The Windmill Trail: Circular walk to Halnaker Windmill and Boxgrove Priory via holloway with magical tunnel of trees

The trail takes a circular route through open countryside and past several points of local historical interest, including a magical tunnel of trees and Boxgrove Priory. There is a noticeboard detailing the route at the northern end of the car park and the signed trail starts across the road, opposite. Pass through alongside the gate and head east into open countryside. You will immediately see a distant view of the windmill on the left and that is where we are heading.

You soon come to another signpost, where we turn left. Follow the path through an avenue of trees and around the field until you come to a fork in the footpath. Here you turn right, to the right of the house, and follow the path through another avenue of trees. This is part of the Tinwood estate and you will see a sign which clearly marks which parts are private.

Exit through the kissing gate and turn right to walk a short way along Tinwood Lane. Look out for another footpath sign and a gate on the left. Turn left here to follow the footpath. A second gate takes you out to walk across open fields. You need to walk straight across to the trees and there, keep to the path on the right. Follow the path around the next field, walking towards a metal gate. This takes you out to the A285 Petworth Road. If you are coming on the no.99 bus from Petworth, this is where the bus stop is.

Cross the road to the small car park opposite, where you will see a second Windmill Trail noticeboard. Take the footpath on the right at Warehead Farm. This is marked private for vehicles and bicycles but we are fine to walk here. Continue past Mill Cottage on your left and prepare for the wonders of the holloway, a magical tunnel of trees formed on what was the original Roman road between Chichester and London. You will see a large metal gate ahead but you are best to take the small gate on the right before following the footpath up through the trees. On the right is Eartham Pit, a quarry where archaeologists found the remains of Boxgrove Man, one of the earliest examples of man's early ancestors.

There are another two gates before you start heading up a steep hill to Halnaker Windmill. This sits on top of the South Downs and there are far-reaching views all around. Look out for the Second World War military structures, brick-built bases of radio direction finder towers. When you have finished enjoying the view, retrace your steps back down through the holloway, across the A285 and through the fields to Tinwood Lane.

Here, we are turning left to take a different route back to the village. Follow the road past the Tinwood entrance. This becomes an unmade path, which you follow to a kissing gate. Pass through into the field and immediately turn right to follow the footpath, with the vines on your left. Continue straight across at the crossroads until you come to another footpath sign, where you turn left.

You can see Boxgrove Priory ahead of you but you need to follow the footpath to the left of the trees before turning right at another footpath sign to walk towards the church. There is a gate to Church Lane, which takes you back to the village but stop awhile at the Church of St Blaise, which dates back to the 12th century. This is one of the most important churches in Sussex and if you take the path through the archway to the left of the church, you will find the ruins of Boxgrove Priory, which are cared for by English Heritage.

When you are finished, head back to Church Lane and down to The Street. To the left is Boxgrove Village Stores, if you need supplies, and to the right is the road back to the car park and bus stops. This takes you past the historic almshouses on your left.