Distance 15.2miles
Ascent 482m
Descent 524m
I couldn’t make the official leg of this section as I was away in Dorset with hubby Steve and two of our dogs. Therefore, Steve & I walked the first nine miles of it together on Saturday 2nd May. This blog describes my experience of the walk, with a few anecdotes from the main group (in italics). All the photos were taken by Anne, Dave, Tim or Maria on the official leg (as well as myself, poor Derek was also missing from the main walk - he had man flu - or even real flu!!).
Chief photographer, Anne - hard at work
As we left Blackboys village and walked a little way down the road to join the Wealdway, a glance north revealed Ashdown Forest on the horizon which was to be my destination today on this sub-stage of WW3.
Anti-deer stile
Walking past the vineyard
Leaving the roadway, the northward route followed a grassy track for a short distance before reaching what I believe was a young vineyard. The fields were protected by anti-deer fencing, with human access allowed through some intriguing stile/gate combinations.
Descending through the wood
Rather modest bluebells - bit past their best
We descended on a fairly broad path cut through light woodland, before joining a track shared with the Vanguard Way, another long distance path passing through Sussex. We passed the delightful Tickerage Mill complete with tranquil pond & tethered boat. The actress Vivien Leigh used to live here and her ashes were scattered over the pond on her death (see link - http://www.vivien-leigh.com/tickeragem.html ).
Gorgeous Tickerage Mill
Mill cottage
Leaving the Vanguard Way we swung west on a grassy path. A jersey cow and her calf were grazing in a nearby field, while geese honked loudly as they flew overhead.
Lush vegetation
Pond amongst the trees
Passing another pond (where Zuka took an early dip) we soon crossed a lane and then continued to follow the path through fields. Hemmed in by a sheep netting fence topped with barbed wire, we were forced to walk through a VERY boggy patch, where the liquid mud came right over the top of my new boots (UGH!) - (the main group opted for climbing over the fence – with some difficulty it would appear – and walking in the field to avoid the mud).
Avoiding the boggy patch
Converted barn
Approaching a hamlet of buildings there was an attractive converted barn, although the scene was somewhat marred by a caravan & camper van park next door. Crossing another lane we continued again through fields and crossed the stream on a sturdy wooden bridge.
Striding out across the meadow
Just the place for a doggy paddle
Just after the bridge there was easy access to the water, and my dogs took the opportunity for a paddle and drink. We then followed the stream for a little over half a mile. Some of the field was a little boggy and would probably have been flooded in the winter - (the main group briefly considered a large fallen tree for a lunch break as it was a shady spot, but in reality it was much too early and they pressed on).
More grassy meadows following the stream
A bit early for lunch?
Eventually we reached a road and swung west as we plodded up the hill. As the incline levelled off we could see Buxted Park house & church spire peeping through the trees.
Spring flowers in the grass
View towards Buxted Park house & church
Leaving the road, we passed through a narrow strip of oak woodland before crossing a stile and heading across fields once more. At a field boundary there was another small patch of woodland with a lovely old fallen tree. This area is obviously used by local youths as there was a large heap of discarded bottles and cans (fortunately in a fairly tidy heap rather than strewn around everywhere). They had also erected a makeshift table with the names of gang members painted on the top.
Makeshift table in woodland camp
We soon reached some very steep wooden steps which took us down to cross the railway line deep in a cutting, and then further steps up the other side to enter Hempstead Farm, a rescue centre where there were many ponies and donkeys grazing in the fields.
Negotiating the railway cutting
Crossing Hempstead stud
The path was rather unclear here, but passed fairly close to the farm buildings and over a number of quite dodgy stiles in various stages of disrepair. (Anne caused much merriment to one of the ponies, who started whinnying as soon as she tried to take its photograph). As we continued past the farm, we could hear peacocks calling.
Donkeys and ponies at the rescue centre
Sally assists Maria on a dodgy stile
After crossing a drainage ditch on a wooden bridge we walked across a boggy field to the accompaniment of loud honking from the large flock of grazing geese that we disturbed. A narrow overgrown path then took us out onto the lane by Hempstead Mill.
Tim plays peek-a-boo
Hempstead Mill
This mill house was very impressive and next to it the water was crashing noisily over a weir. As we skirted round the building, I spotted a large number of cats spying us from various vantage points both inside the house and out.
"....where the brass band played, tiddelly om pom pom....."
Following the river we walked alongside a rugby pitch on a narrow wooded path where the smell of ransoms was very evident (when the main group walked here there was a small group of musicians practising brass instruments).
How are you supposed to hang the washing out?
Woodland path through Buxted Park
We entered Buxted deer park (Anne spotted a house which was using an old rotary clothes dryer as a makeshift television aerial!) and soon descended on a path through bluebell woods towards the river, which was spanned by a long wooden bridge - Jazzy dog had a paddle here (as did Zuka, accompanied by a number of other labs). Instead of crossing the bridge, the path then swung sharp north and back up the hill again.
