This is a walk of 8 miles, with one climb of 120 metres up the face of the South Downs early in the walk. The rest of the walk is either flat or downhill. It is possible to shorten the walk to about 6 miles by taking a bus from Lewes to Plumpton College.
[1] Plumpton station has no barriers and is therefore accessible at all hours. The walk starts from the western footbridge (the station has two). If you have come from the London direction cross the bridge and descend to the concrete path ahead of you. If you have come from Lewes walk under the footbridge and turn left to meet the path. Follow the path ahead alongside Plumpton racecourse.
Plumpton is a national hunt racecourse. There has been racing here since 1884, although there are only a few meetings every year.
The path turns into a wide track and bears right and then left to avoid the private area of the racecourse. It then bears left again - continue 200 metres to a T junction.
[2] Turn right here and then left in about 20 metres on to a signed footpath which goes down the side of the farm buildings. This is the site of Ashurst Organics, who deliver boxed organic vegetables to the locality. From here you have great views ahead of the Downs. Your general direction is due South towards the Downs and Plumpton Agricultural College. But that does not mean that the route runs exactly straight. After 100 metres there is a pond on the left - keep straight ahead, climb over a stile and cross two wooden fooot-bridges before turning left and then right along the side of a field.
After a further 100 metres keep to the left hand side of a hedge, at the end of which the path turns into a track. Near Upper Mill there is a right turn - do not take this but keep straight ahead, entering the college grounds. The route is now tarmac and passes the bus stop. Continue along the college drive to the main road by Wales Cottage. . You can turn left here (off of the route) for the Half Moon pub, which is a gastro pub with a large garden and play area.
[3] Otherwise cross the road and take a bridleway straight ahead. The path now starts to climb, turning left and eventually meeting a concrete track. Turn right here and continue ascending.
[4] A few metres after the junction a gate on the left enables athletic types to turn left and take a short cut which climbs very steeply to the South Down Way above. Others may prefer to take the main route, which continues on the track, pausing frequently to admire the increasingly stunning views to the North.
[5] At the summit you will meet the South Downs Way. Turn sharp left here along the top of the down land ridge. Your route is fenced on both sides, but in fact the land to the north is open access land, opened up as part of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act. For many years the Ramblers campaigned for the right to roam freely on uncultivated land. Most of the northern face of the downs is access land (indicated by little brown signs with white backgrounds on the ground and highlighted in brown and yellow on Ordnance Survey Explorer maps) Please do not try to get on to access land by climbing over fences. Stiles and gates are gradually being provided. The athletic alternative joins the main route from the left along this stretch.
[6] Continue along the South Downs Way until you reach a gate, where a wide panorama opens up to you. This is land owned by the National Trust. This is a junction of ways, with the South Downs Way going off to the right. You will also be able to see two routes worn in the grass ahead of you. Take the one which bears left towards the summit of Blackcap. ( Here you can see the oddities of the access land law, which permits access to unimproved downland. There is no right of access to the land to the right of the path which bears right because it has been "improved". But to the left of the path the land is "unimproved" so there is a right to walk where you want. Can you tell the difference?)
Blackcap is one of my favourite places on the South Downs, with panoramic views to the North over the Weald and to the South to other parts of the Downs and to the sea at Brighton and Newhaven. There are trees to shelter behind if it is windy and secret places to explore in the wooded access land to the north of the summit. It was the site of pagan rituals in Saxon times. Naturalist Dave Bangs has found Frog Orchids, Ling Heather and Waxcap fungal flora here. There is a small plaque commemorating the replanting of the trees in 1953 at the time of coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
On the land to the south east of here the battle of Lewes was fought in 1264 between armies commanded by Simon de Montfort and then king, Henry III. De Montfort's men camped under the northern lee of the downs and climbed the downs in the early morning, forcing the King's army to fight uphill. The battle was centred on an area by the old Lewes racecourse, but the bodies of those killed are buried all over this area.
From Blackcap continue east-southeast to Mount Harry, which is easily visible with a beacon on the top. Continue over Mount Harry keeping the beacon on your right, and heading generally south east. The route is broad and easy to follow, passing through some bushes and scrub, and a couple of gates. The route keeps to the right of a wood before turning first east and then north east. Keep to the left of the fence.
[7] Keep to the outside edge of the wood. Shortly after a sharp right bend you come to a corner of the wood where the path goes through a gate and then turns left into the wood. Almost immediately it meets a path coming in from the left. Turn right here and head downhill, in a north easterly direction. You join a track coming in from the right.. Continue ahead and down until you come to the main road at Offham. All of the land on your left, including the woods and the valley beyond it, is open access land. It can be difficult to find your way in, but the determined will find a wonderful unspoiled idyll.
[8] Turn left here at the main road. The Blacksmith's Arms is straight ahead if you want to eat or drink. Cross the road very carefully as traffic comes round the bends, to the right and left, rather fast. Walk down a lane opposite the pub heading east and passing the church. The lane turns right and then, in about 20 metres, left, but you keep straight ahead onto a track, which enters the woods.
[9] Follow this track downhill for about 400 metres and then turn left, passing through a kissing gate, onto a wide grass path beside a drainage ditch. This path can be muddy after periods of heavy rain. Walk under the railway and then turn right at the river Ouse. Walk along the riverside path, from which there are fine views of Lewes. Continue until you reach a bridge across the river.
[10] Don't cross the bridge. Instead turn right along a tarmac path. Pass Pells Pool on your left, the oldest open air swimming pool in the country. Head up the road ahead of you (St John's Hill), alongside the large church. Where the road divides take the left hand branch, still keeping straight ahead. Cross the main road and kepp straight ahead up Castle Banks. Turn right at the top and then left on a lane between the bowling green and the castle. Pass through the castle gate and descend to the High Street. Turn left here and walk to the traffic lights. Here you will find the tourist information office which can tell you all about this historic town.
[11] The route to the station turns right at the traffic lights and runs down Station Street (beware, the pavements here are very narrow.) At the bottom of station street you will see Lewes station ahead of you.