Worthing Natural History Society
2012 Summer Walks Programme
April 14th Pagham Harbour No coach 10.40am Chris Pennells
Meet up with Chris in the car park by the Visitor Centre at Sidlesham at 10.40am for a birdwatching walk to Church Norton and back. There are toilets in the car park but you will need to bring a drink and a packed lunch. We will get to the reserve either by shared car or by public transport (No.51 bus from Chichester bus station at 10.05am reaches Sidlesham at 10.31am). The tide will be low so there should be plenty of waders feeding.
April 28th Winkworth Arboretum(NT)(£340) Coach 10 am No Leader
A tranquil hillside woodland with sweeping views of Surrey, Winkworth Arboretum
has more than 1000 different shrubs and trees and 2 lakes. It offers peace and tranquillity
with inspiring landscape and views. There are toilets and there is a tea room catering
for light lunches and afternoon teas. For non-
May 12th Bracklesham Bay/Earnley Butterfly Centre No coach Jay Cooper
The morning (meet at 10.30am) will be spent at Bracklesham Bay, fossil hunting. Please ring Jay on for transport. She will have bus and train times and will coordinate the arrangements for those wanting a lift to Bracklesham. She will also have details of the accessibility of the beach (there is currently a dispute between geologists, kite surfers and the council over safe beach usage). The afternoon, in contrast, will be spent at Earnley Butterflies & Gardens where there is a cafe and toilets. The cost of entrance is £6.50.
May 26th Findon Circular No coach 10.30am Chris Pennells
We will meet Chris outside the Gun Inn at Findon at 10.30am, either by shared car or by public transport, for a downland walk. The number 1 bus from Worthing at 10.05am gets to Findon by 10.28am
June 9th Sainsbury Circular No coach 10.30am Lawson Powell
We will meet by the Downlands Hotel at 10.30am for a 4 mile circular walk on the Downs at the back of Lyons Farm. There are regular bus services to Sainsburys and there is a good car park there. There will be an initial climb but the good news is that most of the way back is downhill. We return via Lambleys Lane to the Sainsbury car park. Stunning views and downland flowers!
June 23rd Lullington Heath/Alfriston Coach (£330) 10am Avril Kennard, Christine Collins & Ann Hunter
Lullington Heath National Nature reserve is important because it is conserving one
of the largest areas of chalk heath remaining in Britain, which forms just under
a third of the reserve. Chalk heath occurs where acid soils overlay the alkaline
chalk, allowing acid-
July 7th Claremont Landscape Gardens(NT) Coach(£430) 9.30am No leader
A tranquil 49 acre landscape garden with trees and shrubs, central to which is a
serpentine lake which is overlooked by a grass amphitheatre and grotto. Many famous
names from garden history, including Capability Brown, have been involved in its
creation. There are lovely garden walks and a tea room and shop and toilets. The
entrance cost for non-
July 21st Kingley Vale(GR 825088) No coach,10.30am Margot Hollingdale
No public transport is available to reach the reserve and we shall use shared cars. For those driving there either take the B2178 St Paul’s Road/West Stoke Road from Chichester or the A286. 2 miles north of Chichester, turn left in Mid Lavant towards East Ashling for 2 miles and at West Stoke go past the church and, very cautiously, turn right into the car park of Kingley Vale Reserve. Meet at 10.30am. We shall then walk for three quarters of a mile along the track to the reserve and then a further 2 mile walk to the top or a meander on the lower grassy slopes of Kingley Vale itself. No toilets are available and a packed lunch is the order of the day.
Aug 4th Garden Party 2pm
Come along to the Friends Meeting House and bring and share your favourite savouries/ and/or sweets to go with the cups of tea provided by Anne and helpers. There will be good company, music kindly provided by the Sussex Folk Orchestra, a book and plant sale and a raffle, all within the delightful garden at the Friend’s Meeting House.
Aug 18th Holmbush Circular No coach 10.40am Hadley Norris & Jill Redman
This is a 5 mile circular downland walk via Oak Farm where refreshments may be available. We will meet at the Holmbush Centre bus stop. Take the 700 bus 9.50am from Worthing Pier to Shoreham High Street, then the 2 or 2a at 10.15am to the Holmbush Centre arriving at 10.30am. Toilets are available at the Centre. The walk starts at 10.40am, bring a picnic.
Sept 1st Frensham Ponds Coach (£400) 9.30am Chris Pennells
The Little Pond is owned and managed by the National Trust. It has some important fen habitats with Yellow Iris, Sweet Flag and Common Reeds and Alder and Willow carr. Marsh Cinquefoil, Bur marigold, water Mint and Angelica can be found here together with many species of damselfly and dragonfly. The pond is also managed partly as a bird sanctuary and supports Reed Bunting, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Snipe and Redshank. The common and the Great Pond are leased to and managed by Waverley Borough Council. The common is one of the largest expanses of heathland in the weald. There are toilets and refreshments at the venue. Decision day for this outing is August 15th.
Sept 15th Dial Post Circular No coach 10.45 a.m. Chris Pennells
Meet up with Chris at 10.45am in Dial Post for a circular walk that will include Shipley Mill, sadly no longer available for public visits. For this walk use shared cars.
Sept 29th Whiteways Fungus Foray No coach 10.30am Douglas Twomey
Meet Douglas in the spacious car park at Whiteways, where toilets and refreshments are available, for a gentle peregrination through the woodland seeking for fungi.
Oct 13th Burton Mill Pond(GR 978181) No coach, 10.30am Margot Hollingdale
We shall need to use car share for our visit because the car park is very small. The start of the walk is south of Petworth, east of the A285, at Heath End. The two and a half mile walk round mill pond, marsh and heathland, hopefully, should include some late summer/ early autumnal sightings. There are no facilities on site so a packed lunch is required. The Old Railway House Tea Rooms are less than 1 mile away to the north.
Oct 27th Titchfield Haven Coach (£430) 9.30am No leader
Titchfield Haven is nationally renowned reserve, celebrated as a winter refuge for
ducks and waders, and as a summer breeding ground for Avocets. It covers 369 acres
of the Lower Meon Valley and contains a variety of wetland habitats. There are hides
and a network of paths and boardwalks. The reserve is primarily managed for birds
but it also has a number of rare plants. There is a charge of £3 to enter the reserve
and tickets are purchased at the visitor centre which has a well-