detouring round a few large houses on the seafront itself. These are owned by among others, Norman Cook (aka Fat Boy Slim), Nick Berry (once of Heartbeat and Eastenders) and Heather Mills. They guard their privacy quite closely (and who can blame them), with lots of ‘private’ signs up to make sure you don’t accidentally think their drive is part of the esplanade. The Esplanade is quite a surprise changing the coastline almost instantly from working port to pleasure coast. The promenade is wider than many roads but rather disappointingly this end is prohibited for cyclists, even though it is quieter than closer to Brighton and considerably wider than other sections of coast where cycling is permitted.

Hove Bandstand

The lagoon was built in 1930, originally for sailing model boats but is now a watersports venue, especially for training on various pleasure craft including dinghies and windsurfs. Some of the shelters looked as if they could do with being refurbished, both around the lagoon and on the seafront. Maybe the presence of Heather Mills new café next door to the lagoon will attract some public finance as well as visitors to this far end of Hove seafront.

Queen Victoria

On the way in towards Hove the seafront got generally busier and as well as the great long line of ubiquitous beach huts, other attractions such as small children’s rides etc started appearing. I passed the very shabby looking King Alfred Centre, supposedly due for replacement (although I’ve heard that for most of my adult life) and then on past the large blocks of flats that are unusually built on the south side of the coast road.

Brunswick Square

Once I had got beyond these Hove Lawns opened up ahead of me and were absolutely thronged with people playing all manner of ball games and exercising. Teams of people were doing circuit training and jogging activities and I watched with fascination at this spectacle, which I am pretty sure is unique in Sussex. One group of lads in particular caught my eye, for they appeared to be playing a game of football that was black people against white people! I have never in my life seen that before and was particularly amused by the fact that the white men played without shirts.

Edward VII Memorial

At the end of the lawns my attention turned to architecture. Hove seafront is one of the grandest in Britain and was deliberately planned and built all around the same time. On the seafront itself is the very fine looking bandstand, now looking resplendent following its renovation. Interestingly (although I didn’t know it at the time), the official unveiling of the restoration took place the very next day, so you could say that I got a sneak preview! More information can be found at http://www.brightonbandstand.com/

West Pier in Happier Days

On the landward side many of the seafront apartments were glowing in the sun and against the dark skies behind looked absolutely stunning. They were a photographer’s dream, although my shot didn’t really do them justice, partly because of my vantage point on the wrong side of the road. As I headed more into the city I passed the wreckage of Brighton’s West Pier, once the finest pier in Britain and the only grade 1 listed. Since it burned down a few years ago it has gained a new lease of life as a starling roost and interesting structure for photography (try Googling images of the old place!). It will allegedly be replaced by the Brighton i360, a tower that will be as high as the pier was long. In these days of credit crunch, I shall believe it when I see it! See more at http://www.westpier.co.uk/i360.html

Remains of the West Pier

On the landward side are the great monolithic hotels, the red coloured Metropole (where I have stayed, and very nice too!) and the more famous Grand, scene of one of the IRA’s greatest outrages when it was bombed in 1984, killing several prominent political figures and narrowly missing the Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher, during the Conservative Party Conference.

Grand Hotel

Just past the Grand and I headed up West Street to catch my train back to Worthing. I enjoyed my evening cycle trip and was glad that I had explored this part of the coast using two wheels rather than two legs. The next section is along the cliffs towards Newhaven so I think I be back to walking then!

Sussex Coast Walk Day 7 Worthing - Shoreham-by-Sea

Heene Terrace

After a wet Saturday and an unpromising start to Sunday I was really pleased to see the weather perk up considerably during the afternoon so I could get out for another Sunday evening stint.  Unfortunately time was very restricted and so any prospect of a trip away from home wasn’t on the cards.  Lucky for me that the next stretch of coastal route could be started from home, but knowing that it would be pavement all the way didn’t tempt me to consider walking the route.  Instead I thought it would be good to try out the new(ish) cycle route from Worthing through Lancing to Shoreham.  I had hoped originally that this stretch would take me all the way to Brighton, but the second half of the route would have to wait for another time.

