A Walk Around Lancing
25 Apr, 2019
Lancing is situated on a lovely stretch of the west Sussex coast with Sompting to its west and Shoreham-by-Sea to its east. The town lies in the Adur District in a particularly attractive rural area with farms and nature reserves and the chalk downlands to the north. Lancing has long been popular as a walking area because of its close vicinity to the beautiful downs and for residents, it is a real bonus to have so many lovely walks on their doorstep!
The shingle beach at Lancing is ideal for a bracing stroll, but if you wait until low tide, it is an easier walk as a soft stretch of sand is revealed. There are other lovely places to explore in the vicinity, including Widewater a lagoon with brackish water which is said to be one of the last sites where the Ivell's sea anemone still grows. Running along the northern boundary of the town is the Ladywell Stream, which is a tributary of the Adur.
Lancing Ring Nature Reserve
The popular nature reserve of Lancing Ring lies just north of the town and is part of the South Downs National Park. This area is popular with those wanting to relax and take a good stroll as well as those planning a picnic or stretching out on a rug in the sunshine with a good book! One lovely walk that is perfect in the early evening is the Lancing Ring circular walk It is a pleasant relaxing walk but does have a steady ascent through arable fields to the summit of Steep Down (150 metres). The exertion is well worth it as they is a terrific panoramic view that includes sea cliffs, the English Channel and the rolling downland of the Weald – plus some urban areas.
For those who enjoy history, there is a track to follow that dates from Celtic times which leads from Chanctonbury Ring via Cissbury Ring to Lancing Ring. During the Bronze Age (1500-500BC) there was a sacred place close to Lancing Ring and an incense cup and fragments that were uncovered west of Lancing Ring is where an Iron Age shrine and Romano British temple, dating from the first century, were first discovered nearly two hundred years ago. A walk in this area is definitely thought-provoking about the earliest residents.
Walking Routes in Lancing
Walking is known to be good for your health and it is recommended that you clock up 10,000 steps each day. What better way than to get out and about in the Lancing area and enjoy its lovely rural setting? There is a great website that encourages everyone to reach for their walking boots as it has a huge variety of different walks in the area to enjoy. Some of the walks are pleasant strolls like the 2.6km coastal walk and others are more challenging like the eight kilometre circular route that heads inland and explores the foothills of the Downs.
Another website that encourages everyone to get walking is the Adur Health Walks site that has more than a dozen different walks in Shoreham-by-Sea and Southwick as well as Lancing. Most of the walks are level 1 or 2 health walks that take between 30-90 minutes to complete, but there are several that are level 3 and needing two hours to successfully complete.
With so many lovely walks to enjoy in the area, it is hard to resist the opportunity to enjoy a good stroll in the countryside – especially if you choose a walk that just happens to include one of the many good pubs too!