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Southease To Lewes Walk

10.25 miles (16.5 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This circular walk takes you from Southease To Lewes along a riverside path before returning via the villages of Kingston near Lewes and Rodmell.
The walk starts from the little village of Southease which has a railway station on on the Seaford branch of the East Coastway Line. As such if you would like to just do the first part of the walk along the River to Lewes you could catch the train back. This section of the walk is about 4 miles.
From Southease you can pick up the Sussex Ouse Valley Way and follow the waymarked footpath north along the river Ouse to Lewes. On the way you will pass the Railway Land Nature Reserve where you can look out for a variety of wildlife.
The route then takes you through Lewes where you could visit the 11th century castle and associated museum.
You continue south west to the village of Kingston near Lewes before picking up The South Downs Way National Trail. This will take you across Iford Hill where there are some splendid views over the area.
The route continues to the village of Rodmell where you could pay a visit to the National Trust's Monk's House. The 16th-century weatherboarded cottage was once the home of author Virginia Woolfe and her husband, the political activist, journalist and editor Leonard Woolf. Here they received many visitors from the famous Bloomsbury Group, including T. S. Eliot, E. M. Forster, and Roger Fry. From Rodmell it is a short walk back to Southease where the walk finishes.

Southease To Lewes OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Southease To Lewes Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

The Falmer to Lewes Walk starts from nearby Falmer and will take you up to the lovely ridge top walk at Blackcap. There's some fascinating ancient sites, pretty wildflowers, a variety of butterflies and tremendous views over the Weald from here. Falmer itself is also very attractive with its 17th century church, large pond and green which is ideal for picnics.

Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby

Photos

Southease Village - geograph.org.uk - 2518758

Southease Village

River Ouse at Southease - geograph.org.uk - 4045054

River Ouse at Southease

Southease Church - geograph.org.uk - 2518750

Southease Church

Southease Swing Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1092218

Southease Swing Bridge. Viewed from the western bank. Prior to a bridge the original crossing was further to the south at Stocks Ferry until a bridge was added when the river was straightened sometime between 1790 and 1810. This bridge was replaced by the swing bridge in the 1880s to allow navigation up to Asham Wharf and Lewes. The bridge is well used by walkers carrying the South Downs Way across the Ouse valley as well as connecting with footpaths on either side of the river between Newhaven and Lewes.

River Ouse, Lewes - geograph.org.uk - 4095666

River Ouse, Lewes

Lewes Castle April 2018 02

Lewes Castle

Kingston Near Lewes - geograph.org.uk - 2136842

Kingston Near Lewes

Rodmell - geograph.org.uk - 3116759

Rodmell

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Southease To Lewes.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)