Length: 14¾ km to 18¾ km (9.1 to 11.6 miles), depending on how many short cuts you take. Toughness: 4~5/10
09:46 Polegate train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 09:53, East Croydon 10:02), arriving Wivelsfield at 10:34. Buy a return to Wivelsfield.
Alternatively, take the Bedford to Brighton Thameslink service (St Pancras 09:23…London Bridge 09:38, etc) arriving Wivelsfield five minutes earlier at 10:29; please wait on the platform for walkers on the Southern train. The advantage of this slightly slower service is that much cheaper “Thameslink only” tickets are available from central and north London stations.
Returning from Haywards Heath there are fast Southern services to Victoria every 15 minutes at xx:00, xx:15, etc, while Thameslink-only ticket holders are restricted to their trains at xx:19, xx:38 & xx:49.
This walk has had regular Saturday postings but its only Sunday outing was 11 years ago. That's a shame because it benefits from a frequent train service and a choice of refreshment places, something of a rarity on Sunday walks. The directions include several short cuts so tortoises should be able to find ways to keep up with the hares.
Judging by past reports there ought to be plenty of wood anemones and other spring flowers to enjoy on this walk. It starts in the Low Weald and gradually works its way up to the attractive village of Cuckfield† on the southern edge of the High Weald, where there are fine views back to the South Downs. Much of the afternoon is on the High Weald Landscape Trail with equally fine views to the north across the Ouse Valley.
The suggested lunch stop in Cuckfield is The Talbot bar / restaurant on the High Street, but the town also has several cafés if you don't want a pub lunch. In mid-afternoon you could break for refreshment at Borde Hill Garden, which has a small coffee shop open to non-visitors. If you get to Haywards Heath in time previous groups have been complimentary about the café in the large Waitrose next to the station.
† The town's name is pronounced ‘cookfield’ because it's derived from ‘cuckoo field’ – I wonder if we'll hear any?
Please bring the directions from the L=swc.225 page.
1 comment:
n=10 on this walk, in w=sunny_spring_weather.
Four ate at the Talbot in Cuckfield, which in spite of it being Easter Sunday was close to empty, though it filled up a bit as we left. The loudness of what was definitely foreground music rather than background music may have been a deterrent. All found the food good when it came, and the service was willing.
This group did the standard route in the morning and the short cut in the afternoon. Unless I am maligning them terribly, the others did both shortcuts, allowing us to find them well installed in the tea shop at Borde Hill. My holding out for something that had the Victoria sponge I was craving proved to be an error. I got nothing as the Waitrose and other possibilities in Haywards Heath were closed for the bank holiday.
I would definitely do this walk again. It's varied and has frequent and rapid train services in both directions, and choice of lunch and tea stops. As long as it's not a holiday.
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