Within the South Downs National Park, this circular walk starts and finishes at Harting Down – one of the National Trust’s largest areas of ancient chalk downland, it is also a local nature reserve. Initially following the South Downs Way, the latter part of the route visits a splendid bit of access land at Millpond Bottom overlooking a lovely valley. The final stretch involves an ascent of Beacon Hill for a breathtaking 360-degree panorama of the surrounding Downs.
[1] Leave the National Trust car park at Harting Down (SU791181) and follow the waymarked South Downs Way east over Harting Down.
Enjoy the sweeping views to the north: looking down the steep scarp is the lovely village of South Harting with its attractive church and, further east, the tiny hamlets of East Harting and Elsted. Spread out beyond them is the Western Weald with the characteristic shape of Black Down, near Haslemere, on the horizon.
[2] After a steep descent to Bramshott Bottom (SU803187), continue along the South Downs Way, which turns sharply right, with the hunk of Beacon Hill on your left. The path climbs steadily for almost a mile before the South Downs Way turns sharply left to skirt Beacon Hill. Leave the South Downs Way at this point, go through a gate and continue in a southerly direction to join a metalled road past a magnificent row of Copper Beech trees on the left, with Telegraph House on the right (SU810175).
(A) The Telegraph House once housed a progressive school run by Bertrand Russell.
[3] Leave the metalled road just before you reach a white cottage. Go through a gate and continue for another half-a-mile to reach a minor road.
[4] Turn left here and follow the road down hill until you reach the Royal Oak pub (SU814162).
[5] Turn left and go through the pub car park. Head north along a footpath with woods on your left. After leaving the edge of the wood, cross a large field until you reach a track. Turn right along this for a few yards, then go left through a gate to enter access land at Millpond Bottom.
[6] The path is a little rough at first, but you are soon rewarded with the sight of a beautiful valley – an excellent spot for a picnic.
Continue north along the valley to rejoin the South Downs Way at SU810183.
[7] Turn left for just a few yards, but where the South Downs Way bends further left, take the path on the right that goes steeply up over Beacon Hill (74m/242ft). Go to the top to reach a trig point, where you will get superb views in all directions. Follow the westerly footpath steeply downhill (take care!), cross the South Downs Way and take the footpath up Harting Down parallel to, but to the left, of the signposted South Downs Way. Continue along the path until it rejoins the South Downs Way to take you back to the National Trust car park.