Woolbeding Countryside
Redford, West Sussex
Photo: Chris Thomas-Atkin, CC BY-SA 2.0Photo: Chris Thomas-Atkin, CC BY-SA 2.0
A large estate in the Rother valley just west of Midhurst, running from open heathland on Woolbeding Common down to parkland and riverside pasture along the River Rother. The heath is home to nightjars and woodlarks, and Belted Galloway cattle graze it. It is separate from Woolbeding Gardens, which has its own ticketed visits.
Highlights
- Heather and gorse on Woolbeding Common
- Riverside walk along the Rother from Midhurst
- Nightjars and woodlarks on the heath
- On the Serpent Trail
Good to know
- Dogs on leads are welcome
- You can walk in from Midhurst along the signed River Rother Walk
- Woolbeding Common is also used for mountain biking
Getting there
Woolbeding Countryside, Woolbeding Common, Older Hill Lane, Redford, West Sussex, GU29 0QEParking: Several small free car parks: Rother Walk and Woolbeding Parkland (GU29 9RL, about 8 cars), Older Hill (GU29 0QB, about 12 cars), Linch Road (GU29 0QD) and Scotland Lane (GU29 0BJ). No camping or overnight stays.
Get directionsChecked on 16 October 2026 against nationaltrust.org.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
Nearby
Image: National TrustWoolbeding Gardens
A 26 acre garden on the edge of Midhurst, with distinctive garden rooms and colourful borders that flow into the Rother valley landscape. Follies include a classical Tulip Folly, a ruined abbey, a gothic summerhouse and a river-god grotto, alongside a striking ten-sided glasshouse and Silk Route garden.
Image: South Downs National ParkSouth Downs National Park
The South Downs National Park protects the chalk hills, woods and river valleys that run across Sussex and into Hampshire, including the Seven Sisters cliffs. The South Downs Way follows the ridge, and there are step-free Miles Without Stiles routes, some of the darkest skies in England and plenty of villages and vineyards to stop at.
Photo: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0Marley Common
Mixed broadleaf woodland and open heath on the Sussex and Surrey border near Haslemere, and one of the Trust's oldest countryside sites. Belted Galloway cattle are helping the heath recover after mid-century fires, and chestnut coppice glades draw butterflies such as the brimstone in late spring. It is now part of the Wealden Heaths National Nature Reserve.