Halnaker Windmill

At a Glance:

• Distance: Just under 4 miles
• Time: Around 1.5–2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy–moderate (steady climb, nothing brutal)
• Terrain: Field paths, ancient track, hilltop paths
• Dog friendly: Yes
• Start/finish: Boxgrove village hall car park
• Good for: Big views, history, vineyards, families with reasonable fitness

Why We Love This Walk:

The Halnaker Windmill walk is one of those routes that’s become a bit of a Sussex classic – and for good reason. You get an ancient track, a vineyard, a proper hilltop with a windmill on it, and huge views across to the English Channel and the Isle of Wight on a clear day.

The Walk:

Although you’ll see cars scattered all over the place on a busy day, we recommend parking in the Boxgrove public car park next to the village hall. It’s easy, sensible and gives you a nicer start and finish. From there, cross the road at the northern end of the car park and pick up the windmill trail across the fields and up the hill. The route is pretty straightforward and it’s an easy walk in terms of navigation, but you are heading to the top of a hill, so there’s a gentle 128‑metre climb to factor in.

The path takes you past the Tinwood Estate vineyard, which always feels like a bit of a treat – neat rows of vines in the Sussex countryside – and then up the ancient track towards the summit. You are walking along the original line of a Roman road (Stane Street), but the lovely sunken, tree-tunnel track you see today evolved lane later and has been worn into the Roman route over many centuries. As you climb, the views start to open out, so by the time you reach the windmill you’ve got a big sweep of landscape around you.

On a clear day you can see across to the English Channel and even the Isle of Wight, which makes the effort more than worthwhile. It’s one of those tops where you’ll probably end up doing a slow 360° just to take it all in. Scattered around the hilltop you’ll also spot the remains of more modern structures. They’re often mistaken for WW2 anti‑aircraft emplacements, but they’re actually part of a wartime “Huff‑Duff” radio direction‑finding station – a bit of proper spy‑story history in the middle of your walk.

The walk itself is just under 4 miles, (around 400 calories and 8,000 steps if you are counting), and suitable for all ages and well‑behaved dogs, as long as everyone is happy with a steady uphill section on the way out and a gentle downhill on the way back.

A Bit of What We Like:

1. The name is actually pronounced “Ha’naker” (silent L), which always feels like a small local secret.
2. The Grade II listed windmill has been up here since the mid‑18th century, originally built for the Duke of Richmond.
3. The Anglesey Arms on the way back to the car park, for some very welcome refreshment.

Useful Links:

• Start / Parking (What3Words): nurtures.mailings.loaders
• Local weather: BBC Weather for Halnaker / Boxgrove area
• Route map: Halnaker Windmill route on the Footpath app
• Pub: Anglesey Arms