Cowfold and Nuthurst circular

By Eddie Start

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Remote, traditional farmhouses offer a reminder of times past on this Wealden walk

This walk takes some little-used paths and leads from the busy A272 at Cowfold, up to the village of Nuthurst on the edge of the High Weald.

The route is well signposted but there are many twists and turns so it is essential to follow the route description and have the latest Explorer map for reference.

Being Wealden, the walk through fields and woodland has all the attractions of the sticky clay for which the area has some notoriety. Scottish walkers might describe such walking as "plowtering", a very descriptive word, as you may discover.

1. At the A272/A81 road junction in Cowfold, with The Coach House pub on the right, turn left into Station Road, keeping to the pavement on the north side. In 250 yards, cross over Thornden and in a few paces take the signed right footpath which leads behind houses to a stile.

The path climbs, with a field on the left, towards a narrow strip of woodland to the top of a low hill. On entering the woods, the path drops to a footbridge and stile in 250 yards.

Cross into a field and take the half-left path which climbs towards a small copse. Pass beneath the trees and into another field. Turn right along the field edge for 100 yards and turn half-left across the next field, as indicated by the footpath sign.

At the far side, take the broad track under trees and with small ponds on either side. Go right for 50 yards. Cross a bridge and stile and go half-left on a path across the field to a stile and four-way junction in 250 yards. Turn left towards Northfield Farm and Burnthouse Lane.

2. Turn right up the lane for 75 yards and opposite a cottage with a Royal Mail box in the hedge, turn left between gateposts on to a metalled drive. Follow the drive for 350 yards to a four-way signpost and take the right turn towards the buildings of High Hurst Manor.

Pass between paddocks and buildings and climb to the top of the hill, passing beneath power cables just above the farm.

Enter the woods and in 30 yards, just after a crossing track, take the signed left path which drops to a stile. Drop half-left across a field towards a solitary stile and then go right across the valley bottom. Pass through a metal gate and climb on an enclosed path to Park Lane.

Turn left along the road for 100 yards and beside Sherlock's Cottage, turn right to follow the path around the boundary of the cottage garden. Then take the left track to drop towards Sherlock's Wood.

Take a few paces left into the woodland, dropping to a gully where two streams join. Climb the rising footpath to a minor road in 350 yards.

3. Turn left for 100 yards and at the last house on the right, take the signed right turn across the top of a field, cross a double stile and then another stile in 100 yards.

Turn right and follow the field edge, dropping steeply to a gate, to join a bridleway.

Turn right, climb to another gate in a few yards and follow the signed and gated bridleway along left field edges and through woodland for 500 yards.

The path eventually comes to a large open field which rises to the right. Follow the path around the left edge, climb to a gate in the top-left corner, adjacent to Harriot's Hill Cottage, and go out on to a minor road.

Turn left along the road passing the village school at Nuthurst - a small community on the edge of the High Weald - and arrive beside the parish church of St Andrew. The Black Horse pub, 100 yards further on, provides a welcome halfway refreshment point.

4. Just after the church, turn right on the signed bridleway beside the entrance to an exotic plants nursery. Follow the metalled drive for 250 yards. At the next junction, turn left to follow the signed drive towards Cooks Farm.

On arriving at farm outbuildings, take the signed right path which climbs a slope, crossing in front of the buildings to a track through woodland. Follow the muddy track and, just before an isolated cottage to the left, take the signed bridleway which goes right to twist and climb for half-a-mile through Lodgesale Wood.

Pass beneath power cables at the mid-way point, and climb to the minor road of Prings Lane.

5. Take a few paces left, passing Hop Gardens cottage, and turn right into Newells Rough. This bridleway goes for nearly three-quarters-of-a-mile through woodland to join a track coming from the left. Go right at this junction and descend the path, taking the left footpath in 200 yards, as it climbs a bank to an isolated cottage in 100 yards, at a four-way path junction.

Turn right, follow the descending path, passing a white chalet bungalow on the right and take the metalled drive which leads in 400 yards to a three-way junction.

Turn left and follow the track towards Chatfields Farm.

Continue past the farm and in 150 yards, with a pond on the left, turn off the track to cross a dilapidated stile on the right.

6. Take a half-right direction across the field, passing through an opening in the left hedge in 150 yards and crossing the rising meadow, walking south-westerly towards pylons on the horizon.

Cross the rising ploughed fields as directed by the signs, and where footpaths have not been re-instated, for nearly half-a-mile.

On arriving to the left of a pylon, with a pond to the left, take a few paces right and pick up a path along the right field edge beside a hedge.

In 200 yards, arrive at the fourway junction where we were at the beginning of the walk, near Northfield Farm.

Cross the stile ahead, go halfleft across the field to the stile and bridge to follow the outward route back to Cowfold.