Walk no: 23
Length: 9 miles
A 9 mile linear walk from Billingshurst rail station to Pulborough rail station, forming the 23rd stretch of the Sussex Hospices Trail. This is a particularly beautiful stretch of the trail, offering a peaceful riverside setting for much of the journey with plenty of wildlife and history to enjoy along the way. Once you have escaped the hum of Billingshurst, most of your journey is in the company of the River Arun and the disused Wey and Arun Canal. Discover some of the canal’s old structures, including Lordings Lock and Waterwheel, and relax in the tranquil setting of the waterway now reclaimed by nature. The return journey can be completed with a single 6 minute train journey.
Difficulty
The walking route from Billingshurst to Pulborough is relatively flat with just a few gentle slopes along the way. Some sections of path are quite narrow (and are prone to become a bit overgrown in the late summer) and some of the riverside paths and woodland bridleways can get very muddy at times. You will need to negotiate several gates, kissing gates, footbridges, steps and 12 stiles (all of which have purpose-built dog gates or open fencing alongside, meaning most dogs will pass through easily). There is limited road walking and most of the paths are enclosed from fields and roads so well-behaved dogs can enjoy plenty of off-lead time. You will need to cross two fields that may be holding sheep and two fields that may be holding cattle (the cattle seemed very relaxed when we passed by with our dog, but be careful with dogs all the same). Allow 4.5 hours.
Map
Accessing the Trail
There are several ways to follow the Trail!
On paper
You can download and print the PDF leaflet for your walk at the top of this page. These include turn-by-turn directions, photos and a simplified map. For extra safety, we recommend that you carry an Ordnance Survey map of the area too.
On an app
The walks can be found on the free AllTrails App. They are already downloaded and the directions are in the section called Waypoints.
This version of AllTrails will work as long as there is an internet (3G/4G) signal.
Note: within the AllTrails App you have the option to pay a subscription to upgrade to AllTrails Pro. This gives you the ability to follow the guides without using any internet data in areas where there is no 3G/4G coverage.
On a GPS device
If you have a Garmin or another GPS-based App e.g. the Ordnance Survey App, you can download the GPX File for your chosen walk from our website to use on these devices. (Please note that the GPX Files are for personal use only and must not be published on any other platform)
