Burwash to Burwash Weald
By Ben Perkins
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The gardens at Bateman's
Starting high on a Wealden ridge, this walk descends into the valley of the River Rother before climbing back over
the ridge and dropping down into the neighbouring valley carved by the more modest River Dudwell, one of the main tributaries of the Rother.
It is a fairly short walk, allowing time to visit the manor house and gardens at Bateman's, passed towards the end of the walk. Once the home of Rudyard Kipling, Bateman's is now a National Trust property.
From the car park (1), return to Burwash High Street and turn right. After about 150 yards, turn left along a lane, passing the Rose and Crown pub on your left.
The lane dwindles to a roughly-metalled access drive and begins to drop down into the Rother valley. Follow it as it bears round to the right along the side of the valley.
Just short of the point where a 'Private' notice discourages further progress along the drive, go left over two stiles in quick succession and head squarely out across sloping pasture, passing about 100 yards to the left of farm buildings to find a stile into a wood.
Over the stile, follow a faint path, half-right at first, then down through the wood beside a low bank. Leave the wood over a plank bridge and stile, go half-right across a field corner, through two gates and ahead along a left field edge.
After about 350 yards (2), go left over a culvert and a stile beside a gate and forward along a left field edge, commencing a gentle climb up out of a valley. Follow a left-hand hedge for 400 yards and continue on in the same direction, now with a post-and-rail fence and the landscaped grounds of Franchise Manor to your right.
Location: Dunction is on the A285, three miles south of Petworth. Walk starts at the village hall, at the Duncton end of the Heath End straight. Parking in the hall car park.
Duration: Five miles taking two-and-a-half hours
Start/Parking: From Burwash on the A265 Heathfield-to-Hawkhurst road. Park in the village car park to the south of the High Street (GR 674247). The entrance is next to the Bear Inn. Park in the long-stay parking bays at the far end of the car park.
Terrain: An undulating walk with gentle hills only, along field paths and tracks. May be muddy in places.
Public Transport: Weekday bus service from Etchingham Station or Heathfield.
Map: OS Explorer 136 - The Weald.
A few yards short of the top field corner, go over a stile or through the gate nearby and resume your previous direction, now along the drive from the manor, passing on the right a simple memorial to an RAF officer, killed in action in 1940.
Join a lane at Holton Hill (3) and turn left. After 600 yards, just past Holton Farm on your right, turn right along a track, signed as a bridleway.
Follow this track, probably of ancient origins, between widely-spaced hedges, overgrown in places and sometimes boggy
underfoot. It contours along the hillside for more than a mile with intermittent views northwards across the Rother valley.
At a junction of tracks, fork left between high banks, signed as a bridleway with a concrete plinth. Follow this track out via the access drive from a converted oast to reach the A265 (4) and turn right.
The Wheel pub at Burwash Weald is now a quarter-of-a-mile along the road, returning the same way. To continue the walk, after a few yards beside the main road, go left along another drive which soon begins a descent into the valley of the Dudwell.
After 350 yards, go forward with the drive between two fine old houses and through a gate. Go ahead beside a left-hand hedge for 60 yards, then left through a swing gate, forward for a few yards to a similar gate and on with park railings to your left.
In the field corner, bear half-right, staying within the same field and dropping downhill with a high hedge on your left. Beyond a third swing gate, a path continues down through Bog Wood which, belying its name, is usually fairly dry underfoot.
Leave the wood through yet another swing gate and continue along a right field edge with the River Dudwell in a dip to your right. Fairly soon, turn right to cross the river on a wide farm bridge (5) and immediately turn left across a water meadow to a gate and on along the valley.
After another 150 yards or so, follow waymark arrows left over a wide bridge and then right, continuing along the valley, walking roughly parallel to the meandering Dudwell, across the field to your left. A path continues through scrub with the Dudwell now close on your left.
Skirt round to the left of Bateman's mill pond, with a view of the old mill-wheel used in Kipling's time to provide electricity for the house, and continue out to a T-junction with a drive.
Turn left and follow this drive out past the manor house and garden of Bateman's to join a lane and turn right (6).
After about 200 yards, turn left over a stile and climb along a right field edge. In the field corner, go over a stile and continue in the same direction, joining a left field edge for a short distance and then across the field to a stile, in sight. Keep to the left of the next field and continue squarely across the field beyond.
Go over a stile, through a hedge and then left, uphill along a left field edge. A stile in the top field corner provides access back to the car park.
The house and garden at Bateman's are open from April to September, 11am-5pm daily except Thursdays and Fridays. The mill grinds corn most Saturdays and there is a tearoom and shop.
For more details, telephone 01434 882302.
