Length: 31.6 km (19.7 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 482/571m
Net Walking Time: ca. 7 ½ hours
Toughness: 8 out of 10
Take the 09.21 service from Victoria
to East Grinstead (CJ 09.28, EC 09.39), arriving 10.18.
From LBG, take a train to
East Croydon no later than the 09.12 Caterham service.
Return trains from Wivelsfield: xx.01 (to Victoria, change Burgess Hill), xx.15 (Thameslink),
xx.39 (to Victoria, direct) and xx.45 (Thameslink).
Buy an East Grinstead return, you then will have to buy an additional
single from Wivelsfield to East Croydon, if you want to stay honest.
This route in the East/West Sussex boundary lands
descends from East Grinstead into the Upper Medway Valley and past Weir Wood
Reservoir and then meanders through an undulating landscape of hills,
streams, ponds, heaths and mixed woodland, rich in bluebells and wood
anemones in season. For the most part, it largely shadows the course of The Bluebell Line steam railway,
and lunch is either in tranquil Horsted Keynes or in Scaynes Hill, near the
(Sussex) Ouse River. Later you pass through several parts of the large Chailey
Common heathlands and continue westbound through flatter ground – mostly
pastures with fine South Downs Views – to Burgess Hill (for Wivelsfield
station).
An Alternative
Finish at Sheffield Park, the terminus of the Bluebell Line, is possible
if a little expensive (in money or kilometrage): the 121 bus is not running on
Sundays, but you could either take the steam train back to East Grinstead (at
15.00 or at 16.15), but only pricey day tickets are available, or you could
walk out-and-back to the interesting station (adds 5.0 km).
Shorter Walk: Start at Forest Row/Brambletye (i.e.: opposite The Chequers Inn, route from there described
in the pdf, cuts 3.6 km) or even Horsted Keynes/Lewes Road (right on the
route, cuts 13.7 km): bus line 270 from East Grinstead (09.25, 11.25…) or
Wivelsfield (09.35, 12.19…) or Haywards Heath/Perrymount Road – by the station
(09.51, 12.37…).
Lunch: The Green Man (Greene
King, food to 15.00) or The
Crown Inn (food to 16.00) in Horsted Keynes (13.7 km/8.5 mi); The Sloop Inn in Scaynes Hill
(19.2 km/11.9 mi, food to 16.00).
Tea: The Sloop Inn
(as above), and The Watermill Inn in Wivelsfield, right by the station; or The Bessemer Arms
in Sheffield Park.
For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.27
8 comments:
Hi I’m interested in this walk but am struggling to find any viable shorter finish points with the walk scheduled for a Sunday. 1: Is it realistic to aim for 18:08 if you are not a very fast walker. 2 The Sheffield Park finish is not possible because the bluebell train is either sold out or not running on the day. 3. Would you recommend trying to walk from the Sloop Inn to Haywards heath station and maybe find a bus if lucky on the way back. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks Karan
Hi,
'tis tight: that bus stop cuts about half an hour of walking, meaning - with an hour for lunch or other stops - you may make it, or you may not. my net walking time uses Naismith's Formula (pace of 5 km/h on the flat + an extra 10 mins for every 100m of ascent), but only you know whether you are faster or slower than that.
Hi Thomas. I know I am not able to average a pace of 5km/h so will assess my options at the Sloop pub. Would anyone know the walking time (approx) from the pub to Wivelsfield station. Thanks
I did the part of this from Horsted Keynes to Wivelsfield yesterday and after the Sloop pub it became fairly muddy. I was following the GPS and there was one slightly disconcerting bit where after crossing a stile into a field the way onwards was blocked with two lines of tape cutting a diagonal across the corner of the field. I was initially concerned it might be electrified, but went under the tape without any problems. Then carrying on there was something similar after another few minutes, this time cutting the field in two, but easy to tred the bottom tape down and go through the middle. Soon after that there was another stile with a footpath sign so I'm fairly sure I was on the correct route and it matched the gps also. Looking at the instructions now, it's the bit after the solar panel:
"In 50m turn left at the bottom of the wood and in 25m go over a stile into a pasture and continue along its left-hand boundary"
I was in a hurry but the pasture was very churned up so at this point it might be worth seeing if there was a way through the wood just to the left of the field boundary instead.
My train from East Croydon might be few minutes late. Please wait for me. Thank you
I have only a slightly obscure report in from my man on the ground: n=5 walkers in unreported weather. A cuckoo was heard and a town hall clock plant (me neither) spotted.
2 took a shortcut after the late lunch pub.
Here's more, from one of the short cutters:
Two took an earlier train and started out 20 minutes ahead of the other three. Two at the front took a wrong turn but got back on track. Two were walking to the recommended Crown Inn lunch stop in Horsted Keynes, when the other three (who had overtaken during the wrong turn) shouted out from the alternative lunch stop the Green Man, which was a particularly hospitable venue.
The five continued together, with the two early starters then catching a pre-booked station taxi at the Sloop Inn near Haywards Heath; and the other three continuing for the full walk. Very soon after The Sloop Inn a strong hail storm started.
W=Bursts-of-moderate-rain throughout the day, with drizzle and cloud otherwise. One strong burst of hail as mentioned. Several muddy sections made for a more challenging walk. Not many other walkers seen today.
On a side note getting out at East Grinstead walkers noticed vintage green buses in town for the annual Classic Bus Running Day.
Swc short cutter 2 here supplementary points: Inspired by the many London Marathon runners on the public transport network I undertook this walk taking the 8:51 from Victoria to East Grinstead. The walk was very muddy in places but worth it. Group cohesion 11/10. Many thanks to short cutter 1 (my brother) who although walks much faster than I, took it easy to walk at around 4:00 km per hour. Unfortunately he did get lost along the way (a stewards enquiry is ongoing between him and the writer of the walk directions). Post lunch and having meet 3 other walkers the pace increased and was extremely fast. I was grateful to reach my intended target destination for the day and had mixed emotions as a large hailstorm hit the area. Commendable effort to those who did the full walk.
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