The Parrot, Leith Hill and Jayes Park Walk
AllTrails, LLC

Dingwall Wood Pond to Rhododendron Car Park
Continue on the main woodland track, climbing more steeply to reach the next junction (a fork). Take the left-hand branch, still on the main stone track which swings left and climbs to a T-junction (with a bench ahead). Turn left and follow the woodland track leading you ahead and then bending right, to continue uphill with an open field visible to your left.
At the next junction (where the main path bends left), fork right through a staggered wooden barrier (marked with an orange arrow). A few metres along, ignore the orange arrow which points right, instead go straight ahead. Follow the woodland path, pass a bench on your left and keep left at the fork here.
You will notice that the woodland paths are now surrounded by very tall and mature rhododendron bushes and these create a fantastic display of colour in the late spring. Rhododendron Wood was planted by Caroline, wife of Josiah Wedgwood of pottery fame, who moved here in 1847. They lived at nearby Leith Hill Place which was also home to their grandson, composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.
As you draw level with the next bench, stay with the main path which bears left. A few metres later, turn left at the crossroads and follow the path leading you into the Rhododendron Wood National Trust car park.

Rhododendron Car Park to Greensand Way
Go straight ahead to leave the car park via the vehicle entrance and, taking care of traffic, turn right along the lane. Just before you reach the road junction ahead, turn left at an orange-topped waymarker post. Head up the short flight of steps, cross over the road with care and go ahead to join the woodland path. Follow the orange arrows which direct you diagonally left on a path going steeply uphill (with a stone retaining wall running on your right).
Stay with this waymarked path, bending right at the end of the wall and continuing to climb through the woodland. At the top, you will emerge via a staggered barrier to reach a T-junction with a stone track. This track is the Greensand Way long distance path.

Greensand Way to Leith Hill Tower
Turn right to join the track. When you reach a fork, it is safest to take the right-hand branch (signed as the Footpath to the Tower) as this branch is not shared with cyclists. Your path soon rejoins the main track. Simply keep ahead and, before long, you will reach the summit of Leith Hill with the impressive Leith Hill Tower.
Leith Hill is the highest point in the south-east corner of England, 294 metres (965 feet) above sea level. The tower was built in 1766 as a dwelling by Richard Hull of Leith Hill Place, who is buried under the tower. It was measured so as to raise the height to the symbolic 1000 feet. The tower is managed by National Trust and you can climb the tower if you wish (a small entrance fee applies). Take time to enjoy the superb panoramic views, a just reward for your efforts during the climb.

Leith Hill Tower to Trust Boundary
When you are ready to continue, retrace your steps for a few metres to reach a large covered noticeboard. Turn left just before this, to join the path signed to the Windy Gap car park. Follow the path which swings right to reach an orange-topped post. Turn left here to join the flight of wooden steps leading you steeply downhill. After the first stretch of descent, turn left at the waymarker to continue down the next flight of steps.
You will emerge into the Windy Gap car park. Walk ahead to the road, turn left for about 30 metres and then turn right onto the signed public footpath. Follow this woodland track continuing downhill for about 400 metres. At this point it begins to swing right and a waymarker post (on your left) marks a subtle crossroads. (NOTE: Look carefully for this junction as it is easy to miss).
Turn left here (ignoring the orange arrow) to follow the narrow woodland path which leads you downhill, over a footbridge and on to reach a small wooden gate (at the National Trust boundary).

Trust Boundary to Forest Green Road
Pass through the gate to enter a large rough meadow. Follow the grass path which bears right, leading you downhill with the woodland on your right (and fine views ahead). Where the woodland swings away to your right, do not follow this, instead keep ahead (now with a crop margin on your right).
Pass just to the left of a large oak tree and then bear slightly left, passing under power lines to reach the far, bottom field corner. As you reach this corner, take a moment to turn around and look behind, for a perfectly-framed view of Leith Hill Tower. Bear left to join the grass and stone vehicle track, with a hedge running on your right.
Follow the stone track all the way to its end, with a barn on your right. Turn left and follow the access track, passing a beautiful timber-framed farmhouse (now a pair of cottages) on your left. Continue to reach a junction with Forest Green Road.

Forest Green Road to Jayes Park
NOTE: The next short stretch of walk follows the edge of this road, so take good care of traffic and use the grass verge as much as possible. Turn left along the road and follow it as it bends right. Take the first turning on the right (by the post box), the entrance drive for Jayes Park Courtyard (signed as a public footpath).
Follow the tarmac driveway, passing through or alongside a vehicle gate. At the first junction, ignore the left-hand branch (which leads to the manor house). Keep ahead to reach the courtyard complex. Take the middle of the three tracks and follow this leading you between the beautiful converted buildings. These buildings date from the 1800s and were originally stables and outbuildings, but now are home to a number of small businesses.
Beyond the courtyard buildings, follow the main track as it swings left, passing the estate's walled garden on your left. Again, it is worth looking behind you here, for the next perfectly-framed view of Leith Hill Tower.
This makes a good spot to pause and enjoy the history of Jayes Park. The Jayes Park Estate is home to the Lee Steere family. It is claimed that since the Norman Conquest, (aside from a short period in the 1930s when the manor was rented out) only members of the Steere family have ever lived at Jayes Park. This impressive claim is hard to prove or disprove, but Ockley Parish registers certainly confirm the local presence of Steeres in the early 1500s and that the property has not been sold since. The estate covers 2,700 acres including gardens, pleasure grounds and farmland. Be sure to look for the fanciful red brick turrets accentuating the garden walls.

Jayes Park to Mole Street
Continue on the concrete track, passing a cottage on your right, to reach a wide farm gate ahead. NOTE: This next pasture may sometimes be holding cattle. Pass through the kissing gate to enter the upper park. Although the exit from the field is to your right, please follow the line of the public footpath [FP159] down to the middle pond.
Walk directly ahead through the pasture to reach a footbridge and fingerpost at the far side. Do NOT cross the bridge but turn right to join FP 158. Heading partly back on yourself through the pasture (passing a circle of oak trees on your left and later passing to the left of the next trees within the field).
In the field corner, cross the stile-bridge-stile combination and continue ahead on the narrow woodland path. At the end of the woodland you will emerge out to Mole Street

Mole Street to End
Turn right along the lane for about 300 metres, passing the entrance gates for Woodstock House on your left and continuing on to reach a tarmac lane on your left. Turn left to join this. Pass Gosterwood Manor Farm Cottage on your left and then follow the lane as it bends right then left, to pass the farm buildings on your left.
With the farmhouse ahead, follow the main lane which again bends right then left to reach a pair of gates ahead. Pass through the gates and continue ahead on the tarmac and then stone track, passing a beautiful line of oak trees on your left. Beyond these trees, follow the track as it bends left. Ignore the footpath signed off to the right, simply keep ahead on the main track leading into woodland.
At the end of the track you will emerge to the road in Forest Green village. Turn right along the village road and follow this all the way through the village. The road leads you past the large green on your left, to reach The Parrot on your right for some well-earned hospitality.

The Parrot, Leith Hill and Jayes Park Walk