East Hoathly Circular

By Ben Perkins

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Distant views of the South Downs as the path approaches Halland Park, the former family seat of the Pelhams

Here is a walk in the Low Weald without significant hills, partly along field paths and partly within Vert Wood, an extensive area of broadleaved woodland to the north of Laughton.

The immaculately signed, stiled and gated Wealdway, which you will follow for the first two miles, contrasts sharply with the neglected path, beyond point three, where you must pick your way through an overgrown, young tree plantation obstructing the footpath.

However, after this minor adventure, the rest of the walk is clear and reasonably well sign-posted.

1. From the East Hoathly car park, return to the main road and turn left towards the centre of the village.

After about 150 yards, turn right along Buttsfield Lane and, after a few yards, where it divides, keep left, almost straight on.

For the next two miles, you will be following the well-signed Wealdway.

Where the lane ends, go ahead across a drive and along a left field edge until stiles take you through a wood and up along a left field edge to join a road.

2. Go through the gate almost opposite and follow the direction of signs over a low rise, through a gate and along the right edge of two fields.

Where the right field boundary bends away to the right, go ahead across the field to a gate and on to reach Friths Farm. Follow the farm access out to a lane.

Chiddingly, with its stone spired church and pub, is now a quarter-of-a-mile along the lane to the left and worth a detour, returning the same way. But to carry on the walk, turn right along the lane.

3. After a little more than 100 yards, just past the tile-hung Coopers Cottage on your right, go left through a gate and slightly right across a field to a second gate.

The official right-of-way now aims just to the right of a prominent tall tree but is undefined and obscured by a young-tree plantation. Veer right and left, picking a way between the trees, to cross two stiles in the far-right corner of the plantation.

Now go forward along a right field edge to a stile and then veer slightly left across the corner of a large mown grass area to seek out a stile hidden in the left-hand hedge.

Cross the next field to reach a wide bridge in the far right corner.

The official path ahead was, at the time of writing, partially blocked by electric fences. The easiest route is to go between widely-spaced fences until, a few yards short of a log horse jump, you can go right through a gate and across a paddock to a stile leading out to a lane.

4. Turn left and follow the lane out to the A22.

Cross the main road and follow Broomham Lane opposite. Shortly, fork right along Vert Lane, which becomes a woodland track through Vert Wood.

Follow it for two miles, ignoring all side paths and crossing a lane after the first mile.

Eventually, at the waypost to the right of the track, go right over a sleeper bridge, through a thin strip of woodland and out into a field.

Head across this field, gradually converging on the right field boundary which you can follow to the field corner.

Keep to the right of the next field. A path then winds through a wood. Join and follow a concrete drive and at a T-junction with another drive, turn right.

You are now on what was once the long straight drive to Halland Park, the former Pelham family seat, which can still be followed as a footpath and provides a short cut between points five and seven.

5. To follow the described route. After a little more than 200 yards, at a waypost, turn left through the yards at Laughton Park Farm.

Pass to the left of a pair of cottages to a gate and go ahead along a chalk track and a grass headland, keeping to the right edge of two fields.

Continue through a wood to join a lane and turn right to the B2192. The Bluebell Inn is now about 200 yards to the left along the road, returning the same way.

6. To continue the walk. Just short of the B2192, turn sharply right along a concrete drive. Where the drive ends at Shortgate Manor Farm, go forward through a gate. After 30 yards, side-step to the left through a second gate and resume your previous direction along the right edge of three fields. Where the hedge on your right ends, go forward past two solitary trees and after 100 yards, at a waypost, turn right.

7. After 60 yards, turn left along a broad grassy strip, now back on the line of the old Holland Park drive.

From this path, when you have gained a few feet in height, pause to look on a fine panoramic view of the Downs, with Mount Caburn prominent in the centre, flanked by a wide sweep of the main downland escarpment to the east and west.

Shortly after, go ahead along a drive, passing the massive, red-brick Coach House. At the far end of two large storage sheds, just short of the gateway to Godfreys Cottage, leave the drive by turning left between two ornamental trees and follow the edge of a large mown area round to the right.

Cross the East Hoathly bypass and go ahead through scrub, soon passing to the left of Decoy Pond.

Out into a field, follow a trodden path, aiming for a corner of woodland protruding from the right.

Continue with the wood on your right, now once more on the Wealdway, which you can follow back to East Hoathly.