Length: 17¼ km (10.7 miles) or 22¾ km (14.1 miles) if walking to East Grinstead. T=swc.110
Difficulty: 5 or 7 out of 10
After an initial stretch along the low hills above the Medway valley the walk skirts the attractive Wealden village of Hartfield and makes for a country pub in the nearby hamlet of Gallipot Street. After lunch the walk goes over a low ridge and continues alongside the stream immortalised in AA Milne's famous books – though not crossing it at Pooh Bridge itself – before climbing onto an open ridge leading to the Ashdown Forest Centre. A contrasting descent through the wooded Broadstone Warren and a section across a golf course brings you to Forest Row and a choice of places for tea.
You can either finish the walk here or complete an Extended Walk up the long gentle incline of the Forest Way, a popular cycle route along the trackbed of a disused railway line.
Travel: Get the 1007 Southern train to Uckfield from London Bridge (East Croydon 1022) arriving 1057.
" There is no station in Forest Row, so if you finish the walk there you will need to take a bus from the Brambletye stop up the hill to East Grinstead. Metrobus 270 & 291 alternate to provide a half-hourly service to around 7pm"
Return trains from East Grinstead to London bridge xx06 xx36. "East Grinstead is on a different line from Ashurst but it is also operated by Southern. The suggested ticket is a return to East Grinstead, which is slightly more expensive and likely to be accepted if checked on the outward journey (there are no ticket barriers at Ashurst station)."
Lunch: The suggested lunch place is the Gallipot Inn ( 01892-770008 ) on the B2110 at Gallipot Street , after 7¾ km. This attractive old pub is fairly small inside but has a large back garden with fine views across the Weald, and serves food all afternoon
Tea: Various options in Forest Row including the (recommended) Hop Yard Brewing Co on Hartfield Road above a flower shop.
2 comments:
N=6 seasoned walkers made an inauspicious start trying to exit from the wrong platform and getting the wrong path five minutes later. An atmospheric day, with mist and low cloud, but still plenty of colour. It's the time of mud, but nothing too dreadful. Five of us had sandwiches, so just a brief stop for a drink. Picnic spots are a bit lacking on this walk, we made do with a bench for 4.
We got a bit separated, I stopped in the Hop Yard, one pressed on to East Grinstead. Not sure about the four in front, but they got the 1614 bus and presumably the 1636.i got the 1706.
I think #2 did the extension to East Grinstead (EG). Along the old railway line there was enough light to not worry about what was under foot. On arrival in EG the town was getting ready for its Christmas light switch on. A lot of people were out in the high street enjoying the milder weather and food stalls on offer. It was good to experience this with enough time to get the 17:36 back into London.
Post a Comment