Length: 17km (10.6 miles) 5 out of 10
T=swc.5
"The area around Wadhurst is one of the prettiest parts of the Weald – a place of hidden valleys, ancient woods, and quaint old farms which feel far away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. This walk gives you a perfect introduction to it. Starting at Wadhurst station, it follows the Sussex Border Path to lunch at a pub in Cousley Wood, and then descends with fine panoramic views to Bewl Water Reservoir, whose shore is open and unfenced unlike many other reservoirs, and which makes a fine spot to while away some time on a sunny day."
After lunch, there are options to shorten the walk (8 miles) or take a longer route (12.2 miles).
Trains: Get the 0945 Hastings train from Charing Cross (London Bridge 0953) arriving Wadhurst at 1110. Return trains are xx04 and xx34. At the time of writing, Advance Tickets are available.
Lunch: The Old Vine, Cousley Wood (01892 784467 or 783666), 5.3km (3.3 miles) into the walk.
Tea: The White Heart in Wadhurst. It is 1.4 mile walk down the main road (with a pavement all the way) to the station, or a 2 mile, atmospheric walk down the unlit back-roads.
The Bonfire:
Is at Lower High St, Wadhurst from 5:30pm till 9:00pm - the firework display will run from 7:30pm to 7:45pm. Food and drink available. Buy tickets online here. Expect to get the 21.04 or 21.34, as trying to leave straight after the display means being in a slow moving crowd
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You probably didn’t come on this walk because you thought it would be w=wet. Well rest easy because it was. Relentless rain, pretty much. The odd flash of sun. Blue sky to the north at times. At least boots did not get muddy: the mud all got washed off. Waterproof kit was…tested.
Time was when Saturday Walkers were a hardy lot and would have turned out regardless of the weather. Well, those times are gone. Just n=6 at the start of the walk, and one was a car driver who only stayed with us as far as lunch.
Despite the rain, a nice walk, with some good autumn colour. We lingered over lunch in the not at all busy Old Vine. In retrospect, since we were going to fireworks in the evening, most of us should not have had burgers. Some had puddings and coffees.
But the moment could not be put off forever, and eventually it was out into the rain again. A nice walk down to and around Bewl Water. It may have rained plenty lately but the reservoir has a long way to go before it is full.
One wanted to do the long walk, but the others didn’t, so we didn’t. The main walk was enough, getting us to Wadhurst as night fell - as it does surprisingly early these days.
We were in time to have tea in solitary splendour at the Artful Grocers, and then repaired to the White Hart, which was hideously busy. (Note to prospective buyers of the Greyhound: Wadhurst needs more than one pub.) We somehow filled the hour until it was time to go to the fireworks.
These were empty when we arrived and were not, I think, as busy as normal. The fire looked smaller than last year too, but we met the very friendly organiser, who explained that whereas they used to use pallets to make a large but quick burning fire, this year they had used denser material to produce a longer lasting blaze.
It ignited with a loud bang (petrol vapour catching light, apparently: thankfully no one was hurt) and was slow to get going, but made a good strong blaze once it did. We stared into the flames and thought ancient mystical thoughts (at least I did…). Amazingly, it was not raining and there were even some stars.
Then the fireworks, which apparently cost £10,000. Despite a drizzle resuming, they were good value for the money, the bangs echoing atmospherically around the valley. As good as a big city display, but without the packed crowds.
Afterwards, despite the absence of the usual instigators of such actions, we decided to get supplies for the train. We then walked down the back lanes to the station in the deep darkness. I adored this - my favourite bit of the day, out there in the impenetrable night with only the distant flicker of the torch of the walker in front of me for illumination.
I should explain here that in the morning the trains were all ahoo. The specified train left 10 minutes late, went via Redhill, was only bound for Robertsbridge due to a broken rail, then was going to terminate at Tunbridge Wells due to flooding at Stonegate, then ran to Wadhurst after all.
So we were by no means sure of a train home, a confidence decreased by a power cut as we approached the station, which plunged all into darkness. But the power came back on and the 21.04 train was only ten minutes late. We somehow polished off two bottles of wine between four of us on the way home. How did that happen?
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