The first half of this field path walk from Three Oaks to the north of Hastings, follows little-used and often unsigned paths, partly across neglected farm land.

As well as the Explorer map, you will need your wits about you as it is quite a navigational challenge in one or two places.

In sharp contrast, the second half of the circuit is mostly along the well-signed, maintained and easily followed 1066 Country Walk, and also uses two convenient permissive link paths, clearly indicated on the ground, though not marked on the OS map.

This circuit can be conveniently linked with the recent short walk from Westfield, available on The Argus website, using a half-mile link along the 1066 Walk between point six on today’s walk and a point on the previous walk to the west of Pattleton’s Farm at GR 825162. The combined circuit, including both ways along the link path, would add up to 11 miles in all.

1. From the point where you parked beside the road to the west of the railway, walk into Three Oaks.

Just short of the Three Oaks pub, turn left along Maxfield Lane. After about 60 yards, turn right through an unhinged gate and head out across a field to find a hidden stile in the far left corner.

Continue on a fenced path which skirts to the left of gardens. Once out into another field, veer slightly left to find a gap in the hedge and a gate wrapped with yellow tape. Now follow the left edge of a neglected field, avoiding the thistle patches. In the field corner, join a track through a broken gate and turn right to follow it out to a lane.

2. Go through the gate opposite. Now take care as the route is vague and unsigned. Turn right along the field edge and, after 70 yards, left along the rim of a sandpit. At the far end of the pit, bear right along a field edge with trees and scrub on your left. After less than 100 yards, go left through a gap in this thicket, dipping to cross a culverted stream.

Head slightly right across the next field, then through a gap and along a left field-edge. Cross a sheep-wire fence using an improvised log stile and keep to the left of a mown grassy area. Go through a gateway and keep to the left of the similar area beyond.

Cross a stile in a barbed wire fence wrapped with plastic and ahead up a bank to find a stile hidden in the left corner of the area leading out to a road.

3. Go ahead beside the busy A259, taking great care as there is no verge or pavement. After about 350 yards, about 40 yards past a phone box, turn left along a gravel track to a gate. Head out across a field, passing a few yards to the left of a wooden power pole, to find a stile and a woodland path.

On the other side of the wood, turn right along the wood edge and shortly bear right along a sandy track, passing back through the wood, then through a gate and along a right fieldedge with a fine view northwards across the Brede valley.

In the field corner, go through a gateway and keep to the right of the next field. Just short of a gate and farm buildings, turn left along a grassy path which passes to the left of a corrugated iron shed and heads downhill across a large field.

At the bottom of the field, go over a cattle grid and keep to the right of the next field, on through two gates and uphill on a clear track which brings you to Lower Snailham.

4. Just short of the house, turn right along a track and, after a few yards, fork left over a stile, now on the well-signed 1066 Country Walk. Drop down to another stile and follow signs right along the valley and subsequently left.

After about 300 yards, bear right to cross two footbridges in quick succession, cross a field to find a hidden stile and go half left across the field beyond to a gate. Continue along a hedged track. At Lower Lidham Hill Farm, join and follow a concrete drive out to a lane.

5. Turn right and after 200 yards go right over a stile, forward through a gap in a fence and steeply downhill to find a gate in the bottom field corner. Pass under the railway and forward to reach a bridge over the Doleham Ditch.

Don’t cross this bridge. Instead, turn left to follow the near side of this ditch, using a permissive path, and soon walking along a raised bank. Cross a lane using two stiles and continue along the left bank of the Doleham Ditch. After about 300 yards, turn right over a footbridge.

6. The path ahead up the hill from this point provides the link with the earlier Argus walk from Westfield but, to continue the present walk, once over the bridge, turn left to follow the right bank of the Doleham Ditch along the valley. After about a quarter of a mile, turn left over another footbridge and follow a fenced path.

Where the enclosed path ends, go ahead along the right edge of a meadow. At the far end of this field, go over a stile and, after a few yards, turn left along an unmade track which soon climbs through trees.

7. At the top of the hill, go over a stile beside a gate and straight ahead along a left field-edge. At a threearmed sign continue ahead along the field-edge, now on a signed licensed footpath.

Walk round two sides of this field down to a gate in the bottom corner. Through this gate go half left to a swing gate, cross a footbridge and turn left along a gravel track which takes you out to a road. Turn left, back into Three Oaks.