Poling Church

From The Square walk up Station Road, passing the Village Hall and Thatchway on your right, until you come to the start of North Drive. Look for the footpath disappearing off to the right (1) and go down it.

Follow this path as it takes you through some trees and then across Ham Manor Golf Course, and then go through the gate to join Ham Manor Way (2).

Follow this road until you reach a cross roads, and turn right (3), to walk up West Drive. About halfway along look out for the beautiful Dower House on the right – a Grade II listed building.

After the road bends round to the right, take the next left (4). Walk up past the mini roundabout, keeping it on your right, and you’ll see a lane with a gate straight ahead – go through.

A few yards on, bear right onto Rustington Golf Course and join the grit path (5), which marks the start of a public footpath that more-or-less continues straight on, between fairways, all the way to the back (see Gallery below for additional guidance, as the footpath itself isn’t always obvious!).

Pass through the gap in the trees (6) and walk straight on for a few yards until you see a tall, manicured hedge with a gap in it – head for this. Again, see pictures below for additional guidance, as the path isn’t obvious for this little section.

Once through the hedge, keep straight on and pass between the two wooden posts, and shortly after cross a small ditch bridge (7), and then go over a slightly more substantial stream a little further on (shown in picture above).

Keep straight on, walking along the edge of the field with the trees on your left, and go through another gate the other side (8) to join a grassy track, with fields either side.

Just before this track reaches a T junction, look for a metal gate just to the left (9) – go through here and follow the narrow path a short way to get to St Nicholas Church.

To continue the walk, retrace your steps back down the small path, through the gate, then go straight on down the lane and go through the gate at the end (10).

You should now be in a field – keep to the right side, with the trees immediately on your right. Soon you’ll go over a metal farm bridge, and then through a metal gate just beyond on a small rise.

After this, just follow the footpath back across the fields, going straight through a gate / across a track about halfway along, until you reach a stile at the far end (11) – go over to join the Thatchway, which takes you back down to Station Road. Turn left to get back to the village centre.