Southease, Rodmell and the River Ouse

From Southease station the walk follows the lane west across the valley and over the old swing bridge, built in 1880, to Southease, with its green and its small round-towered church. A path beside the road leads north towards Rodmell, and a field path comes into the bottom of the village by Monk's House, the home of Virginia and Leonard Woolf from 1919. From the end of the village a gravel bridleway crosses the brooks, the ditched grazing marsh of the valley floor, to the river. The walk climbs onto the flood bank and turns right along it for about 1.5 km, back to Southease bridge and the station.

It is 5.7 km with 34 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy: it is nearly flat, on lanes, a good track and the river bank.

There are gates and stiles. The river bank is open to the wind and the brooks are grazed, so keep dogs under close control. Take care on the road between Southease and Rodmell.

There is very little parking at Southease, and the National Trust car park at Monk's House is for visitors to the house, so come by train if you can. Southease station, on the line from Lewes to Seaford, is at the start; the South Downs youth hostel is beside it.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.