Staplecross circular
By Ben Perkins
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The picturesque Hollow Wall Oast is located near the end of this Wealden six-miler
Starting high on a Wealden ridge at Staplecross, this walk traverses an area of attractive woodland, new to Argus walkers, before dropping down into the valley of the River Rother.
A walk through water meadows is followed by a steady climb, partly along an ancient track way.
1. From the car park, turn right to return to the road junction next to the Cross Inn. Follow a private road from the junction, which starts to the right of the village war memorial and heads westwards.
This is Forge Lane which, after Forge Close on the left, narrows to a track and then, beyond a row of cottages, becomes a path between treelined banks.
Shortly, where the path divides, keep right, signed as a bridleway. As you approach the B2244, the path bears right, ramping down to join the road, avoiding the steep bank.
2. Your next path starts from the other side of the road a few yards to the right, ramping back up to rejoin the direct route across the road from which a woodland path continues westwards between fence and hedge.
Emerging from the wood, follow a fenced headland route with woodland on your right and, for a while, an orchard on your left.
After about half a mile, go left over a dilapidated stile in the high fence on your left and head out across a field, passing to the right of trees surrounding a deep pit.
Drop gently downhill, aiming for the right-hand end of a regimented line of trees, providing an orchard shelter belt, to find another broken stile in the field corner.
Go forward along the right edge of the orchard with a wood on your right.
In the field corner, go over yet another broken stile and follow the right field edge as it soon bends right and drops down into the Rother valley.
3. At the bottom of the hill, go forward across a footbridge and veer slightly right across a low-lying meadow to a gate and on across the next field to another gate and adjacent rustic seat.
Through the gate, turn right along a track and, after a few yards, at a junction of tracks, turn right again.
When opposite a small brick house on your right, go ahead through a gate, forward to a second gate and on along an enclosed headland path with a wood on your right.
From the field corner a shady path continues between banks.
Distance/time: Six miles, taking three hours.
By car: Start from Staplecross on the B2165. It is about four mile north of Sedlescombe and six miles north of Hastings. Park in the small car park next to St Mark's Church at GR: 784225.
By public transport: Bus from Hastings, Tunbridge Wells or Wadhurst Station - hourly on weekdays, two-hourly on Sundays.
What's underfoot: An undulating walk, mostly along good field and woodland paths. Careful navigation necessary between points 5 and 7 because paths poorly signed
Thirsty work: Pub at Staplecross.
So you don't get lost: OS Explorer map 124.
4. At A finger post, keep left to join and go ahead along a concrete track.
Follow a signed diversion left and right round the edge of a property to a T-junction with a tarmac drive where you should turn right.
Where this drive bends right, go ahead over a stile beside a gate, forward beside a left-hand fence to a second stile and right along an enclosed path with a bank on your left, behind which runs the infant River Rother.
Where the enclosed path ends, go ahead along a left field edge, still at the foot of the river bank. In the field corner, go through a gap in a line of trees and immediately turn right with the line of trees now on your right.
After less than 100 yards, turn left to follow the right hand edge of this large water meadow.
In the field corner, go through a gap. Continue along the right edge of the next field at first but after about 100 yards, veer slightly left across the field to go over a new footbridge.
Continue beside a right-hand fence, soon skirting to the right of a young tree plantation. After crossing another new footbridge, continue through trees for a few yards to join the B2244.
5. Now take care because the next path is unsigned and far from obvious. Go right beside the busy road for a few yards until you can go left through a narrow gap in the roadside bank, stepping over a trodden-down fence.
Go ahead along an unfenced gravel track. After 150 yards, enter an orchard and go more or less directly ahead, climbing within a wide avenue between the fruit trees. On the other side of the orchard, bear left along the edge, still climbing.
In the corner, go over a stile and turn right along a woodland path which feeds into a more obvious track between banks, labelled as Udiam Lane on the map.
After about 300 yards, go right over a stile and left to contour along the hill side, between fence and hedge at first then on with a high hedge on your left.
In the field corner, bear right down a bank, skirt to the left of a small pond and continue along a clear path out to a road. Turn right, ignoring the first signed path on the left and passing Hollow Wall Oast on your right.
6. After 250 yards, go left through a gate where there is a footpath sign hidden in the hedge.
Follow a right field edge, skirting to the left of a house and garden. In the field corner, cross a stile beside a gate and forward along a headland gravel track. Shortly, in the field corner, cross a stile and go ahead, uphill, beside a left-hand fence.
In the next field corner, ignoring a stile on your left, go ahead though a gate and immediately turn left along a left field edge. In the field corner, go over a stile and plank bridge.
The path now officially goes half-right up across a field but if obstructed by a crop, you may have to follow the right field edge round.
Either way, skirt to the left of a large barn conversion and garden, diverging to the left of the garden fence to find a stile out to the B2165.
Turn right to take you back into Staplecross.
