Battle to Crowhurst

By Ben Perkins

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This week I can offer the second of a pair of linked linear walks between stations on the Hastings-to-Tunbridge Wells line, starting from Battle and finishing at Crowhurst where the previous walk, published a fortnight ago and available from the Argus website, began.

Using a train, the two walks, both fairly short, can be enjoyed separately but, if combined, add up to a fairly substantial circuit of just under ten miles.

Today’s walk between the two railway stations sets out through the aptly named Great Wood before climbing to cross a ridge at Telham. The descent to Crowhurst, in the valley, is accompanied by superb views southwards to the sea.

1.From Battle Station follow the approach road out to the A2100 and turn left along the near-side pavement past the Senlac Inn and across the railway.

A few yards after passing a Tesco Express and filling station on your right, turn sharply left along a cul-de-sac called Saint Mary’s Villas and at a road junction go ahead along Kingsdale Close.

From the end of this no through road continue along a narrow path which starts to the left of a new house, numbered ten. It opens out to become a trodden path along a sloping hillside of rough pasture, dropping gently to join an estate road in the far left corner of this area.

2.Turn right along this road to a road junction with Marley Lane where you should turn right again. After 150 yards, fork right along a narrow path, signed as a public bridleway to Westfield and also as part of the 1066 Country Walk, which you will be following for the next two miles.

This narrow tree-lined path soon enters Great Wood where, ignoring a signed path to the right, you should go ahead along a wide sandy track which takes a straight easterly route through the wood. Ignore side and crossing paths and look out for the distinctive red logo of the 1066 path to help guide you.

3.About 80 yards after passing through a dip where a wide forest road crosses, fork right, still with the 1066 walk. On reaching the edge of the wood, turn right along the right edge of a golf course and, after a few yards, turn left along a gravel track across the middle of the golf playing area.

Where the main track bends away to the left, go straight ahead across a fairway to a bridle gate and carry on within a wide strip with a fence on your right and trees to your left.

4.Just short of an openside barn to the left of the path, turn sharply right, still on a clearly defined path between hedges which, beyond a bridle gate, continues along the right edge of another segment of the golf course, on a solidly-based track for a while.

At the bottom of the hill, after passing immediately to the right of a golf tee, bear right on a path into woodland which crosses a stream via an earth culvert to reach a track with a gate immediately on your left.

Turn right here and climb, soon on a more open unfenced track which runs parallel to and a few yards away from the left edge of a large field.

Where the main tack curves away to the left, go straight ahead along a grassy path, still beside the left field edge.

5.After a few yards, sidestep to the left through a gate wrapped with a small piece of yellow tape and resume your previous direction now along a wide path bordered by tree-lined banks.

Follow this old trackway, well drained and recently re-surfaced until, beyond a pair of cottages, it continues as a roughly made-up access track which commences a fairly long and steady climb up to join the A2100 road at Telham.

6.If in need of refreshment, the Black Horse pub is now a short distance along the road to the left, but to continue the walk, cross the main road and turn right along the opposite pavement, passing on your right, the small parish church at Telham with its spired bell tower.

After about 250 yards, turn left along Telham Lane and, after another 50 yards, fork left along the unmade access track to Brakes Coppice Farm. Soon, a wide view opens out ahead, southwards along a well-wooded valley to the coast between Bexhill and St Leonards.

About 100 yards short of the buildings at Brake Coppice Farm, fork right over a stile and follow the direction of a fingerpost across two paddocks, passing well to the right of the farm buildings, to rejoin the drive and turn right.

After about 40 yards, fork left along a path which drops down through woodland to, once again, rejoin the drive, which has come round a bend to meet you and bear left along it.

7.At a junction with another drive, turn right, following it round a bend and uphill for a little more than 200 yards to join a lane.

Turn left and, after another 300 yards or so, fork left along a drive, signposted to the station. It soon narrows to a path which leads to a footbridge over the railway, next to Crowhurst Station, where the walk ends.