The Lido

I regained the coast at Grand Avenue, more or less where I’d left off a couple of weeks beforehand and did the law-abiding thing and cycled along the main road rather than the promenade.  Although the promenade is like the M1 for most of its length from Grand Avenue to the Pier, the Council has banned cycling following an accident involving a pedestrian a few years ago.  Various attempts have been made to restore cycling (and indeed many people still do cycle along there) but this has yet to be ratified.  I did not want to risk getting a ticket from a police officer, despite the fact that the promenade was quiet and my cycling would have been low risk.

Worthing Pier

It does feel funny taking pictures in your own town, but a couple of sights along the western end of the promenade should not be missed.  The first is the delightfully replanted Heene Gardens in front of some very grand looking flats variously called West Mansions, Heene Terrace (and a couple of other names that escape me).  The other is the Lido, a relic of what was once an outdoor swimming pool but which is now an amusement facility for small children (see website at http://www.theworthinglido.co.uk/ ).  Interestingly this was originally built as a bandstand and later became a lido, when these were all the rage.  Before closing as a lido it apparently housed a couple of dolphins for a year when they were rehoused from the Aquarium in Brighton.  The pool still remains under the floor allegedly so if fashion once again dictated it could once again resume this role, although it has not functioned for twenty years in this guise.

The Dome

A little further along the promenade is Worthing Pier and surely one of the best preserved in Britain.  On a fresh summer’s evening it looked in wonderful shape with flags fluttering in the wind and plenty of people wandering along its length.  The view from the end is pretty good too, with the Isle of Wight still just about visible in the west and Beachy Head in the east.  The other jewel of Worthing’s seafront is the Dome cinema, recently refurbished and a real survivor having been threatened with demolition not too many years ago.  Inside the old spirit of cinemas is still very much in evidence and could be quite a pleasant surprise for anyone who has grown up on a diet of multiplexes.  Despite these obvious attractions, Worthing seafront does not have the grandeur of other seaside resorts and has been a victim of some fairly awful developments (Grafton anyone?).  Fortunately some of the newer developments appear to be addressing some of these problems and the new Warnes development and forthcoming Eardley will hopefully restore some of the lost character.  From Splash Point just east of the pier it is a pleasant couple of miles ride into Lancing along the cycle path that was opened in 2003.  This has now been extended into Lancing, avoiding the need to use the dreaded A259 road at all until Shoreham-by-Sea.  The eastern end of Worthing is dominated by the soon to be demolished (allegedly) Aquarena swimming pool, which must have seemed ahead of its time when built in the 1960s but now sadly in desperate need of replacement.  The eastern end of the seafront is dominated by attractive terraced houses that lend a nice character to the area, in contrast to the seemingly endless blocks of flats that dominate the western end.

Beach Boats

The only gap between Worthing and Lancing is formed by Brooklands Park, a smallish pleasure park dominated by a pleasant lake where a train runs around.  There were few people there this evening as all the attractions had closed for the day, leaving only a few dog walkers and plenty of bird life swimming around.  A little further on and I reached Beach Green in Lancing.  This is a large recreational space behind the seafront and the subject of a local difficulty when the Parish Council discovered a number of concrete blocks under the surface a few years ago.  These had been put there as tank traps during World War 2 and afterwards buried.  Since then soil movements exposed them at the surface, proving to be quite a headache for the Parish, who had endless debates on what to do about them.  I understand that they are to be reburied rather than the disruption that would go with removal.  A good picture of what they once looked like can be found at http://www.northlancing.com/Community/Concrete%20Blocks%20at%20Beach%20Green/Blocks%20buried%20under%20Beach%20Green%20Lancing.htm

Lancing Beach Green

The beach at Lancing was thronged with kite surfers all taking advantage of the stiff breeze and the lack of other beach users.  Watching them whirl around was quite fascinating, although I wouldn’t have swapped places as I hate cold water!  The path alongside the green diverges away from the main road and soon traffic sounds are replaced only by sounds of the sea.  The continuation of Beach Green eventually leads into Widewater Lagoon, a piece of the sea now landlocked by the changing beachfront.  Looking at the topography of this part of the coast it is easy to imagine that the lagoon was probably much bigger originally, although the western end of it is now occupied by Golden Sands caravan park (which looks like it has seen better days, having several empty caravans and plots.  Some of the newer chalet type caravans look completely unfinished and give the park a bleak feel.

