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FUNTINGTON PARISH WALK NO. 3 – Stoke Clump Walk
 This is a circular walk of about 3 ¾ miles(6 km.) There is parking at the Horse and Groom pub (by agreement with the landlord), Heaver’s Corner (the junction of B2146 with West Stoke Road), Kingley Vale Car Park and at the bottom of Stoke Clump Lane. The walk may be started from any of these points.
Starting from Kingley Vale car park, take the path through the gate to Kingley Vale (B469). When you reach the T-junction with the bridleway B470, turn right along the chalky path on the edge of the Nature Reserve. Walk on up the hill until the path flattens out and is crossed by bridleway B468. Turn right here and head up hill, following the path past the edge of Stoke Clump where the path takes a left turn. Stoke Clump was a stand of beech trees which was badly damaged in the gale of 1987. It is interesting that some of the front row of trees facing the wind survived but almost all the trees behind were destroyed. Presumably the front row having been exposed to wind before, had developed stronger root systems. The clump is now regenerating with a mixture of trees. Stoke Clump has in the past been a well-known landmark for ships out at sea. On the right of the path is a magnificent view, from Goodwood Airfield to the east, past the old water tower of Graylingwell hospital and the spire of the Cathedral rising out of the houses of Chichester, to the tall buildings and Spinaker Tower of Portsmouth in the West. On a sunny day the waters of Chichester Harbour sparkle in front of you with Thorney Island, Hayling Island, the Solent, and the Isle of Wight beyond.
The path then turns right and runs down the hill to Downs Road. Turn right and after about 70 yards you reach a triangle at the junction with West Stoke Road. In an accident here a cyclist was killed in 2009 and daffodils are planted on this grassy triangle in his memory. Our route turns left here.
Those who wish can keep straight on to visit the hamlet of West Stoke with its interesting old flint cottages, (one of which was built by prisoners from the Napolionic War, although it has now been fully rebuilt), small industrial unit and Village Hall which used to be the school building and was given to the village by the Duke of Richmond in 1820. At the far end of the hamlet is St. Andrew’s Church, which has a Saxon nave and the outside walls contain some reused Roman bricks. During redecoration of this historic church in 1990, fragments of medieval wall paintings dating back to 1200 were found and have been restored.
To continue the walk, and having turned left into West Stoke Road, turn right into Chapel Lane after about 100 yards. This is an unmade up lane and must be a surviving example of what all the leafy lanes were like around here at one time. After about 250 yards there is a finger post on the right. Go through the hedge and westward across the field on footpath 268. Walk on through another gap in the hedge and continue round the edge of the field in which there are usually sows and their piglets. At the corner of the field, the path leads over a stile into a meadow. It then continues westwards before turning right and then left at another finger post. Follow the signposts in a roughly south westerly direction – or, if the field has pigs in it or has been cultivated, take the path round the field - towards the back of East Ashling Nursery and from there along the edge of the field outside the nursery hedge to Lye Lane. Cross this and enter the meadow opposite through a gap, and continue west. The path enters the next field over a stile, and the path then runs through land belonging to the riding school. Through a metal gate, - be careful to close it after you as there are often horses grazing here. Continue straight ahead to another stile (with a flap for dogs to get through) which takes you into an arable field, and on west along the south side of this field to the B2178, where you turn right past the Horse and Groom PH. Take the right turn, at Heaver’s Corner, up West Stoke Road. Footpath 273 leads off left into the woods opposite Copse Cottage. Take this path and walk up the ride to the finger post where the bridle path crosses. Fork right and walk up footpath 272 to join West Stoke Road. These woods are well-known for their spectacular show of bluebells in the spring. Turn left up West Stoke Road back to the car park.
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