Ticehurst circular
By Ben Perkins
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Looking back towards the hilltop village of Ticehurst across the Limden valley
Starting and finishing at the hilltop village of Ticehurst on the Kent-Sussex border, this walk heads southwards to explore paths and quiet lanes on the slopes of the remote valley of the River Limden, a modest tributary stream of the eastern Rother.
Some of the paths are little used and poorly signed so navigation requires particular care in one or two places.
You will also have to contend with broken stiles and two awkward fixed gates and, at the time of writing, a couple of electric fences across the path.
1. Start the walk along Church Street, which heads south from Ticehurst High Street opposite the Bell Hotel. A short diversion through the churchyard avoids a section of road. The path beside the road gives out, forcing you onto vergeless tarmac.
2. After about half a mile, just after passing the second of two road notices warning motorists there is no footway, turn right along a narrow path which burrows through trees to a stile. Drop down along a left field edge to a bridge and gate. Go forward for another 40 yards and then left over a stile and up a bank.
Go slightly right across the next field or round the right edge if a crop obstructs. Either way, in the far right field corner, join a drive and bear right along it.
After about 200 yards, go left over a stile and along a fenced path into Limden Wood. Follow a signed path through the wood, ignoring a left fork.
Leave the wood over a stile and bear left to climb, soon along a clear headland track. Follow this field edge as it meanders left, right and left again. Then look out for a grassy path which climbs obliquely up a scrub-covered bank.
From this path you get a good view back across the valley to Ticehurst.
From the top of the bank, veer slightly right across a field to join a lane over a ladder stile to the right of a high gate. Turn right to reach the tiny settlement of Cottenden.
Distance/time: Six miles, taking three hours.
By car: Start from the village of Ticehurst on the B2099 to the east of Wadhurst. Park in the village car park, signposted northwards from the B2099 at GR: 690303.
By public transport: There is an hourly weekday bus service from Hawkhurst, Wadhurst Station or Tunbridge Wells. Occasional Sunday bus.
What's underfoot: A fairly hilly walk, along field paths and quiet country lanes. Some poor stiles and difficult gates. Paths are not always easy to follow.
Thirsty work: Pubs at Ticehurst.
So you don't get lost: OS Explorer 136.
3. Fork left, signposted to Burwash and, after 150 yards, turn left along an unmade track. After another 20 yards, fork left along a hedged grassy path.
The field edge provides a parallel alternative if this path is overgrown.
Continue along the left field edge with wide views to the right across the Rother valley to the village of Burwash.
Beyond a stile, maintain direction across a field, converging on the right field boundary to find the next stile in the fence on your right.
Without a change of direction, head out across the next field, joining and following the irregular left field edge until you can go left over a stile.
Head out across the field beyond, aiming for the far top left corner where you will find two gates. Go through the one on the right and continue along the upper left edge of a sloping field.
In the field corner, follow the field edge round to the right for a few yards and then go left through a gap in a belt of trees to find the next stile.
Keep to the left of the next field until, after about 150 yards, you can go left over a stile, along a short woodland track and right out to a lane over a broken stile.
4. Turn right to follow this road, Sheepstreet Lane, for the best part of a mile. Just after passing a row of cottages on the left called The Four Dwellings, turn left along the drive to Burgham, which descends steadily.
At the bottom of the hill, just past a tile-hung cottage, turn left, still along a drive. Pass to the left of a converted oast and bear right across the Limden.
Now go ahead, ignoring a drive off to the left.
After less than 100 yards, where the drive begins to veer right, go ahead up a grassy slope with a fence on your left to reach a stile by a gate.
5. The next section is a bit vague so care is needed. Veer slightly left across a small field to join a concrete drive.
Turn right through a double gate and immediately turn left where there is a post wrapped with yellow plastic.
Follow a left field edge with a tree-lined hedge on your left, rising gently.
Skirt to the right of a game bird enclosure, go through a double gate and immediately turn right beside a right-hand fence. Cross a fenced strip of ploughed land, using two stiles, and keep to the right of the field beyond, following it round to the left.
6. Where the ground levels out, cross the ploughed strip again using two more stiles and bear right for a few yards to a third stile. Follow the left edge of three fields with awkward fixed gates between them, walking parallel and to the left of the ploughed strip you have previously crossed twice.
In the third field corner, sidestep to the left through a gateway and resume your previous direction, now along a right field edge. In the field corner, go over a stile.
The path now heads half-left across a field, aiming for a corner of woodland protruding from the left. If under cultivation, you may find it easier to continue along the right field edge and go squarely left along a good track to reach the same wood corner.
Either way, from the wood corner, continue along the track with the wood on your left to join the B2099. Turn left for half or mile or so, back into Ticehurst.