Widewater

Widewater Lagoon however is a different proposition.  It now acts as a local nature reserve and unless you were to follow the coast path you may not even know of its existence since it cannot be seen at all from the A259.  It is a little haven for seabirds although there weren’t many in evidence as I passed.  At the eastern end of the lagoon, I passed into Shoreham-by-Sea although this is only an arbitrary boundary for the urban area is contiguous.  This end of Shoreham is called Shoreham Beach and has quite a different charater to the other side of the River Adur.  The Beach is basically a shingle spit although almost entirely built on since the 1930s when it first started developing from houses made out of spent railway carriages.  Now though it is hard to see any of these humble roots as many of the houses are getting ever bigger as they are redeveloped.  Some of them could even be described as ostentatious, with adornments such as observatories placed on top and enormous iron railings and verandas around them.  There is also the small matter of some road cycling along Beach Road, which comes as quite a shock after cycle paths all the way so far.  The coastal cycle route crosses the spit at the western end and crosses the Adur but I wanted to continue to the end of the spit to the mouth of the river.

Church of the Good Shepherd

At the end of the spit is Shoreham Fort, a derelict looking Napoleonic Fort which many people would like to see restored although the prospects don’t look that promising.  The beach at this point is at its widest and hosts some fabulous shingle plant communities.  When the community of Shoreham Beach was being set up it was originally colonised by arty types and many early feature films were made here apparently.  More can be learned abouyt Shoreham Fort at http://www.shorehamfort.co.uk/shoreham_fort_history.htm

Shoreham Fort

Across the water is the end of another spit that forms Southwick Beach.  Although tantalisingly close it actually isn’t on land as there is no bridge across the mouth of the Adur.  I had a quick squint at the lifeboat station, now being rebuilt after starring in the BBC TV show Ireland to Sydney By Any Means, when Charley Boorman used Shoreham lifeboat as one of his means of transport.  The station was demolished soon after and a new one is only a matter of months away. 

Lifeboat Station

Even on the landward side of the spit the ride back to the footbridge was a bit of a shock to the system as the brisk westerly wind which had been at my back all the way from Worthing was now suddenly in my face.  Luckily I tood advantage of the path alongside the new development at Emerald Quay to mimimise the wind and maximise the interest (Harbour Way is deathly dull!).  Nevertheless it was a bit of a slog to get to the footbridge and by now the light was already starting to fade.  I elected at this point to return home rather than press on the additional seven miles to Brighton and headed for Shoreham station.  I crossed the River Adur by way of the old concrete footbridge built in the 1930s to replace an earlier ferry.  It is now on borrowed time however, as it is due to be replaced by West Sussex County Council once funding has been secured.  For cyclists this is good news as it will form part of the coastal cycle route and they will be able to share the bridge with pedestrians (for now though cycling is banned).  See the plans at http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/schemes/project_detail.php?id=54

Adur Footbridge

Once across the bridge it was through the churchyard of one of my favourite churches, St Mary De Haura (of the harbour) now over 900 years old and on to the train.  A lovely ride, although I was disappointed not to make it to Brighton.  I think next time I shall do the whole thing when I have a little more time.

