This is the big circle. It takes in portions of some of the other walks, the South Downs Way and both sides of the A27. There’s an alternative start and finish (waymark 19) at the prison.

Those with an OS map may notice an adjacent path with a notably shorter route towards the A27 on the way back. Unfortunately there may not be a right of way over the racehorse gallops between the two paths. There are some unofficial connections but I hesitate to write up a walk on that basis. Though I might mention one or two of them in case someone is in a hurry.

It’s 16 km, time = 4hours, ascent= 350m

Juggs Road is found at the top end of Southover High Street near the Swan Pub. Buses to Southover High St. or the prison. You can park in Juggs Road just beyond the bridge.

1Grid refTQ 40440 09356 N50.86659 W0.00561

Start in Juggs Road beyond the bridge and walk along the subsequent track to Kingston.

2 Grid ref TQ 39020 08730 N50.86131 W0.02601

Cross the road in Kingston and walk up Kingston Ridge past the letter box.

3 Grid ref TQ 38745 08492 N50.85924 W0.03001

At the crossroads of paths carry on straight ahead

4 Grid ref TQ 38450 08201 N50.85669 W0.03431

Subsequently take the right hand fork up the hill.

5. Grid ref TQ 37919 07937 N50.85445 W0.04194

Bear right onto the SDW, and keep right at the signpost ahead.

6 TQ 37053 07463 N50.85039 W0.05442

Go through the gate and shortly after, turn right to stay with the South Downs way. Note the glimpse of the sea to your left. Follow the path downhill towards the wood.

7 Grid ref TQ 36814 07817 N50.85363 W0.05768

At the two gates just before the wood, go through the first gate and walk downhill with the wood on your left. Carry on down this path.

8 Grid ref TQ 37350 08720 N50.86162 W0.04973

At this junction of paths go through the gate, still following the SDW. Down the obvious path and after going under the railway turn left. Through the next gate and over the bridge to go over the A27. On the other side turn right and down. Walk along the footpath next to the old road eastwards (towards Lewes).

9 Grid ref TQ 3699 0920 N50.86602 W0.05466

Just beyond the road exit, turn left up the steps following the SDW sign. Carry on along the clear path, through the wood, turning right and then through fields.

10 Grid ref TQ 37510 10200 N50.87488 W0.04690

At the gate turn left following the South Downs Way sign. Walk up the hill.

11 Grid ref TQ 36920 11110 N50.88320 W0.05494

At two adjacent gates, after going through the first gate, turn right at an acute angle and walk along with the fence on your right.

12 Grid ref TQ 37200 11050 N50.88259 W0.05099

At the signpost at the point where the fence turns right. Turn left downhill

13 Grid ref TQ 37360 11060 N50.88265 W0.04871

Straight down find the path into the woods. Walk through the wood and down through the subsequent field.

14 Grid ref TQ 37610 11190 N50.88376 W0.04511

Through the gate at the bottom of the field. Turn to your right and then take the steep path through trees uphill. At the top follow the sign and turn left and walk along with the trees on your left.

15 Grid ref TQ 37751 11234 N50.88412 W0.04309

At the now defunct gate bear right uphill. After the next gate turn more sharply right to find another gate leading into a wood.

16 Grid ref TQ 38310 11660 N50.88781 W0.03499

Through this gate or over the stile and turn left for a short walk through the wood.

17Grid refTQ 38470 11870 N50.88966 W0.03263

At the end of the wood turn right onto the chalk lane. Walk along to pass the stables at the old Lewes Racing Pavillion. (Note that there is a path to the right across the gallops, just before the stables, carrying a warning but not exactly a prohibitive sign. This leads to a more direct path to waymark 21 by turning left and subsequently right and down at approx TQ 395 104.)

18 Grid ref TQ 39350 11120 N50.88271 W0.02041

After the stables take the bridleway straight ahead. and follow this path down towards Lewes.

19 Grid ref TQ 40260 10110 N50.87341 W0.00787

Towards the bottom, shortly after the point where the gallop on you right ends and with houses and a gate ahead, turn acutely right, away from this gate to go downhill. The prison wall and later houses will be on your left. Follow the path down. As an alternative here, especially for those who came by public transport or parked below Juggs Road, you can go straight on and finish the walk at the prison.

20 Grid ref TQ 39600 09950 N50.87213 W0.01731

Where the paths meet at a signpost and with an old barn glimpsed ahead, turn acutely left. Walk down to the road, which you should cross.

21 Grid ref TQ 39800 09520 N50.86822 W0.01463

Across the road take the lane ahead. A few paths meet around here. Walk under the railway, then uphill to walk over the A27.

22. Grid ref TQ 39860 09310 N50.86632 W0.01386

Over the road bridge go through the gate and turn left. Through the next gate and turn left again to the gate at the top of the hill and you will be back in Juggs Road.

 

 

Juggs Road used to be the main road between Brighton (Woodingdean) and Lewes due to intermittent flooding along the valley routes. It was passable by car until the 60s. It was so called because the wives of Brighton fishermen came this way on market day bringing fish in baskets known as Juggs and carried by donkeys.

The Swan Inn

at the junction of Juggs Road and Southover High Street is a popular local, serving good pub food.

 

 The windmill you walk past is recently built and I understand is for rent. Unusually it has six sails as did the original one at this site.

The Gallops

I understand thet the stables are rented by a number of different trainers each with their own portion of the gallops. Understandably walkers are discouraged from going across the gallops, if for no other reason than the dangers of being hit by a very fast and very large horse. An alternative route from waymark 14 is to walk up the faint path bearing ahead and slightly right. This goes up the hill to the South end of the wood you would otherwise enter at waymark 16 and there is a little used path up through the wood to reach waymark 16. Just into the wood at this point is a path going off right from where you will gain a view of the gallop!

​

NOTE 2021

Recently the stables have been sold and may not now be used for racing horses. The whole complex becoming more residential. Much of the info above is therefore obsolete but the walk won't have changed much