Best bluebell walks in Sussex for 2023: Follow National Trust walk around the Slindon Estate to Nore Hill Folly

It's always lovely to visit Nore Hill Folly, as you get such lovely views from there, so ideal to combine that with a wander around the woods in the shade.

As it turned out, this was the best display of bluebells I have seen this spring, absolutely gorious and spreading all around as far as the eye can see. It's almost too much to take in!

The National Trust, which owns the land, provides a lovely guided walk of just under four miles, which we chose to follow. There were some points where we weren't quite clear what to do but we made it in the end and my photo guide will hopefully help you avoid the same confusion.

The start point is The George Inn at Eartham. Note the pub car park is closed between 11pm and 10am. It is possible to get here by bus, using the No.99 flexible service from Petworth to Chichester via Duncton. This service runs Monday to Saturday and stops anywhere en route on request to the special booking line on 01903 264776.

With the pub behind you, walk towards Great Ballard School on your right and follow the road round the bend, going downhill past a row of cottages. At the next bend, turn off the road at the footpath sign and carry straight on beside the farmyard, with the footpath clearly ahead of you leading downhill.

You will soon see the handsome little flint and brick octagonal pumphouse. The track rises gently onwards under the gracefully overhanging boughs of mature Scots Pines then continues straight ahead. When you reach the pine trees, if you turn and look back you will see right across the hills to Halnaker Windmill. Quite a sight!

You come to a small area of woodland with a wide path to your left but you need to carry straight on and go past an old stile, where you turn left to follow the yellow-arrowed signpost. You are walking around the edge of a field, so you will soon turn right at another signpost, keeping the woodland to your left. You will then reach another old stile and an opening into the woods, where a signpost on the Puck Lane bridleway points in both directions. You need to turn left here, and make a note of the spot as you will return this way and it is easy to miss!

The bridleway rises through ancient woodland for around half a mile. The trees are mostly beech with a typical downland mixture of holly, yew and ash. These woods are regenerating naturally after the devastation of the Great Storm of 1987 and the National Trust has left many of the fallen trees as havens for wildlife.

You will come to a National Trust noticeboard on a pole-barrier. This leads through to the bluebells but don't be tempted to turn right here, like most people, as we are taking another route and I promise you the view is much better coming back from the other direction, as we will later.

Continue straight on up, with the pole-barrier to your right and on past another opening into the bluebells. There are plenty of these beautiful flowers to enjoy on this route but we are saving the best until last! Follow the wide path through the trees, looking out for the red route arrow. The way curls around the back of Nore Hill until it meets another bridleway, where you bear right and continue to follow the path.

Look out for a pole-barrier on the left. Turn here to go through to the forestry track and follow this straight path past piles of logs, which have been deliberately left to provide a rich habitat for wildlife. The National Trust has been thinning here to let more light through, so the remaining trees grow to their full potential, surrounded by wildflowers and other woodland plants.

You eventually come out into the open to views over the rich valley and Courthill Farm. You need to follow the path to the right, with the woods on your right, until you come to Nore Hill Folly. The folly rises up above you on your right and there is a bench where you can sit to enjoy panoramic views across the coastal plain and way down to the sea.

If you are unlucky enough to arrive there in a torrential downpour, like we did, there is plenty of space to shelter in the trees behind! After your visit to the folly, go down the path on your left then right down the farm track to a T-junction. Turn right here and go past Row's Barn, then continue straight ahead along Lees Lane, ignoring the wide footpath on the left. This route will bear right to head back towards Nore Hill through a pleasantly shadowed tree-overhung drovers' way.

Look out for another pole-barrier with a National Trust noticeboard and turn left here to go back into the woods. Now you get the rewards and the bluebell views you have been waiting for! Follow the path through the woods as it bears right and enjoy the fabulous show of bluebells all along here, interspersed with early purple orchids.

As you go downhill you will see you are coming back to the post-barrier from earlier in the walk. Turn left here and follow the path, looking out for that signpost and the old stile where you need to turn to go back round the field. You can then retrace your route back to Eartham and don't forget to enjoy the views of Halnaker Windmill.