St Mary de Haura Church

Wey-South Path Section 1 Guildford - Cranleigh

Reeling Them In

I fancied a walk away from the coast today and have long looked at the Wey-South Path as a small project with a great deal of interest. The Wey-South Path is the creation of the Wey and Arun Canal Trust and is a 36 mile long path running from Guildford in Surrey to Houghton Bridge near Arundel in West Sussex. It is intended to be the nearest right of way to the old Wey and Arun Junction Canal, the so-called ‘London’s Lost Route to the Sea’. The canal was closed in 1876, having never been commercially very successful and finally driven out of business by the Guildford – Horsham railway line that now forms part of the Downs Link.

Serene Guildford

The Wey and Arun Canal Trust are a charity trying to breathe life back into this old transport corridor and they have already made an amazing effort to get some sections restored. Completing the job is likely to be a monumental task however, and I may never see it completely re-opened in my lifetime (bearing in mind that I am only 41 that will give some indication of the task ahead). This year, the Trust have overcome a significant obstacle when they reopened the reconstructed Loxwood road bridge. The reopening sparked my interest to find out exactly what is left to do and so I found myself heading off to Cranleigh to take a look at the northernmost section of the old canal. The website of the Trust is at http://www.weyandarun.co.uk/

Canal Reflections

The bus service from Cranleigh to Guildford is remarkably good and on this Sunday early evening there were plenty of passengers (begging the question of why the train service succumbed in the 1960s). After a white knuckle ride into town I headed the short distance down to the River Wey, a tributary of the Thames. This is still a very busy waterway with many canal boats to-ing and fro-ing through Guildford town centre and points south. This part of the waterway is known as the Godalming navigation and is obviously still popular with trippers in their pleasure boats. The towpath is a very pleasant proposition too and the Wey-South path follows it for the first couple of miles to Stonebridge Wharf.

Damselfly

Along the canal towpath I enjoyed watching the boats but also the whole ambience of the walking. It’s been a long time since I’ve been canal walking, although I enjoyed it immensely when I lived in the Manchester area a few years ago. The short stretch to Stonebridge Wharf has whet my appetite for more, and towpaths are usually a good prospect for cycling also. The canal was buzzing with natural activity as well as with people. All along the way, shiny blue damselflies were buzzing around with their paddle like wings and their clumsy looking flying. Butterflies, especially fritillaries were also feeding on the waterside flowers and the cattle alongside were taking the opportunity to wander in for a drink and a cool off.

Shalford Bridge

I soon reached the mighty Shalford Rail Bridge, resplendent in a fresh coat of green paint. Alongside is a fairly substantial bridge carrying nothing more than a pipeline, but a few yards to the south would have been a second rail bridge if the chord line connecting Shalford with Godalming had ever been completed. All that remains of this erstwhile project is the earthworks, now used as a National Trust path for a few yards. It does catch your eye though as atop the embankment is a round World War 2 pillbox, built in 1940 apparently and in quite good condition with a commanding view over the waterway. I briefly inspected it before continuing on my way towards Stonebridge Wharf, where the old Wey and Arun Junction Canal diverged away. Some excellent information about the history of the section and information about the surrounding areas can be found at http://weyriver.co.uk/theriver/index.htm

Shalford Pillbox

Before reaching Stonebridge Wharf I had first to cross the main A248 road at Broadford Bridge, which wasn’t a pleasant experience as the sight lines were quite poor and the traffic very fast. This area was once a busy goods depot and the adjacent pub, The Parrot, was once a busy watering hole for the canal people. I didn’t stop to inspect as I had a fair way to go. Across the road and past the fairly recent industrial park building additions, I reached Stonebridge Wharf, which was once the site of a gunpowder factory and where this fairly dangerous cargo was loaded on to canal barges. All is quiet today, with a few boats taking advantage of the short section of Wey and Arun Canal still connected to the main waterway system. There are a number of secluded mooring spots along this wooded section offering privacy from prying eyes. All that remains of the gunpowder factory is an old store room, raised above ground level on small pillars presumably to keep any moisture out.

