POSTPONED - An Amble to Amberley to Gaze at Gardens
10 people attending
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Amberley achieves its acclaimed attractiveness without any definite focus or special buildings. The setting, though, on a ridge overlooking the River Arun Wildbrooks and backed by the South Downs, is truly striking. The village is made up of long, loose, pretty perspectives of cottages that line a quadrilateral of lanes, one going to the 12th Century church and the 14th Century castle. These quiet lanes will be busier on Sunday 14th June, however, when the biennial opening of the village's gardens happens (see the event's website here). £6 gains entry to many gardens of different sizes and styles (cottage gardens to formal gardens) with the proceeds going to Action Medical Research for Children.
Plan:
There will be no set plan for visiting the gardens and we won't go round in a big group: you're welcome to go wherever and with whomever you choose. You're also welcome to leave when you want, but there will be an agreed meeting place and time should you wish to depart as part of a group. You don't even need to book on to this event to see the gardens of course; we'll just happily just bump into you in the village! If you do come by train (or car but want a little more exercise), Amberley Railway Station is some way outside of the village, so we'll have a pleasant short walk along the River Arun to get there. Please see the route here.
Dogs:
This walk is less suitable for dogs as they are not permitted in the gardens, but the walk to the village along the river would be highly suitable if they could be looked after by someone outside of the gardens.
(All images either from OutdoorLads archive (by Simon Cross) or licensed for reuse under Creative Commons license CC BY-SA 2.0 or CC BY-NC 2.0. Image credits: School Road, Amberley by Josie Campbell Amberley: Church Street by Michael Garlick; Amberley Castle: View towards Bury by Rob Farrow; Cottage on Church Street, Amberley by Chris Heaton; High Street, Amberley by Peter Trimming; Church Street, Amberley by Peter Trimming; High Street, Amberley by Chris Heaton; Amberley - A Village in West Sussex (1) by JR P; Amberley - A Village in West Sussex (2) by JR P)
What to bring
The walk to the village along the River Arun and back and the route around the gardens about 6 km (4 miles), so please wear walking boots or shoes (or well-fitting trainers if the weather has been dry).
Consider bringing a sunhat and suncream if sun is forecast, or a coat or jacket if rain is.
Please bring at least £6 cash to enter all the gardens and further cash to pay for refreshments or plants from the plant stalls.
Food & drink
Bring a packed lunch and drinks or buy lunch there. Ploughman's lunches will be available in the village hall until 14:00. Cream teas and cake will be available all afternoon until 16:00 in the village hall and village school. If you fancy a pint, there is The Black Horse pub, or there is The Bridge Inn next to the railway station before you go home.