Labrador swim fest
Approaching Buxted Park house
Continuing, we soon reached Buxted Park House itself which is now a country house hotel - we celebrated my sister-in-law’s 50th birthday here a couple of years ago. Built in 1725, the house is a Georgian Palladian Mansion set in 312 acres of parkland, lakes and formal gardens. The fountain in the forecourt came from Sir Robert Peel's garden.
Sir Robert Peel's fountain
St Margaret's church
Walking down the long estate drive, we passed the ancient 13th Century church of St Margaret the Queen (complete with 2000 year old yew tree in the churchyard), and also the cricket pitch where a game was in full swing – anyone for cucumber sandwiches? (when the main group passed this way there was archery taking place).
Entrance drive to Buxted Park
We emerged on the A272 Buxted-Uckfield road and turned west, following the pavement for about half a mile before turning up a track to Oast Farm, which has taken diversification to the ultimate level as it now sports a fishing lake, ‘Pick Your Own’ fields and a shop & café (where the main group stopped for a much needed ice-cream – it was a very hot, sunny day after all). The path then continued alongside some horse fields, climbing to cross the A26 at Five Ash Down (around this point on the main walk, Sally - bringing up the rear - bent down to tie her boot lace, and when she looked up, the rest of the gang had disappeared. An urgent phone call to Anne's mobile was needed to reunite them all - poor Sally!).
Much needed ice-cream break at Oast Farm
Hendall Wood
What a handsome chap (actually, I meant the horse!)
Heading towards Hendall Manor farm
Just past the farm complex was a very large new house complete with deer fences and high brick walls. In the adjacent field was an enormous tree-house, which was painted muted shades of blue & green, but was still a bit of an eyesore. I’m sure it is great fun for the local children though.
Tree house
Spooky tree
We soon reached Furnace Wood, a mixed woodland where the path meandered through the trees on a delightful path. Jazz suddenly spotted a herd of deer ahead and very nearly pulled Steve over!
Disappearing into the trees - Furnace Wood
Looking back up the earth steps
After negotiating a set of steep earth steps, the path levelled out before crossing a stream on a footbridge and leaving the wood through a kissing gate (the main group stopped for a picnic in this nice shady wood, where there were plenty of handy rocks to sit on).
Lovely Furnace Wood
Nature reserve meadow
The path now crossed a lovely meadow (a bit boggy in places) which was a Sussex Wildlife Trust nature reserve, before emerging on a lane near the village of Fairwarp. We followed the lane for about a third of a mile before entering the wooded outskirts of Ashdown Forest, near the gated entrance to Oldlands Hall. The signage for the WW was a bit hit and miss in this area (Dave & Anne’s maps also showed different routes which was rather confusing), but fortunately as I know this area quite well, Steve & I didn’t stray from the correct path.
Chris practises his 'silly walk' past the entrance to Oldlands Hall
Ashdown Forest outskirts
The path meandered through a mixture of light woodland and more open areas where the trees & scrub had been cleared to encourage the regeneration of heather. Dropping down to meet a track we passed through a hamlet of fine cottages. It was then a slow, but steady pull up through scrubby woodland to reach our finish point of the day at Gorsey Down forest car park.
Pretty hamlet
***
***
I had hoped to complete the rest of WW3 in a single linear walk, either with family or on my own with a bit of help taxiing to start/finish, but busy weekends unfortunately prevented this. As this area is only a few miles from home I therefore decided to do a number of evening circular walks after work, covering the section from Camp Hill on Ashdown Forest to Balls Green in the correct sequence.
View towards the South Downs
So it was 6.30pm on Sunday 18th May when I was back in Gorsey Down car park to pick up where I had left off two weeks earlier. It was a lovely sunny evening, but quite chilly – a sharp contrast to the high temperatures the main group had enjoyed the previous weekend. The WW passed a rather unspectacular dormer bungalow which did however enjoy lovely views towards the South Downs, and then cut through an area of the Forest recently cleared of scrub & birch, where young bracken fronds were springing up.
Protecting the rare heathland
After reaching a road, the route turned left and briefly entered the adjacent field to avoid fending off the traffic on a dodgy bend. Reaching the junction with the B2026, I went through a gate and past a trig point to reach the group of trees known as Camp Hill Clump. The gorse here was particular spectacular, as indeed it was along most of the route across the Forest.
Spectacular gorse
The trig point at Camp Hill Clump
Ashdown Forest is the largest area of lowland heath in the south-east of England. To maintain its status as a Site of Special Scientific Interest & European Special Protection Area (and the accompanying grants), the conservators of Ashdown Forest are undertaking a lot of work clearing trees and cutting back gorse, to prevent it crowding out the heather. There is quite a bit of local protest about the tree clearance, as trees up to about 25 years old are being felled, but it is an important part of the conservation of this very rare habitat. http://www.ashdownforest.org/
Wealdway commemerative post
Lovely group shot at Camp Hill (with Sally looking particularly glam')
At Camp Hill there was a signpost commemorating the opening of the WW by the chairman of the Countryside Commission in September 1981. There were also a number of memorial benches where you can sit and admire the fine views (the main group took the opportunity for a breather here and a one of the benches presented an ideal spot of a group photo).
