Just a short walk today at the end of a day visit to Sussex. I decided to visit Petworth Park which is a National Trust property. There are several entrances to the park which has a tall stone external boundary wall, for this walk I chose the one north of the town on the road to Guildford.
Although I had never walked from that car park before the whole ambience of the park is very special. From the age of seven and a half until I left college and moved away permanently I lived about a hundred and fifty metres from the entrance, closest the town. This is the gate used to also access the sports pitches.
The light at about 5.30pm was magnificent and it was still very warm.
I can remember visiting what to me was the top lake which is actually called the lower lake on the map – I suppose it depends where you start!!!
I set off with no definite route but hoping to see key aspects. J .M.W. Turner enjoyed this venue and there are several of his paintings depicting the park in the house. (Also a NT property)
The other important aspect of the park is that the landscape was designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown between 1753 and 1765. His style was to make the area look natural, often with groups of trees complementing rolling lawns and serpentine lakes.
Geese have always been a part of the park and it would be unusual not to see them.
There are several hillsides in the park and I wanted to make sure I walked to the top of the one that provides views of the house and the main lake. There is a painting of a fete happening up on that hill.
In the far distance the South Downs can be seen. They were the main view from my garden as a child and perhaps that’s why the Ridgeway seems such a comfortable sight.
Some of the trees are magnificent and there is a range of species.
Although the chair was very random it did give some perspective to the size of the tree.
The house emerges with a huge area of flat ‘lawn’ – designed so the lake could be seen. I walk down the hill onto this flat area and towards the lake. More geese and the sound of a cricket match on the sports pitch.
Another important feature is to have a strategically placed statue, along with a boat house which was both practical and ornamental. I can remember playing on the boathouse as a child.
My route took me around the end of the lake. The ground dips down here and there always used to be a cork oak tree but I fear it might have blown down in the great storm October 1987. (Quercus suber)
The path leads up the west side of the park and the view looks towards the wood where I started. There was a great amount of bird song during this early evening and about three times I saw and heard a green woodpecker.
One of the very special things about the park are the herds of deer. I had almost given up hope of seeing them when I turned a corner and there they were. I walked through the long hillocky grass to try and get closer and then spotted someone with a tripod and long lens camera – he looked really settled so I thought better of getting closer and possibly disturbing them.
On the far left is a ‘folly’ with a tower which used to be the home of Simon Sainsbury who later moved to Woolbeding House near Midhurst (Walk 3). Then one last look back before the final stretch across to the wood and the car park.
This was a beautiful evening walk and I really enjoyed going back to somewhere I had been as a child. it was only 5.7km long but well worth it and gave me plenty to think about on the two hour drive home.
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 