St Leonard's Forest

St Leonard's Forest

The weekend promised the final arrival of Spring, how easily we were fooled...  We decided to head to St Leonard's Forest to the South of Horsham.  We've visited several times in the past but, as with so many places, never found a satisfactory walk.  I eventually located one on the Fancy Free Walks website of around five and a half miles that included a pub stop.

We started from the Roosthole car park and dropped quickly down into the forest.

Unfortunately, either myself or the author of the route is directionally and distance challenged and it was only with a little guesswork that we managed to complete the walk.  Sadly the Dragon in Faygate is now closed which nearly provoked a mutiny.

There are some lovely wide paths, and both girls enjoyed themselves chasing squirrels through the trees.

The forest was also rather muddy in parts.

The girls enjoyed themselves at least.

After the disappointment of the Dragon being closed, a quick look on Doggie Pubs suggested that the Cherry Tree, Faygate was nearby.  Unfortunately they don't appear to have a website and it was only en route that I realised we had driven past on several occasions, the large, yellow elephant in the beer garden being somewhat memorable.

It's not the best of locations, being on the Horsham bypass, although once inside it was perfectly pleasant.  Not sure I'd rush back but useful to know about nonetheless.