THIS week Vincent Hallett takes a close look at St Hugh’s Charterhouse, the only post-Reformation Carthusian monastery in the United Kingdom. Starting at the Mock Bridge, a crossing point of the River Adur, north of Henfield, there is an opportunity to see the Ewhurst Manor Gatehouse the only surviving remnant of an early fourteenth century moated house built by Thomas Peverell

1. Head north over the Mock Bridge and take the first footpath on the left for one mile, along Wychwood Lane, opposite a bus stop.

Where the lane ends, continue along the footpath around a property and over low-lying ground that may flood during wet weather.

At the end of this footpath use a stile to gain access to the Downs Link and turn right.

Leave the Downs Link bridleway where it turns left and take the footpath on the right to a sewage works that has been churned-up by construction traffic.

Stay on the footpath to the right of these works, through a thicket.

Cross a plank bridge and stay outside the construction site by following the fence around two sides of a square.

Go over a stile and turn left at a finger post.

This footpath leads into a recreation ground and passes a pond on its right-hand side.

2. Immediately cross over Shermanbury Road, B2116, and turn right.

In 75 yards leave at the first footpath on the left through a gate.

At a third stile, where a bridleway crosses the route, continue ahead.

Ignore a footpath leaving on the left, walk across the centre of a cultivated field and down to reach a 4-way finger post.

Go right along the track towards the spire of St Hugh’s.

Just before the monastery is reached go north at a 3-way finger post and then right where the footpath divides.

This leads to the A281 at Little Parkminster.

Cross this busy road and follow the footpath opposite to the right of the last house.

The line of the footpath is well defined around Gratewicke Farm.

After a stile turn right along a farm track indicated by a 4-way finger post.

At Crateman’s Farm follow the finger post around this property to a 3-way fingerpost at the top of a field.

3. Choose the left-hand footpath that starts next to a hedge.

Cross the Cowfold Stream and walk straight ahead, next to a hedge on the right into Park Farm.

Go through a gated enclosure to emerge onto a concrete farm road.

Walk right, through the farm, ignoring a footpath on the right.

The footpath then turns left through a gate and into a wood beside a pond.

Join a bridleway by turning right and walk south.

The bridleway becomes Frylands Lane at the “Old School”.

Continue until Frylands Lane turns sharp left.

Leave the lane here and join the bridleway heading initially southwest then west on the north bank of the River Adur for one mile.

Shortly after the parish church of St Giles, take the footpath on the right for a detour to see the Gatehouse at Ewhurst Manor.

Return to the bridleway and follow this back to the A281 and the Mock Bridge.

Make sure you wrap up warmly before embarking on this walk and make sure you check the weather forecast before setting out.

Also make sure you are wearing sturdy footwear.

DISTANCE/TIME: Seven and a quarter mile taking three and a half hours.

BY CAR: Free parking in Kidders Lane car park and picnic area on the A281, just south of Shermanbury. BN5 9AD. TQ212179.

BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Bus: 3, weekdays only, Southern Transit; 17, Stagecoach South stop; Cornerhouse, adj. The Bull Inn

WHAT’S UNDERFOOT: This route has no gradients and provides easy walking.

There are several stiles.

The first footpath is liable to flooding.

The second footpath on the left north of the Mock Bridge provides an alternative and shorter way.

Expect muddy conditions after the Downs Link due to construction traffic using a footpath.

THIRSTY WORK: The Bull Inn, Mock Bridge.

SO YOU DON’T GET LOST: OS Landranger 198. Explorer OL11, Brighton & Hove and OL34, Crawley and Horsham.