Book One Updates

For those of you with a copy of the first or second edition you can download the relevant updates by clicking on the Old Editions Update button below.

Just a warning for anyone who has not walked on the chalky paths of the South Downs. When wet, they can be extremely slippery, in fact, as bad as black ice.

And please note, the road that you cross by the stables (top of page 12) is a private road so please do not wander.

Some of these updates will already have been incorporated into recently printed books.

Changes to the path out of Iford.

Pages 4 and 5: at the bottom of page 4 going over to page 5, the directions take you to Norton Barn where you turn right along a narrow, enclosed path and then go over a stile and follow the path with the hedge on the right. There is now the option of following a new, broad and smooth cycle track beside the narrow path which goes through the trees ahead and which then continues along the route of the GMT to the post beside a large manhole cover. Here the new cycle track turns left but the GMT bears right. It is an easier walk which, as far as we can ascertain, is part of a new cycle route between Lewes and Newhaven called the Egret Way.

New gates

Page 5 - last three lines. Before you go down the steps you will find yourselves crossing a new road by way of two gates.

New smooth path

Page 6 - first line. The narrow and difficult path has been replaced with a lovely, broad and easy path.

New Path at The Cockshut

Page 6: the work to divert the Cockshut into a large wetland area has been completed and the footpath is now open. The directions are essentially unchanged except that having passed through the kiss gate, you will find a fork in the path. Going straight on takes you along the GMT as before, which now includes crossing three new bridges. Going right takes you past a new information board and onto the path along the new embankment that has been created to contain the re-routed stream. Take this if you have time (you end up at the same place as the “proper” route) and enjoy a riot of wild flowers and wide views of the Ouse valley, including a rather splendid view of Lewes castle high on the hill ahead.

Blocked path near Barcombe Cross.

Page 14 - bottom of paragraph 3. Having gone through the kiss gate at the bottom of the valley, the indistinct path going sharply left is now so overgrown that it is quite impassable. New directions now read: Go through a kiss gate and keep ahead up the path that climbs to come out into an open field. Turn left and walk along the edge of the field until you re-join the route where the path comes in from the left. Continue round the edge of the field.

PS. As you drop down the path to the stream and kiss gate at the bottom, you may be tempted to follow a path going left, which is the track of the old railway. When we first walked the route back in 2007 this was hardly noticeable. Now it looks like a proper path but needs to be ignored.

Bits and pieces

Page 14 - paragraph 3 - line 3. The mentioned stile can now be found next to a large gate.

Page 14 - bottom line. Instead of running between fences the grassy track now has a hedge on the right.

Page 16 - line 4. The stile has been removed from the bridge. line 12. The Horns Lodge has closed. line 18. The double stile has been replaced by a ladder stile. line 22. The plank has been replaced by a proper bridge.

Page 16 - lines 23 to 28. Various changes have occurred, including the planting of a whole load of trees in the middle of the field. New directions now read: Leave the woods through gate and bear right across field to find gate that takes you along a path between trees. Go though second gate, keep ahead for 100m, or so, and then bear left to find gate into wooded area with a pond. Come out at a grassy area with a children’s play area. Stay ahead and at road (Cinder Hill) turn right.

Page 20 - lines above information block. Since we first walked the trail in 2007 the campsite at Wapsbourne Manor Farm has developed into WoWo, which has extensive camping areas in a number of fields and provide glamping and group activities. New directions for the last five lines are: Cross stream and keep ahead towards barn-like buildings. Pass the reception and shop on your left and turn left. Go through gate, go right and follow track to the front of the house.

See wowo.co.uk for details. The telephone number remains the same.

Route clarifications

Page 21 - last paragraph. This now reads: Keep along path to a gate at the edge of the wood and enter a camp site. Stay ahead between trees and soon after the field opens up on the right, strike diagonally right to drop down to a gate. Enter another wood and stay on path as it continues to fall.

Page 22 - five lines from the bottom. The “odd raised hedgerow” is no longer there. It appears to have been flattened.

Page 24 - first paragraph. The junction with the West Sussex Border Path has been completely changed. The hedge and stile have been cleared away so that the new directions now read: After about 300m, the West Sussex Border Path goes left but you stay ahead with hedgerow on your right.

Page 24 - last paragraph. This now reads: Follow the road down and after 300m, before the road bears left, turn right into a gate entrance and cross the stile into the field. Follow the path as it runs briefly beside the hedge on your left then keep ahead across field before dropping steeply down to cross a stream. Climb ahead to the entrance of a path into the wood. Stay on the path and you will reach a slightly precipitous footbridge over a stream running out of the pond ahead. Cross the dam and turn right along a track, keeping the water on your right. At the top of the lake turn right down the path that drops down to a stream which you cross and then continue as the path gently climbs out of the valley.

Page 28 - first paragraph. Last time that we walked this part of the GMT in 2023, the chalybeate spring had lost much of its springiness which is very disappointing. The recent dry weather in 2025 is likely to have made matters even worse.

Page 28 - second paragraph. Finding your way through this part of Ashdown Forest can be a little tricky. The little stream in 2023 was very little but having turned left the stream continues for the most part in deep ditches and as long as you stay close to the stream you should not get too lost.

Page 28 - nine lines from the bottom. Having gone through the kiss gate by a gate by the pond, the route now is to go diagonally right across the field to find the gate into the next field.

Unblocked Path at Chelsham Court Farm

page 48. Several smart new houses have been built on the land previously occupied by a stable block and other scruffy farm buildings. We visited in May 2025 and discovered that the path through the farm yard is now open. The following are temporary directions until the building work is finished and a settled path is established. From the Washpond Lane end there is a narrow path with temporary fencing blocking access to the unfinished houses. Following this leads you to a wonky stile which takes you into a field with free-range geese that were not pleased to see us and enclosures for some hens. The area to the right is full of broken down vehicles and other detritus. Keep ahead across more stiles to find your way through the trees and bushes into the next field. Now continue to follow the directions in the guidebook. We have only just discovered that this section, including the route to St Leonard’s Church, is part of the Border Path. The map that we used to plan the route of the GMT was published in 2005 and the Border Path was not marked then.

Collect another Meridian Marker by following this detour brought to our attention by the Ravensbourne Residents Association.

Page 56 - line 8. Instead of turning right off Beckenham Lane up Highland Road, stay ahead and after about 100m fork right up Farnaby Road and follow that for 600m where you go left to stay on Farnaby Road. The shiny marker, erected as part of the Millennium celebrations, will be found on the side of the road after 150m or so, exactly where the green meridian marker line crosses the road on the map on page 57. There is a small marker in the pavement on the other side of the road. Continue ahead along Farnaby Road and at the end turn right onto Ravensbourne Avenue. Follow it and you will re-join the trail shortly before turning left onto Crab Hill.

Last updated - September 2025