'Wild' Ashdown Forest
View back towards Camp Hill clump
From the clump the route followed a wide, undulating forest track for about a mile (on the main walk, Chris & Tim were yomping ahead, and so despite Anne’s shouts, the group missed the opportunity for more ice-creams from the van in the Kings Standing car park nearby).
Striding out along the wide Forest track
About to leave the fenced area of the Forest
Crossing a road, the path continued roughly north across the Forest on a gently rising path, towards a clump of pine trees on the brow of a hill. This was Greenwood Gate clump, the highest point on the WW at a modest 218m.
The highest point on the Wealdway
Greenwood Gate clump
As I reached a junction in the paths, there were very fine views north west, across the High Weald towards the North Downs. This has always been one of my favourite views on the Forest (at this point the group nearly went astray when the normally excellent way-marking temporarily deserted the trail – fortunately Anne had been here before and called everyone back) . I ended my sub-leg of the walk here and doubled back on another path to make a circular route back to my car.
Err....... not that way folks!
The path narrows
The following evening I resumed WW3 – again it was a sunny, and a little warmer than the previous day. The path now descended slowly, eventually entering a wood, which was initially still part of Ashdown Forest (as confirmed by the continuation of the special WW way-mark posts with painted notches in the top). After passing through a gate (or rather round it, as I couldn’t actually get it open!), I entered Five Hundred Acre Wood (the 100 Aker Wood of Winnie the Pooh fame), which is part of the Buckhurst Estate owned by Earl de la Warr. Indeed the whole of Ashdown Forest was originally owned by the same family, but was purchased from the Estate in 1988 by East Sussex County Council.
Backlit leaves
500 Acre Wood (look out for Pooh & Piglet!)
Still descending, I finally reached a T-junction of paths at the edge of the wood, and turned east following a field boundary, where the fence and gates were double height, presumably in an attempt to keep the deer out. Shortly after joining a tarmac access road, the long descent finally came to an end, with a brief uphill climb. I left the WW here and doubled back to my car.
A mixed wood - there are conifers too
It was a week later when I was finally able to complete WW3, and again Steve accompanied me, so we were able to take both cars and do a linear walk. In typical bank holiday Monday fashion, the weather that day had been ghastly, with a lot of heavy rain. By late afternoon the rain had stopped, so we decided to do our evening dog walk on the WW. It was still very overcast and misty though – not quite the glorious sunshine the main group had walked in.
Official path diversion
After a brief walk-in we rejoined the WW, and briefly branched off the metalled road on an official path diversion round a splendid property on the Buckhurst Estate. Rejoining the road, we passed a number of cottages and crossed a cattle grid at Buckhurst Farm. This place brings back memories for me as I have worked here in two capacities; firstly as a part time National Milk Records milk recorder on the farm itself (when the kids were very small), and later at my first proper ‘office’ job working for a Forestry Management company who rented the old Buckhurst Estate office (the wooden shack just down the driveway to the farm, after the cattle grid).
View towards Buckhurst Park house (just visible)
Buckhurst Farm drive
We continued down the lane in its lovely parkland setting, with spring flowers filling the hedgerows. There was no sign of the dairy herd (perhaps they no longer keep Friesians here?) but we passed a field with some fine Sussex beef cattle.
Happy pigs
View towards Hartfield church
Another field contained some happy free range pigs. These must be quite a new addition – they certainly weren’t here last time I passed this way, and the sties had a newish gleam to them. The drive then took us past an impressive property called Thatchers (appropriately with a thatched roof).
Thatchers
Approaching the end of the farm drive with fine views north
After a little over a mile we reached the road proper, where there was another large (and, in my opinion, rather ugly) property close to Withyham church. Crossing a narrow road bridge we climbed a stile and took to the fields adjacent to a very brown & swollen River Medway.
A tranquil River Medway (looking much calmer than when I passed it!)
Crossing the river
We paddled over two rather water-logged fields (I was glad I had decided to wear wellies) and then crossed the Forest Way - the old railway line between East Grinstead and Groombridge which is now a walking and cycle route. After two more wet meadows, we left the river and followed a path alongside a fence, brushing through damp stinging nettles and past a solitary pig sty – the former residence of Daisy & Sweet Pea.
Pig sty
Converted barn & fine oast house
Finally, we passed a very fine barn conversion, oast house and other converted buildings in the large Summerford Farm complex, before reaching the road and our waiting car. I very much enjoyed this whole section, even though the middle section was very familiar to me (the main group all seemed to thoroughly enjoy it too – indeed Tim is quoted as saying it “was the best stage of the Wealdway so far and one of the most enjoyable walks I have done for some time”. Strong praise indeed!).
Oast house roof (or roofs?)
