Easy going on cycle tracks, bridleways and country roads.
Can be  muddy in winter
12km

Start at Roosthole GR209299 for a route through St. Leonard's forest. 

• Leave the car park heading uphill north east for 1km then turn left onto Mick Mills race.  Continue for 1.5km turning right at the end.  Sit on the bench and admire the distant South Downs including Chanctonbury ring.
• Continue along the bridleway joining the Forest road at GR 224327
• Turn right into Colgate (will the road sign come on for you?) passing or stopping at 'The Dragon' and turn right into school lane at GR231328.
• Continue for just over a km, cross over the Grouse road onto the bridleway at GR242319  Descend to Shelley middle (or is it Newstead?) gill and ascend to the ridge.  The route is just to the left of the 'bee line'; A part-terrace can be seen.
• Turn right along the ridge passing through Newstead farm - a working farm, so watch out as the route might be cordoned off, covered in 'slurry' etc.
• Turn right at GR233297 descending to a ford at the site of Tattleton's farm GR228299.  Turn left across a field and then right through the shaw at GR226298 to join the Grouse road.
• Opposite is a footpath that descends to Frenchbridge gill and then ascends to the start of Mick Mills race, but,
• Turn left down the Grouse road and then right at Buck's head GR218291 onto the Hammerpond road. Follow this for just over a kilometre back to the roosthole carpark..

Mick Mills (or is it Miles?) race.  Mick, a local braggart, boasted he could outrace anyone. 
The Devil took up the challenge. 
The resulting contest, whick Mick won, left a course through the forest on which no tree would grow.
Being gravelled and a forestry access route probably helps.
Other legends of St Leonard's forest include
The forest dragon and headless horsemen.

The 'soil' in the forest is that yellow clay so beloved of local gardeners

'Roosthole', where the iron ore was roasted to the oxide.
Try the Wealden Iron Research Group for more.