The South Downs Way
Queen Elizabeth Country Park
Queen Elizabeth Country Park is a very popular leisure facility well used by the people of nearby Havant, Waterlooville and Portsmouth. The park is generally buzzing with activity, especially at weekends.
It can be a bit confusing to navigate your way through the labyrinthine paths and bridleways of QECP however.
If you don't have your wits about you it's possible to take a wrong turn.
It's a little irritating that the route of the South Downs Way takes you in a long loop, first south down Butser, then back north again through the woods of Queen Elizabeth Country Park, when a more direct path straight to the top of the Downs seems to be the more obvious way to go.
The woodland in the park isn't especially interesting, with wide man made paths and all the paraphernalia you would expect from a country park - as opposed to the natural feel of the countryside which you'll experience for most of the South Downs Way in Sussex.
But never mind - if you're interested in walking the authentic South Downs Way route, then these things have to be endured - there's plenty more arduous walking to come further along the Way.
And the detour does give you a chance to take buy refreshments and use the other facilities at the Country Park.
Staunton Way.
Staunton Way is a route through Staunton Country Park and beyond, taking you from the top part of Queen Elizabeth Country Park in the north to the outskirts of Havant in the south.The walk has two routes which allows the energetic to follow a circular walk all the way around the Park, Chalton Down and the edge of Stansted Forest - a distance of 20 miles in total.
Staunton Way gets its name from Portsmouth MP Sir George Staunton whose former estate forms a large chunk of the Staunton Country Estate.
Hangers Way
Hangers Way is another 20 mile long path through Hampshire, running all the way from Alton in the west to its end point here in Queen Elizabeth Country Park.The route gets its name from the hangers - or hanging woods - which cling to the steep sides of the hills all along this part of the South Downs.
But these routes are for another day - it's time to press onwards up out of the forest towards Coulters Dean.
Places to visit close to the South Downs Way
Amberley | Arundel | Ashington | Bepton | Bignor | Bramber | Bramber Castle | Burpham | Bury | Chanctonbury Ring | Charlton | Chilgrove | Clayton | Cocking | Compton | Cootham | Devil's Dyke | The Devil's Humps | Didling | Duncton | East Dean | East Harting | Edburton | Findon | Graffham | Harting Down | Heyshott | Houghton | Hurstpierpoint | North Marden | Parham House | Poynings | Pyecombe | Rackham | Singleton | Slindon | South Harting | South Stoke | Stedham | Steyning | Storrington | Torberry Hill | Treyford | Trotton | Truleigh Hill | Uppark | Up Marden | Upwaltham | Upper Beeding | Washington | West Dean
You might also like
- A guide to walking,cycling or riding along the South Downs Way in West Sussex
- The best West Sussex walking and hiking equipment shops
- The Downs Link - a flat walk from Shoreham-by-Sea on the Sussex coast to the North Downs in Surrey
- Tips for West Sussex walkers
- LIPCHIS Way - a footpath from Chichester to Liphook
- A flat walk you can do with kids from Chichester to the Beach along Salterns Way and Chichester Harbour
- The Sussex part of the historic Monarch's Way
- West Sussex mountain bike clubs, blogs and information
- West Sussex horse riding
- West Sussex bridleways - cycling and horse riding
- B&B Midhurst
- Hotels Midhurst
- B&B Chichester
- Hotels Chichester
- Hotels Petworth
- B&B Arundel
- Hotels Arundel
- B&B Worthing
- Hotels Worthing
- B&B Haywards Heath
- Hotels Burgess Hill
- Butser to Harting
- Butser Hill
- Leaving Butser
- Queen Elizabeth Country Park
- Coulters Dean
- Milky Way
- Sussex Border
- Main Down
- Tower Hill
- Harting to Cocking
- Cocking to Upwaltham
- Upwaltham to Amberley
- Amberley to Washington
- Washington to Upper Beeding
- Upper Beeding to Devil's Dyke
- Devil's Dyke to Ditchling Beacon
- South Downs Way info
- Cycling in Sussex
- Bike repairs
- Bicycle hire
- Mountain Biking
- Sussex Walking
- The Ramblers
- Other trails
- Horse riding
- Arundel
- Bognor Regis
- Burgess Hill
- Chichester
- Crawley
- East Grinstead
- Haywards Heath
- Horsham
- Littlehampton
- Midhurst
- Petworth
- Shoreham-by-Sea
- Steyning
- Worthing
