Walk 3.5 hrs (12km) 
Total Ascent 247 m 
Highest Point 223 m Welcome to this Signature Hike
For this extra special hike we have teamed up with Artelium Wine Estate, an award winning vineyard in the Sussex countryside. Nick, one of Artelium’s Tour & Tasting hosts, took some time away from the Cellar Door to craft this idyllic walk that ends at the wine estate.
Read the infomation below to learn more about your walk before you head off.
Artelium Wine Estate is open Thursday – Sunday
Ready to walk?
Be sure to download your PDF guide for the walk and make sure you have the OS maps app downloaded.
Before you start
Here’s 3 important things you need to know before you head off:
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Save This Guide
Save the PDF guide on your device that you’re going to use on the walk. (This contains all the handy information, from how to get there, points of interest and pubs, taxis etc).
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Download OS Map App
This is how you will navigate your way around the route. The link for the route is in this guide and will take you to the OS Maps app.
Click here for Apple
Click here for Android
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Battery
Make sure you have plenty of battery. We hope you have a great walk.
The Curator Nick Toomey
Meet the Curator
Nick is an English Wine aficionado who hosts tours and tastings at one of the UK’s most exciting wine estates: Artelium in Sussex. He is also a keen hiker and spends his weekends exploring the South Downs around his Sussex home. So, who better to bring together our Sussex Winelands Tour?
“It’s said that beautiful places make amazing wines, and that is certainly true with the Sussex South Downs. The area has quickly gained a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting emerging wine regions and, tasting the wines, it is easy to see why.”
“I wanted to find a route that brought together the highlights of this part of Sussex: from the South Downs ridge to one of its top estates. It’s only by walking through the landscape – from up on the chalk hills, to down in the clay farmland – that you get a sense of the typography and geology that make this a special place for growing grapes and making wines.”
“For me, nothing beats tasting wines in situ. When you’re a stone’s throw from the vineyard, with the views out across the South Downs, the wine comes to life. Of course, it’s made all the better if you feel like you deserve it after a good walk.”
Adventure Summary
South Downs
Here at Vespucci we like to pair our walks with great places to reward yourself with a drink or some food. This walk is a prime example! What better way to finish off a country walk than tasting English wines made exclusively from grapes grown in the estate’s vineyards you’ve been walking through.
Starting from the grade II listed Plumpton station, make your way towards the ridge and prepare yourself for a rewarding climb to the top. As you walk along the top of the ridge you are accompanied with a view of Brighton and the sea to the south and the best English wine country to the North. If you look closely you will be able to spot the Artelium vineyards from the ridge.
If you need a little something to keep you going, The Pink Pit Stop is the perfect place! This adored pink oasis on the top of the ridge has locally roasted coffee and a selection of locally sourced & homemade sweet and savoury treats.
After you’re refueled, keep heading along the ridge and then down a white chalk path towards Artelium Wine Estate strolling through a charming red brick church yard path on your way.
Hike Highlights
Artelium Wine Estate
Enjoy a tour of the vineyards and a wine tasting along side Artelium’s art collection. (Open Thursday – Sunday)
Stunning views of winecounty
With it’s cool climate terroir and winemaking talent, this area of Sussex is the next big thing in Wine.
Westmeston Church
This grade II listed church has a beatiful red brick path running through a live church yard full of wild flowers.
By Train
Trains run from Victoria to Plumpton every 60mins and take an hour. Plumpton station is a 20 minute walk from the vineyard.
By Car
There is parking at Plumpton Station (BN7 3BW) and it is free on weekends.
Sometimes, we can get so caught up in reaching our destination that we forget to take in our surroundings. When in fact, some of the best moments on a walk are the ones spent not walking. It is not until you stop and look a little closer, that you truly see the magic of where you are.
Our hikes are not about how fast you walk, but about how much you take in. We share these beautiful trails with an abundance of wildlife and there’s always something to marvel at – so long as you take the time to look around.
An English wine estate celebrating modern winemaking and contemporary art. Artelium offers vineyard tours around the estate, tutored wine tastings and long lunches out on the terrace. Book to make a reservation on weekends to avoid disappointment.
Open Thursday – Sunday
Points of interest
Places to enjoy along the route
What’s Next?
Done the hike? Let us and fellow members know how you got on and leave any tips and advice!
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