Wadhurst circular

By Ben Perkins

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The 700-acre Bewl Water reservoir contains a staggering seven billion gallons

Starting from the hill-top village of Wadhurst, this walk follows an up-and-down route across a typical High Wealden landscape of small fields and woods, before dropping down to the edge of Bewl Water.

Covering more than 700 acres and with a 15-mile shoreline, this is the largest area of inland water in South-East England.

Completed in 1975, it contains almost 7,000 million gallons of water when full. It is a popular centre for fishing and water sports and also provides an important habitat for many species of waterfowl.

A complete 13-mile perimeter route has been laid out for walkers, which we shall be following for about two miles beside or near the water. A final, steady climb brings us back to Wadhurst.

1. Start the walk along Washwell Lane which leaves Wadhurst High Street next to the White Hart pub. At the junction with Courthope Lane, go ahead, dropping down between banks.

After about a quarter-of-amile, go right, over a stile or through the gate next to it, and immediately bear left on a trodden path. This climbs obliquely up a grassy bank and then leads across pasture, descending gently.

Ignoring two stiles on your right, go over the stile ahead to join a drive and turn left and go downhill.

2. Fork right where the drive divides. At the entrance to a wastewater treatment works, turn left along a grassy track, climbing with the works’ perimeter fence on your right

At the corner of the works, go over a stile and continue uphill, converging on, and then following, the neat hedge which forms the left field boundary.

Ignoring a stile on your left, continue to the field corner and then along the left edge of the field beyond.

Go left and right over two more stiles and then along a narrow enclosed path to the B2099 road.

3. Cross the road and turn right along the opposite pavement. After 100 yards, go left over a stile and follow a trodden path which soon heads across the middle of a meadow.

In the field corner, cross a drive and follow the waymarked path opposite, which begins along a right field edge.

Follow this field boundary as it curves round to the left. In the bottom field corner, bear right on a track into woodland. Cross a footbridge and, after a few yards, fork right with the main track.

Shortly, fork left along a welltrodden woodland path and, where this divides, fork right to leave the wood over a stile. Then bear left on a path which initially follows the foot of the slope before turning right to climb, with a fence on your left.

4. Go through a kissing gate to join a drive and turn left, ignoring an immediate right fork.

After about 400 yards, just past a cottage on your right, turn right through a gate, pass immediately to the left of a large tree and then veer slightly right, following an ill-defined and unfenced grass track.

Shortly, where this divides, fork left, dropping down between two areas of woodland, the one on the left containing some impressive specimens.

The track, which is more obvious now, crosses a footbridge and climbs between banks. At the top of the slope, go right through a gateway and ahead, still between low banks, to a lane and turn left.

5. After about 200 yards, take the first turning on the right. At Chesson’s Farm, go ahead, between the buildings, on through two double gates in quick succession, and forward, with a high hedge on your left, through three fields, to join a lane.

Turn right and after a few yards, go left along a hedged path. When confronted by a gate with a notice – “Nature Reserve – keep out” – fork left. Where the path divides again, keep left once more, with a wood on your right.

You are now on the Bewl Water perimeter path with good views soon opening up across the water.

Follow this path for a little over a mile, at one point crossing an old road which disappears on your right, beneath the water.

6. At a junction with a concrete drive, turn left, signed to Wards Lane and Hook Straight.

At a T-junction with another tarmac drive, turn right and, after 60 yards, go left along an unmade track, signposted the Round Bewl Water Walk. This track eventually drops down to the edge of the reservoir, where you should turn left.

The path keeps close to the water for more than half a mile, as it rounds two fingers of water.

Ignore signed routes to the left until, at a waypost, you can turn left over a stile, signed as a footpath to Wadhurst.

This well-trodden path skirts to the right of a swampy area, with a fence on the right, and then continues between fences, soon within a belt of woodland.

The path becomes a wider farm track which climbs gently but steadily. Follow the track between the buildings at Little Pell Farm and on, to join a lane.

7. Turn right and, after a little more than 200 yards, at the top of a rise, turn left along an enclosed path with a “no cycling” notice, to return to Wadhurst.

Walk through the churchyard and turn right along a lane to join the High Street near the start point.