Letterboxing in Amberly

A bit of catch up now, not been posting as often as intended, but am away from the internet (this will be posted later) so have a bit of time and hope to write up all the recent trips while away. Will still post them on separate days just for some sort of order to be maintained.

From some information out on the internet, there was a course set out in Amberly, just off of the A29. There was convenient free parking in the Whiteways carpark, just north of the Whiteways roundabout, and there is a cafe and toilet facilities at in the car park as well. The one additionally piece of advice that I'd give is that it is definitely worthwhile bringing a camera. Sadly I didn't have mine with me. If I had then I would have not only been able to take some very good photos of the views and various oddities, but I would have also been able to get some photos of some wonderful wildlife as well. Numerous fowl were found on the latter part of the walk, especially when crossing back to the Denture, but I also missed out on some deer as well. (Whether I would have been quick enough to get a photo before it vanished having been disturbed is another matter).

The letterboxes that are laid out are all to do with Hallmarks for various major cities and was laid out in 2005 to celebrate 150 years of letterboxing. There is also an additional letterbox on the far edge of the circular route that you can take to do all the letterboxes, though your Latin needs to be good for you to work out the clue. I have been told that it may be easier to reach that clue from the adjoining field rather than the main route that you'd be tempted to take. A couple of boxes may have gone missing and this has been confirmed by the placer, the ones I couldn't find were 4,5 and 6, but I will be heading back another time with a different start point to double check. It's still a good route with 9 letterboxes you can collect.

The only additional information is that there are notebooks only at number 1 and number 9 and that it is very important to use the clues fully and not use your eyes as you'll look in the wrong place.

Have fun, the clues are below.

SUSSEX WEST-AMBERLEY,TQ.00?.10?, OS Landranger Sheet 197. A walk of nine boxes commemorating 150 years of letterboxing.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No1,TQ.0019.1090, Start at the Whiteways Roundabout car park on the A29. Toilets & café available. Leave the car park on 330° by a red six bar gate on west side - TQ.0019.1090. 35p. at five bar gate TQ.0008.1110. turn right for 50p to a field. Box is by roots of a fallen but living beech TQ.0008.1114. Footpath post at field corner 128° & 30p away.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS BONUS,TQ.0001.1165, From footpath post in previous clue follow field edge on 20° but turn left just before the field set back on left TQ.0012.1169. Keep field on right till field corner is reached. TQ.0001.1165. From field corner go 60p on 335° to multi-stemmed ash & ivy 10p from field edge. Box by roots.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No2,SU.9930.1174, Return to corner in previous clue continue down ride on 255° at junction set off on 350° after 450p join ride going west for 370p to Wapelgate corner SU.9930.1174. Box back 40p on 130° to large beech then 10p on 180° to stump.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No3,SU.9960.1225, From beech on 346° make for small track into woods and shortly path going on 20° (90p from beech). Keep on path even when it does an S' bend (right then left) to field edge now 20p past sole gatepost by pollarded ancient beeches. Follow field edge on 105° to fence. Find two boundary stones then 20p into wood (marked RU MH MF). From BS go 55p 238° to oak box by roots.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No4,SU.9809.1229, Return to gatepost in previous clue & go 85p 270° to find a small path which goes parallel to the field edge. At SU.9924.1230. take the track on 220° right at Y' straight at X' to bridleway sign at SU.9855.1190. then 330° along the Denture to next bridleway post then a further 130p SU.9809.1229. 20p north to twin beeches that partially survived the '87 hurricane. Box is 20p north by roots of a tree that didn't.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No5,SU.9804.1239, Carry on up the Denture. At 25p before 'NT Bignor Hill' sign, go 60° 80p to tumulus. Box under a leaning tree - 60° from top of tumulus.

ROMAN SOLDIER,SU.969.127, Continue climbing the Denture till next junction at SU.9738.1267 then 350° to signpost in car park. (signpost vandalised partly by chain saw) the upright still stands. From NOVIOMAGUS-LONDINIUM (Chichester – London) signpost in carpark, go CCXLp (240) on CCLXXX° (280) to join S.D.W./Stane Street. Then follow S.S. on CCXXXVI° (236) for CCLVIIIp (258) to fraxinus (Ash) with four trunks (two grafted together). XXVIIp (27) on V° (5) to multi-branched quercus (Oak). IXp (9) on LX° (60) to taxus (Yew) -embraced (Ash). Box inside.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No6,SU.9670.1263, Continue along Stane Street on 240° to Black Jack Post by a stile. 70p 290° along track to a fence post on left now 50p 210° to leaning yew. Box under roots.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No7,SU.9696.1230, From Black Jack Post along track on 100° for 222p to Gumber Corner by BS with 'GT' & bench mark. South to bridle way sign at SU.9696.1230. 55p on 280° to yew box 2' up tree.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No8,SU.9898.1132, From bridle way sign continue then veer left at bridle way sign with blue & yellow arrows & at next sign (blue arrows only near gatepost SU.9709.1173) go 70° over cross bridle ways to The Denture at SU.9767.1176. Right to bridle way sign at fork at SU.9885.1137. Main (left) BW for 200p 130° to large 2' tall 3’ diameter moss covered stump 18p left of track. A small yew is 2p 310° from box. Spreading oak with 1.5’ trunk just before & on opposite side of track.

1854 SILVER HALL MARKS No9,SU.9955.1130, Continue along track to where several forestry tracks join. From signpost at corner of triangular island formed by three tracks 60p 110° to four trunked beech with ivy box is in crutch 2' up. Return to car park on track running 100°.