Ascent/Descent:
359/296 to Grinstead; Net Walking Time: 4 ¼ hours or 5 ½ hours
Toughness:
5/10 or 6/10
Take the 10.07 Uckfield train from London
Bridge (East Croydon 10.22),
arrives Eridge 11.03.
Return trains from East
Grinstead: xx.06
and xx.36.
Buy an East Grinstead
return
(you may then have to buy a single Oxted – Eridge ticket on board).
After
leaving the rural station at Eridge – shared with steam trains on the Spa Valley Railway – you
are soon in the undulating countryside typical of the High Weald. At Mottsmill
Stream the walk joins the High Weald Landscape Trail and follows this
long-distance path through the Buckhurst Estate, with a glimpse of its grand
house, Buckhurst Park. As you leave the estate you enter the small
village of Withyham with its notable parish church, and
the pub lunch the Dorset Arms.
A
short stretch then takes you to the neighbouring village of Hartfield,
associated with the author AA Milne and his most famous creation:
coachloads of tourists regularly descend on Pooh Corner to buy all manner
of Winnie-the-Pooh memorabilia. The walk then crosses the River Medway and
climbs up the other side of the valley, with fine views across to Ashdown
Forest. The descent into Forest Row goes through the co-operative
enterprise of Tablehurst Farm.
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 track bed of a disused railway
line. The hilltop town of East Grinstead
has many old buildings dating back to the 14thC, including Sackville
College (a Jacobean almshouse) and the imposing St Swithun's Church.
Lunch: The Dorset Arms in Withyham (8.0 km/5.0 mi, lunch served to
14.30).
Tea: plenty options in
Forest Row and Grinstead, check the webpage for details.
For
summary, map, height
profile, photos, walk directions and
gpx/kml files click here.
T=swc.109
1 comment:
n=13, W=hot and sunny
We hit the jackpot with this beautiful walk in perfect conditions.
Despite it being mid October and the leaves changing colour, we walked as if in high summer.
The Dorset Arms provided high quality lunches for 10 of us.
We all kept together in the afternoon, stopping at Tablehurst Farm for refreshments. Arriving at Forest Row by 5pm.
Hop Yard Brewing Company supplied further sustenance for 7 of us.
Finally catching the bus to East Grinstead for the 18.36 train, to complete a great day.
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