Rake: Walking, Woodland and History

Rake offers several different points of interest to consider when planning a trip: the Serpent Trail leads into the village, Rake Hanger is a wooded escarpment, and the Rake War Memorial commemorates two periods of war. There is also Rake Recreation Ground at Bull Hill. The themes range from a specific walking trail to landscape and geology, local history, and a named green space. If you are weighing up Rake as a destination, you can organise these highlights according to your interests rather than viewing the village through just one theme.

Walking the Serpent Trail

The Serpent Trail enters Rake along a strip of grassy path. The “Liphook–Liss Rail to Ramble” walking route follows the Serpent Trail to Rake. This gives you two distinct points of reference: the section of path that leads into the village and a named walking route that uses the trail. For planning, it helps to distinguish the local stretch of the trail from the route that incorporates it. If you are considering the walking route, check the surfaces and conditions before setting off.

Woodland landscape at Rake Hanger

Rake Hanger is a 28.2-hectare wooded escarpment of Lower Greensand. It lies on the boundary between West Sussex and Hampshire. The unusual sessile oak is the predominant tree in this woodland. The slope, geological substrate and tree species give the landscape theme specific detail and set it apart from a general walking description. The Serpent Trail focuses on the path to Rake; Rake Hanger focuses on its area, geology and vegetation. This makes it possible to consider two different interests in Rake separately: the walking connection on the one hand, and the features of the wooded escarpment on the other.

The Rake War Memorial

The Rake War Memorial is listed as a Grade II monument. It consists of a simple stone Latin cross about 2.4 metres high. The memorial was dedicated in 1921 for the First World War; later additions commemorated the Second World War. Its chronology therefore covers both the original reason for its creation and a later extension of the memorial. Its form and approximate height describe the memorial as a structure, while its dedication and additions place its development in time. This provides a clear point of reference for a cultural and historical perspective on Rake, distinct from the nature and walking themes.

Green space and orientation

Rake Recreation Ground at Bull Hill covers approximately 0.8 hectares and is registered as a Village Green. Bull Hill provides the specific location reference; Village Green describes the status of the space. By comparison, the Recreation Ground is considerably smaller than Rake Hanger, which covers 28.2 hectares. These details place two differently sized areas in context: a green space with a named point of reference and an extensive wooded escarpment. This adds another local point of reference to the walking and history themes.

Route connections and travel planning

A train connection between Portsmouth and Waterloo is also listed in connection with the “Liphook–Liss Rail to Ramble” walking route. Before travelling, check current services if this rail connection is relevant to your plans. For the walk itself, the practical advice is to check the surfaces and conditions before setting off; this will help you incorporate the route information provided into your own planning.

Discover more destinations: West Wittering, Wisborough Green, Albourne, Chichester, Petworth, Shoreham-By-Sea, Yapton, Lindfield

For the wider travel overview: West Sussex.