In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:
There are some great circuits at the eastern end.
One of my favourites starts in the free car park at Wilmington priory ruins. From here follow the footpath east under the Long Man gradually gaining height until you join the Weald Way. From here turn right and follow the Weald Way for a few hundred metres before branching left to climb steeply up a very steep path which is well defined but not shown as a public footpath on the map (You can still use it though because you are on Access Land). At the top of the escarpment bear south east following the South Downs Way for about 200m to 300m and gradually leave the SDW trending south, then south east following the top edge of a deep valley marked as Tenantry Ground on your right. Follow this gradually descending for about 1K until you reach Wnchester Pond on your left. It's partly hidden by bushes so you need to search for it. This is an ancient dew pond and has interesting pond life including dragon flies. Good place for a coffee stop.
From the pond following a track gradually curving left until you are gong due south. NB You need care with your navigation here because there are several tracks leaving the dew pond. Follow the track down through forest until you reach the bottom (The upper part of Charlestone Bottom). Navigation at this point becomes quite complex due to there being numerous track branches and fire breaks not all of which show on the OS, but you need to follow a track which rises quite steeply through the forest ahead of you and out of the bottom heading south east and as you gain height trending east(shown as Long Brow on the OS). Try not to be seduced by several unmarked forest tracks and try to follow the rising main track which continuous to swing gradually round to the north east, heading in the direction of Jevington. You are still in forest with the ground falling away quite steeply on your left. The track to Jevington continues through forest until it starts to descend, leaves the forest and goes on down through open downland and you will see Jevington below you which you follow the path down to..
Enter the village and turn left along the road. (Take care as it's narrow and carries a lot of tourist traffic) Follow the road though the village. Where the road gets very narrow on a slight hill there is a parallel foot path up steps on your left which is safer than the road for this section. Go past the Eight Bells pub on your left - great for a pint or lunch, and continue for a couple of hundred metres until you will see the Wealdway sign to your left. Turn left and follow this going up hill. Look out for the Wealdway branch on the right after a couple of hundred metres and follow this which is a very ancient coach track following the foot of the Downs which rise up on your left, much of it through cuttings, for about 1.5K to 2K until you reach Folkington, a tiny hamlet with a church.
Turn right down the road passing the church on your right and after about 100m turn left to follow a lovely footpath cutting through woodland with moss and other ancient plants on your left. Where this emerges into fields follow the obvious footpaths well defined on the OS map back to Wilmington with Downs rising up on your left and under the Long Man. If you fancy a pint you can follow footpaths before reaching the village which will take you to the northern end of the village where there is a pub.
On a nice day the views throughout this walk are outstanding, and although you might brush with other walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers near the Long Man, SDW, and the villages, I find it is generally quiet and have sometimes had it completely to myself.
If it appeals to you, enjoy!
Post edited at 09:46
