RICHARD WILLIAMSON Country Walk...Charlton Forest

North-west up chalky lane soon bearing right, north, over fine downland turf grazed by cattle which have made topiary curves of the blackthorn bushes.

Past AE West’s seat into the rue behind, a linear nature reserve in its own right where wild bushes and flowers support butterflies and moths. Lovely.

Two hundred metres and bear left on yellow arrow to cross flinty field aiming for left edge of Scratlee Wood. Enter wood ahead on yellow and stay straight on NNW bearing for 2km.

Old beech trees and raised banks from unidentified past ages. Note beech graffiti concerning one J Burnett. Was it meant to be insulting?

Cross tracks, stay ahead on yellow, NW. Cross Roman earth banks through beech, ash, Norway spruce woods. Pass a small sheep paddock with blackthorn bushes at edge that support brown hairstreak butterflies.

I saw two, while doing this walk in October.

Steep down past two yew trees, the first a female, second, a male which already has spring flower buds. Straight across the track and onwards and upwards for 1km noting beech plantation of the 1950s, also many fallow buck fraying stocks on brambles.

Track dips into hollow, climbs to eight crossways. Bear half right noting fleabane growing on grass track, six inches tall and pale green.

Ahead north-east to South Downs Way and turn right to follow.

Soon come to Murray Downland Trust’s nature reserve with cattle troughs and sheep grazing.

They have also mown the ten Bronze Age tumuli on left and need your help to maintain our beautiful 
South Downs.

Where their sheep fence ends, turn right, south, back into beech plantation. No fingerpost to guide you here.

This track runs more or less straight back down to Scratlee Wood but bear right on divergence on to Literary Trail, and later, stay on the blue but bear left.

Through lovely beech woods this path takes you back to East Dean.

You have a towering view of Pond Barn Farm below to left finally coming to field past 1987 hurricane wind-thrown trees and great beech tree hedge to the church and the Morris, in which I once gave a lift to Christopher Fry to the Star and Garter.