Rebuilt Canal Bridge

I turned left and headed down towards Stone Bridge, now occupied by the A281 and rebuilt as a result of the heavy traffic that now uses this road. Where there was once an arched bridge, this has now been strengthened by adding bricks into the arch and leaving only a culvert. It is the first obstacle that will be encountered by the preservationists along the route but not as insurmountable as the problem that exists on the other side, where the canal bed has been largely filled in and used as an ornamental stream by the private landowner. In all likelihood this part of the canal will have to be rebuilt entirely, probably using the Bramley Stream adjacent as the basis of the new canal. My very brief trip alongside the canal also stopped abruptly as the path now heads south using the Downs Link and the old railway line that once ran from Horsham – Guildford.

Double Bridge

In truth the next three miles or so are not especially interesting for the canal hunter. Much of the old canal bed has been obliterated under housing development in this area, although a mile or so along the track and interesting relic becomes obvious. While heading under the three arched Tannery Bridge, the link path to the North Downs for the Downs Link comes into view and its route uses what at first glance to be an addition to the rail bridge. However, on closer inspection it is clearly the original canal bridge, which has been built over and incorporated into the former railway bridge. The canal bed here is still visible but very weed choked as nature has taken over.

Bramley and Wonersh Station

A little further along the railway and the path makes a brief detour as the rail bridge across the stream has been removed. Ironically the path uses the canal aqueduct to cross the stream and return back to the trackbed. From here it is possible to look back along the canal bed all the way back to Tannery Bridge. Onwards from here though the canal bed becomes unclear as it runs through adjacent gardens. For a little while at least the only industrial archaeology on offer is to do with the railway and soon I reached the site of Bramley and Wonersh station. I couldn’t help but smile at the irony of a train climbing frame in an adjacent play area as I approached the old station. The station itself has recently been partially restored from its previously very overgrown state. The platforms are still extant and a few other adornments have been put in such as replica crossing gates, a replica signal and signage to try and recreate something of the atmosphere it would once have had when operating as a station. What really caught my eye though was the postbox on the western platform that was apparently part of the original station building and left behind when the rest of it was demolished. South of the station the path continues along the railway for a couple of miles until Run Common. Initially there is no sign of the canal as it would once have passed through what is now a housing estate. According to the Trust, this section may present one of the biggest hurdles to completing the job.

Remnant of Station Building

Eventually though, to the left of the track a green duckweed choked body of water makes an appearance. I could see that this has some water in it and the banks were relatively clear suggesting that some restoration work has been carried out here in recent years, although nature is starting to slowly reclaim it. The railway continues for a while along a high embankment with the canal some distance below but eventually the two former transport corridors come to roughly the same level and inspection of the canal bed becomes easy as they run alongside each other. Eventually at Run Common, the Wey-South path diverts away from the Downs Link and initially takes the old tow path route. Run Common was once an important wharf along the route and this can still be picked out as a pond in an otherwise waterless stretch of canal bed. Apparently this was one of the first stretches to be restored, but probably needs another go as it is starting to return to nature after 35 years. About half a mile south of Run Common, the path leaves the canal as progress onward is impeded by a fence.

Canal in Water

The path heads out over farmland and it was a pleasant change to get views across to the Surrey Hills and surrounding countryside. Transport corridors are interesting to follow but often do nothing for exploring the wider countryside since many of them are tree-lined and offer no outward views. While I wasn’t sure at first about the various diversions needed along the Wey South path, I welcomed the first major one and I shall have to see about those more major ones to come.

Semi-Restored Section

Eventually the path comes back to the railway line. For ease of returning to the car and facing the prospect of darkness closing in, I decided to take the direct route along the Downs Link back to Cranleigh rather that the more tortuous route via the Wey South path. I shall continue using that route on the next section as there are some more pieces of canal to find along there.

Old Wharf

All in all, a good start to the route, although I followed more of the Downs Link than I would have liked. I shall be back along there for a complete trip with the bike soon and when I do I shall have to look out for some of the features of the canal I missed this time. Some were missed because of the overgrowth and some through ignorance but I shall be back!

Golden Fields