The Fox & Hounds A GREAT PLACE TO BE

Walks from the Fox & Hounds

The Pig & Whistle  (approx. 45 mins – 1 hour)        

Go through the kissing gate directly opposite the pub and cross the field diagonally.  Cross the stile and turn left.  When you reach the end of the path take the right hand path through the woods and down a steep slope, coming out at a small lane.   Follow this lane along past Rose Cottage Farm until you reach a stile to your right.  Cross the stile and follow the path veering slightly left up through some woods.   Go up the steps and across the stile into more woods.  To your right are the remains of The Pig & Whistle, reputedly an old smugglers “pub”.  Follow the path through into a field, keep to the right of the field onto a track then turn right through another field.  Cross this field and follow the path into some woods.  Cross the stile and follow the steep slope down towards the golf course.  Cross the stile into a hawthorn tunnel and follow this through to a field.  Climb the steep slope, over 2 stiles into another field, across the next stile and along the bridle path to a metal gate and back to the Fox & Hounds.

The 99 steps & West Kingsdown (approx. 2 hours)

Leave the pub and turn left up Romney Street.   At the end cross the lane and cross the stile into a field.  Walk straight across the field over another stile into the woods.  Cross another stile into a large meadow (CARE – there is sometimes livestock in here).  Cross the field into another field and at the end cross the stile and lane onto a footpath.  Follow the footpath along and down the 99 steps to Knatts Valley Road.  Turn left past the old stables and take the unmade road to the right.   At the end of the road go through the gate onto an enclosed footpath which climbs steeply.  At the top turn right, go past a cottage to your right and some stables to your left and take the left hand path at the end.  Cross a stile into a field, keep to the right of the field and cross another stile into woodland.  Keep going straight through the wood, cross another stile into a field.  Keep to the left of this field until you reach a stile onto a road (CARE – traffic).  Turn right and follow the road for approx. ½ a mile until you reach a bend to the left, at this point turn right into a farm, follow the lane along past some houses until it narrows to a footpath into some woods.  Go through the woods until you reach an enclosed path with a field on your right and golf course on your left.  Follow this path down to the road (CARE – traffic), turn right and follow it along for 500 yards until you reach the footpath back up the 99 steps, to your left.  Take this footpath and re-trace your steps back to Romney Street and the pub.

Golf Course Walk  (approx. 2½ hours)                     

Starting from the Fox & Hounds Pub in Romney Street, proceed along the bridleway through the gate diagonally opposite the pub to the right.Ignore the left-hand turning, go over the stile at the end of the bridle path and straight ahead through the field.  Cross over two stiles in quick succession down the steep slope into the hawthorn tunnel which crosses the Austin Lodge Golf Course.  Climb the slope to the top and over a stile into the woods.

Follow the path through two fields and turn right, continue through Dunstalls Farm and cross the field down into the woods.

Go straight ahead down the Shoreham Steps, at the bottom turn right along the main road (CARE – TRAFFIC) for approx. ½ a mile until you reach a way-marked footpath to the right.  Follow this footpath up, cross a field and into the woods.  Follow the path up a steep slope until you reach a junction at which you turn left.  Follow the path through the woods into a field, cross this field diagonally and drop down into another set of woods.  Follow the path and turn left onto the Golf Driving range walking straight ahead.  Cross a small road onto a small footpath, at the end cross over the stile and turn right along this small road passing a few houses on the left.  Continue along and the golf course will appear on your right, continue along this path until you reach a hawthorn tunnel on your left, enter this and follow this slowly rising uphill.  Cross over a stile and continue forwards along a ridge path, drop down the very small but steep slope bearing left along another ridge path, drop down to another stile and over this keeping to your left around this field, this will bring you to another and the final stile (the 1^st) cross over this and follow the path back to the Fox & Hounds Pub.

Magpie Bottom & Kemsing Down  (approx. 2 hours)       

Go through the kissing gate opposite the pub and cross the field diagonally.  Cross the stile and turn left.  At the end of the path take the right hand path through the woods down a steep slope, coming out at a small lane.  Turn right, follow the lane for approx. 100 yards turning left through a kissing gate into a meadow (CARE – at times there is livestock in here).  Cross the meadow into another meadow with a steep hill to your left.  You will reach a “cross-roads” of paths with a marker to your right, ignore the path to the left up the steep hill, instead take the right hand path through a  gate into the woods.  Go through the woods passing through 2 gates onto a narrow footpath. 

At the end cross the stile into a narrow lane (CARE – traffic) and turn left.  Follow the lane until you reach a junction, turn right down the hill for 20 yards to a sign-posted footpath to the left.  Take this footpath through the woods until you reach the Kemsing Down sign.  Keep going straight ahead until you reach a T-Junction of footpaths.  Turn left, follow the path until you reach some steps crossing your path.  Take a moment to turn right and admire the views over Kemsing, but to continue the walk turn left up the steps onto an enclosed footpath.  This foot-path brings you out to the entrance of Oak Hall, at the stile turn left along the lane and then right out of Oak Hall’s grounds, following the lane a short way to a footpath to the left sign-posted North Down’s Way.  Go through the kissing gate and follow the path through to a meadow, through 3 more kissing gates onto another enclosed path.  This path leads to a road (CARE – traffic), turn right along the road and follow it for 200 yards downhill.  When you reach the house on the right with the post-box outside take the footpath directly opposite, following it along to a stile.  Cross the stile into a field (CARE – there is sometimes livestock in here),

up the steep hill and across another stile into another field (CARE – livestock).   Walk straight across the field to another stile, turn left along the lane and then almost immediately right up a couple of steps onto an enclosed path.  Cross the stile, keep left through the field and across another stile.  Go straight ahead through this field, cross the stile and then keep right back onto the path you were on earlier.  Cross the stile on your right which takes you back into the field opposite the pub, cross this to the kissing gate - you’re back!

We hope you enjoy these walks as much as we do, do come back and see us soon

Jeff & Fran