Mayfield Circular

by Ben Perkins

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Herring's Farm is just one of the picturesque treats in store

From the hill-top village of Mayfield a path drops quickly down to cross the infant River Rother within a mile or two of its source.

Several ups and downs follow, dipping to cross streams, often sunk within deep wooded hollows and then rising again over the intervening low hills.

Notable on the walk are several tree-lined hollow ways, almost certainly of ancient origin and used by traffic of one kind or another for hundreds of years.

1. From the car park entrance turn left along the lane and, after less than 100 yards, just short of White Rose Cottage on the left, turn left along a tarmac path through to join another lane where three ways meet. Go directly ahead here, dropping gently downhill.

Where this lane ends, go ahead along a narrow path which squeezes to the left of the grounds of a house, currently under construction, dropping down to a stile from which a woodland path descends to a stream and continues, well trodden, up through woodland, scrub and across rough grass to join a lane.

2. Bear right to follow the lane down into a valley. About 150 yards beyond the lowest point, go left over a stile and immediately right along a right field edge. After a few yards, go ahead over a second stile, hidden in a hedge, and keep to the right edge of three more fields, punctuated by stiles.

Cross a new footbridge over the Rother and cross the next field, walking parallel to minor power lines to reach a gate. Go ahead with a post and rail fence on your left and then squeeze to the left of a walled garden. Just past the wall corner, go right over a stile, walk through the garden and follow the drive from a fine converted oast house, Moat Mill Farm.

Keep with the drive as it bends and, after another 100 yards, go right over a stile and diagonally across the middle of a field to join a road. Turn left beside this unclassified but busy road. Luckily, there is a reasonable grass verge.

3. After about a quarter of a mile, at a left-hand bend in the road, turn right along the drive to St Quentin's Farm. Shortly, where the drive divides, fork left.

Follow the drive beneath the disused Eastbourne-to-Tunbridge Wells railway.

A few yards past a house called Treetops, go ahead along a narrow path which starts to the right of the entrance gate to St Quentin's Farm. Follow this gated and well-marked bridleway through a wooded dip and up within a hollow way. Towards the top, where the path opens out, there is a good view back across the Rother valley to Mayfield. A hedged track continues to reach Herring's Farm.

4. Just short of a pond, turn right to go through a gate in a narrow gap between the large farmhouse on the left and a barn on the right. Go forward, passing to the right of a group of oak trees sheltering a rubbish dump and drop down across a pasture veering very slightly right.

Go through a gateway gap in a ragged crossing hedge and immediately turn right along the upper field edge.

Shortly, in the field corner, at a waypost, turn left to drop downhill on a tree-lined path between low banks.

Cross a footbridge and bear right along a woodland path. From the edge of the wood, pass under power lines to head squarely up across a large field.

On the other side of the field, at a finger post, go ahead with a wood on your left. After 100 yards, go left over a stile and veer slightly left down across grass to enter another tree-lined hollow way which takes you down to join a gravel drive.

5. Go ahead between the buildings at Allen's Farm. Just short of the last barn on your right, turn right along an overgrown path, once again between banks.

After about 150 yards, go left through a double gate and head out half right across the middle of a field to find another gate which soon comes into sight across a low rise.

Maintain direction across the next field to a finger post, in sight. If ploughed and planted, the left field edge provides a longer, but pleasant, alternative.

At the finger post, cross a footbridge and climb gently along a right field edge. In the field corner, cross a concrete drive and two stiles and continue along a right field edge.

After another 60 yards, turn right through a gate and drop down beside a right-hand hedge. Re-cross the Rother, climb through a wood and continue along the right edge of two fields.

Skirt round to the right of an adjacent stable and barn and go forward along the access track from the stables which you can follow as it bears right across the old railway and out to join a road.

6. Turn right. About 40 yards after passing speed de-restriction signs, turn left along a narrow path.

Cross a stile without a step, climb a bank and follow the right, lower edge of two sloping fields.

Cross a drive and continue along the right edge of another field with Mayfield church in prominent view.

A path continues through a wooded dip, up across paddocks and along a short enclosed path between gardens to join a lane. Turn left and after 70 yards, go right along a tarmac path through to another lane. Turn right back to the car park.