Balcombe to Stonelands

by Ben Perkins

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Discover the 14th Century White Hart Inn at the mid-point of the walk

This is an exceptional walk through rich well-wooded High Wealden countryside to the east of Balcombe.

It cuts across the grain of the land, crossing and re-crossing three valleys carved by a series of streams draining southwards into Ardingly Reservoir and on to form the River Ouse.

It is therefore fairly hilly and strenuous.

There is a well-placed pub at Point 3 and, about halfway round the circuit, at Point 5, you can break away from the described walk to visit the gardens at Wakehurst Place, at their best in spring.

From the car park, start the walk by heading north beside the B2036 road. After about 300 yards, turn right along a roughly metalled drive and, after another two-thirds of a mile, just beyond a stream bridge with a sturdy stone parapet, turn right along a signed footpath which crosses a wooden causeway and climbs through woodland.

Leave the wood over a stile and go ahead to follow a line of three wide-spaced trees. At the corner of a copse, veer half-right across a large field. In the far right corner, go through a gate and immediately bear left along a hedged path.

Just past a stile and gate, turn left over a plank bridge, follow a path through an oak wood and then head slightly left across a field, passing to the right of a house and garden to join a lane.

Turn left and, after about 250 yards, turn right along the drive to Newhouse Farm, following it down into a valley past a large pond and up again. Just short of farm buildings, go right over a stile and follow a lefthand hedge. At the top of the slope, go ahead with a wood to your right.

From a stile in the field corner an eroded path drops down through woodland, across a stream and up to a T-junction where you should turn left.

At another junction, with a hollow way, turn left and follow a clear path up and out to the B2028. Turn left beside this busy road where there is a narrow but usable grass verge.

Pass the White Hart Inn on the right, which describes itself as a 14th Century pub with a 16th Century restaurant. A few yards past the pub, go right over a stile in a low brick wall and follow a woodland path downhill.

At the bottom of the hill, cross a culvert and, after a few yards, go left over a stile and climb along a right field edge with a wood and rhododendron thicket on your right.

Join and go forward along a drive with a large stone house on your right. After a few yards, go left over a stile and right along a right field edge.

After 100 yards or so, in the field corner, go right over a stile beside a gate and forward, soon crossing a drive and continuing along a faintly defined path across a field. Walk through a thicket to a swing gate and go left along a drive.

After 30 yards, where a number of drives meet, bear right through a double gateway, along a rough track to a stile and on in the same direction across a small field, then a large one. Go over a half-hidden stile, through a tree belt to a second stile, then right round two sides of a field.

In the second field corner, cross a stile and follow a winding woodland path down to a footbridge over a gorge and up the other side.

At a T-junction, fork right, downhill. At a gravel crossing drive, go right and, shortly, left on an uphill path between banks, soon doubling back to the right beneath high sandstone cliffs, up to reach the B2028 road. Cross the road and turn left along the opposite verge.

After 200 yards, turn right through the trade entrance to Wakehurst Place. (For the main access to the gardens, carry on along the road for another 100 yards. Return the same way).

Follow the back drive until, opposite the Millennium Seed Bank over to your right, you can fork right, signed to Forest Ridge.

Bear right with the main drive. Shortly afterwards, it becomes a gravel track and turns right. Go ahead on a path between deer fences. A clear, well-signed footpath continues down through woods, steeply up to a gate, then left round two sides of a field, climbing more gently to join a lane.

Turn right and almost immediately left along the drive to Forest Farm.

When beside an iron gateway on your left, go ahead over a stile and downhill along a left field edge with Balcombe in view on the ridge ahead.

In the field corner, go over a stile and head out across a field, walking parallel to the fence away to your right at first, then on across a field to a stile.

Over this stile go right along a right field edge. In the corner, join a concrete drive and turn left to follow it down into a valley.

Cross the dam at the head of Balcombe Lake and immediately turn right through a new iron kissing gate and along a right field edge to a similar gate.

Head squarely up across the next field and go left beside the top hedge, staying within the same field.

From the field corner, go ahead along a short, enclosed path, along the right edge of Balcombe cricket ground and right to join the access drive from the playing field.

Bear right to follow this drive uphill and out to join the road in the centre of Balcombe.

Immediately past the Half Moon Inn, turn sharp right, rather oddly signposted to London on the pub terrace. At the junction with the B2036, bear right for the short distance back to the start.