Hassocks Walks
This West Sussex based village is in a great location for exploring some of the local highlights of the South Downs. There's also some history with a noteworthy Anglo-Saxon church and a fine former coaching inn for refreshments afterwards.
This circular walk from the town visits Wolstonbury Hill, the Clayton Windmills and the popular Ditchling Beacon.
The walk starts from the train station and heads east to Keymer and Ditchling village. Here you pick up the Sussex Border Path and follow the waymarked footpath south to the Ditchling Beacon Nature Reserve where there's a wide variety of wildlife to see. If you head east from here along The South Downs Way it will take you up to Ditchling Beacon where there are excellent views over the Downs.
After enjoying the views you head west along the South Downs Way towards the Clayton Windmills. These are something of a local Hassocks landmark and are known as Jack and Jill. Continue west past Wellcombe Bottom and you will soon come to Wolstonbury Hill, another excellent viewpoint in the area.
The route then descends to the north to follow New Way Lane into Hurstpierpoint. From here you head east past Hurst Wickham Stables before coming into Hassocks.
Postcode
BN6 9NA - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsHassocks Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Hassocks Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Hassocks OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Hassocks Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Walks near Hassocks
- Wolstonbury Hill - This walk climbs to the splendid viewpoint on Wolstonbury Hill in the South Downs.
- Ditchling Beacon - Climb to the highest point in East Sussex and enjoy wonderful views of the Weald and the Downs on this circular walk
- Devils Dyke - This circular walk explores this beautiful valley near Brighton
- Ditchling Common Country Park - Explore 188 acres of lovely parkland near Burgess Hill in East Sussex
- Plumpton - This East Sussex based village is located near Lewes on the edge of the South Downs
- Chanctonbury Ring - Climb to this early Iron Age hill fort on the South Downs and enjoy wonderful views over the surrounding countryside and coast
- Fulking - The pretty village of Fulking sits in a lovely position on the South Downs
- Truleigh Hill - This hill in West Sussex has a set of distinctive radio masts on the summit
- Burgess Hill - This West Sussex town is situated close to the South Downs where you can enjoy some splendid walks.
- Stanmer Country Park - Enjoy beautiful woodland walks and extensive open lands in this country park in Brighton
- Falmer - This small East Sussex based village is located between Brigthe campus of Brighton & Hove Albion's Falmer Stadium
- Hurstpierpoint - This large West Sussex village is located west of Hassocks next to the South Downs.
- Bedelands Nature Reserve - This walk visits the Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve in Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
Pubs/Cafes
Back in the village head to the Friar's Oak for some post walk refreshment. The Tudor style pub is nicely situated overlooking a golf course, and named after a large oak tree where monks used to give out alms. It was also used by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as the setting for his novel Rodney Stone. They serve good quality food and have a nice garden area for warmer weather. You can find them at London Road with postcode BN6 9NA.
Dog Walking
The hills and downland on the route make for a fine dog walk. The Friar's Oak mentioned above is also dog friendly with water and treats available.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
A few miles to the south west there's the wonderful Devils Dyke to explore.
The expansive Ditchling Common Country Park is just to the north east and another walking highlight of the area.
Just to the west there's neighbouring Hurstpierpoint where you can enjoy a walk to the striking Danny House. The Grade I listed Elizabethan red brick mansion is an impressive sight and includes parkland with Bronze age settlements. Hurstpierpoint is also worthy of exploration with a number of historic properties dating from the 18th century and a noteworthy ancient pub dating to 1450.
For more walking ideas in the area see the South Downs Walks page.
Photos
Friars Oak Inn, Hassocks. The Inn was built circa 1900 replacing an older one of the same name that had been erected sometime in the late 18th/early 19th century to serve a London-Brighton turnpike that passed along the course of the current A273. It also has a literary connection appearing in Conan Doyle's story 'Rodney Stone'.
Station Cottages. Looking West from the entrance of Hassocks station. Built in the mid 19th century for railway workers.
Adastra Park. This large open space is located on the eastern side of the village and includes the Garden of Remembrance, the Community Pavilion, football pitches, a cricket pitch, a bowling green, tennis courts, a skate park, children’s play areas, and adult fitness equipment.
Ditchling village. The crossroads at the centre of Ditchling. South Street leads to Brighton via Clayton or Ditchling Beacon, West Street heads towards Keymer, High Street (to the right) goes north to Haywards Heath whilst Lewes Road where the picture was taken speaks for itself. The South Street/High Street route was the part of the original London-Brighton turnpike constructed in 1770. I believe the blue car is a Rolls Royce though I have no idea of make or model.
Ditchling from Ditchling Beacon. Taken from above the nature reserve looking north towards the village of Ditchling. The junction at the bottom of the hill is where Beacon Road crosses with Underhill Lane.
View from Ditchling Nature Reserve. The nearest field is still in this square beyond that in the distance is the combined villages of Keymer and Hassocks.
Jack & Jill Clayton windmills, just south of the village.Viewed from the car park as the sun sets beyond the Downs. Jack is in the background and its history can be found at 682937. Jill is the post mill in the foreground and is actually the older of the two having been built in 1821 in Dyke Road in Brighton. Known as Lashmars mill it was purchased by the then owner of Jack in 1852 to increase his milling production. The windmill was dismantled, moved by oxen and reassembled on the site. It stopped working in 1906. Since 1978 it has been restored by a team volunteers and is open to the public most weekends from May to September.
Quarry, Wolstonbury Hill. Looking down into a disused chalk quarry on the north western side of the old bronze age fort. To the left is the northern escarpment of the South Downs with the tree fringed crown of Chanctonbury Ring prominent centre left. The clear skies also enable a fine view towards Blackdown Hill on the Sussex/Hampshire border in the far distance to the right. Of the wooded areas, Newtimber and Park Woods are beyond the working quarry to the left whilst Shaves Wood is to the right.