Stonegate circular

by Ben Perkins

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The view south from Batt's Wood is over heavily wooded country.

The highlight of this walk comes in the form of an opportunity to explore Batt’s Wood, a pleasant area of mixed woodland where permissive public access was established in the Nineties by means of an agreement between East Sussex County Council and the Forestry Commission.

This arrangement, the first of its kind to be made locally, was couched in terms which ensured that the access privilege remained in place even when the wood was subsequently sold on into private hands.

Our described route sticks to official rights of way but, with the aid of a map at the entrance to the wood, you might like to explore one of the marked alternative routes within the area.

Starting from Stonegate Station, our route follows rights of way throughout. Since much of the walk is within woodland, it should be a good one either for a hot summer day or when you are in need of some protection from cold winter winds.

1. From the far end of Stonegate Station car park pass to the left of the station entrance and follow a concrete farm drive. If arriving by train turn right outside the station entrance. Follow this drive as it curves round to the right, skirting to the left of a pond.

After less than 100 yards, turn right through a gate and cross bumpy ground, passing to the left of farm buildings. Go through a bridle gate, cross a bridge over the railway and veer half-right across a field, dropping down to a gate and climbing beside a right-hand fence to join a road. Turn left.

2. After about 100 yards, go right along the drive to Witherenden Farm. Follow the drive as it bears left through the farm and finally loses its hard surface. Leave the farm area through a double gate and drop down across a field, joining the left hand hedge.

When you are level with a stile, (not for you), in this hedge, turn right across the field to go over a footbridge in a hedge.

Head squarely across the next field to a stile and in the same general direction across the field beyond, to find a gate hidden in the hedge in the far right field corner. In the next field go ahead walking parallel to the meandering right edge.

3. Go over a wide sleeper bridge, then left through a bridle gate and across the corner of a field to a similar gate. Ignoring a signed path to your right, go ahead along the left edge of two fields with a stile between them and a wood on your left. In the second field corner join an unmade track and turn left.

Cross a stream and climb, now along a rather overgrown path between low banks and soon with Den’s Wood on your right.

In the field corner go through a gap and follow a right field edge or the alternative parallel path within the edge of the wood.

4. In the next field corner go through a gap and bear right along the right edge of a low-lying meadow with the wood still on your right. In the corner go forward into the wood and, after a few yards, at a T-junction turn left, shortly crossing a stile to enter the public access area of Batt’s Wood where there is a useful information notice.

After less than 100 yards, where the path divides, fork right along a narrower path.

At another junction of paths where there is a clearing in the wood, go ahead with a high deer fence on your right, where you may spot some of the large numbers of deer which roam freely in Wadhurst Park.

A little further on you can also enjoy glimpses of Wadhurst Park Lake, also to the right of the path.

5. When confronted by a high locked gate, follow the woodland path as it bears left and climbs fairly steeply. Ignore crossing paths and also disregard the first signed path off to the right.

Shortly, at a second waypost, fork right and, after a few yards, at a T-junction, where there is another waypost, turn left.

After a few yards, on reaching another Batt’s Wood information notice, bear right and, shortly, leave the wood at a point where you can enjoy a fine view across heavily wooded country to the south.

Go ahead, dropping downhill on a grassy track, not yet marked on the map as a right of way, being the result of a recent path diversion. Join and follow a hard access track as it drops down, curving left along the valley out to a lane.

6. Go through the gate opposite and bear halfleft across pasture, skirting to the right of an attractive thatched house and garden. Continue across a field, contouring along the gentle slope to reach a gate.

Follow the right edge of a second field and, in the field corner, join a lane via a stile hidden in the undergrowth on your right and turn left.

After 60 yards go right along the drive to Bivelham Forge Farm. Where the track divides, keep right with the main concrete drive through the farm buildings. Where you have a choice of two gates ahead, go through the one on the right and along a wide grassy path, which soon narrows as it enters Newbridge Wood.

Follow the clear path through the wood, ignoring side paths. After leaving the wood, the right-of-way officially veers half left across a field corner but, if under cultivation, you may find it easier to follow the left field edge with a stream hidden in the trees on your left.

Either route will bring you to a concrete bridge and a gate. Through the gate, climb beside a right hand fence, soon rejoining your outgoing route. Retrace your steps through Witherenden Farm to the road and turn left. After about 350 yards turn right into Stonegate Station car park.