Ascent/Descent:
342/312m
Net
Walking Time: 5 hours
Toughness:
5 out of 10
Take
the 09.07 Uckfield train from
London Bridge (East Croydon 09.22),
arrives Uckfield 10.22.
Return
trains: xx.37. Buy an Uckfield return.
This
undulating amble through some varied scenery in the Low Weald Countryside provides ample South Downs views in the
morning from the Uck valley and on the way to and through the East Sussex
National Golf Course, before turning north east through the High Cross estate,
owned by property developer Nicholas van
Hoogstraten, who was at the centre
of various legal battles with The Ramblers after blocking or otherwise
obstructing rights-of-ways across this estate.
You
then pass a couple of manor houses, one with pretty ornamental lakes and ornate landscaped gardens, en route to lunch at the charming 14th century Blackboys Inn
in Blackboys.
From
lunch the route turns west along Vanguard Way and Wealdway for a long stretch through
the tranquil valley of the Tickerage Stream, past Tickerage Mill, Vivien Leigh’s abode in the final years of her life,
and finishes through Buxted Park, an
old deer park in Ashdown Forest parkland, past the very large, elegant Palladian Buxted House (now a
hotel) in its hilltop position.
Disclaimer: there are plenty of
stiles on this walk, and the morning section has some very mud-prone parts.
A shortcut, routing through
Framfield, reduces the length to 18.1 km and the rating to 4/10.
Elevenses/Lunch: The Halfway House East Sussex
National Golf Club (6.5 km/4.1 mi), Crockstead
Farm Hotel (9.1 km/5.7 mi), The Blackboys Inn in Blackboys (14.1 km/8.8 mi, food all day). On the short walk: The Hare & Hounds
in Framfield (12.3 km/7.7 mi; under new management as of 2017).
1 comment:
n=11 w=hot-humid-a-light-breeze
11 off the train at Uckfield (with an SWC veteran spotted getting off the train but who did not join the group). Made our way out of the town to across a couple of busy roads to emerge into lush countryside - what a lot of growth in the last couple of weeks. Some nettles for those in shorts to endure, but what doesn’t kill ya... Elevenses were taken at the Halfway House cafe at the East Sussex National Golf Club. An easy morning with only the heat to contend with. As well as the botanical delights of an abundance of buttercups and daisies (one field looked like it had snowed) there was some wildlife: a small herd of deer disappearing into some woods and a small snake, perfectly intact, curled up but dead, on a lane.
7 had a pub lunch at the Blackboys Inn. Friendly, efficient staff and good food for in lovely surroundings. Sandwichers had drinks in the garden. Having walked 2/3 of the walk in the morning, the afternoon pace was relaxed and we reached Buxted at about 16:50 and enjoyed drinks at the friendly Buxted Inn before catching 17:37 back.
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