The first part of this walk from Hurst Green passes through somewhat neglected pastures to the east of the village.

After crossing the A21 at Silver Hill to the south of the village, the second, and more interesting, half of the walk takes you down into the wide valley of the River Rother, offering excellent views up the valley towards Etchingham.

The final climb back to the start is gentle and painless, apart from an awkward crossing of the A265 on a blind bend, where some care is needed.

1. From the entrance to the car park turn right.

At the road junction with the A21, cross the road and set out along a drive which starts almost opposite, to the right of a brick building surmounted by a clock tower.

Follow this drive as it kinks right and left, loses its smooth surface and heads generally eastwards. Beyond some storage buildings at Driftways Farm go ahead along a concrete track.

Where this track ends at a turning area, continue ahead, now along a good grass headland path, beside a line of trees at first, then unfenced across fields, soon veering half right and dropping down to pass through a wide gap.

2. Go forward for 30 yards and then turn left along the right edge of rough pasture, still on a defined headland track. From the field corner a path continues through woodland.

On the other side of the wood, veer half-left across a field corner to join and follow the left field edge with a stream, sheltered by trees on your left.

In the field corner, ignoring the path ahead, turn sharply back to the right, staying within the same field and climbing gently across the middle of it, where a faint path aims for the left corner of woodland protruding into the field from the right.

On reaching the wood corner, go ahead with this wood on your right. From the field corner, go forward through the wood for a short distance. After leaving the trees, head squarely out across a large field where, at the time of writing, a path was clearly defined through this year’s arable crop.

Aim for the buildings of Little Iridge Farm. From a gate on the other side of the field where there is a rather ominous “dogs loose” notice, go straight ahead between the buildings, passing to the right of a nicely converted oast and squeezing along the left edge of a garden. Join and go ahead along the drive from the farm, following it for about half a mile out to reach a road. Go forward along a slip road for a few yards to join the A21 .

3. Turn left beside this busy road, where there is a vestige of a pavement on the near side. After about 200 yards, turn right over a stile and go forward along the old drive to Ockham House. Shortly join the new drive, lined by trees and old lamp-posts and follow it downhill with fine views across the Rother valley.

After about half a mile, approaching the main house, fork right along a clear path which runs parallel to the drive through trees. Where it opens out into an area of new treeplanting, bear half-right to join and follow a right-hand fence.

The path drops down to feed in to a sunken hollow way, where you should bear right.

4. At the bottom of the hill, cross a fine old brick bridge, cross a stile beside a gate and immediately bear halfright across a low-lying meadow.

At the far end of this field, go over a stile and forward within a wide grassy strip with a stream on your right and the railway on your left.

Where this grass strip comes to an end, turn right over a wide sleeper bridge and immediately left through a squeeze stile and along a narrow path between fence and stream.

After 60 yards, in the field corner, turn right along a left field edge to a stile and forward between the buildings at Bugsell Mill Farm, a fine converted oast house.

Go ahead along the drive from the farm.

Where the drive divides, keep left along the main tarmac access which inclines gently uphill for more than half a mile to reach the A 265.

At one point you get a good view over to your left of Haremere Hall, a 16th-century Jacobean manor house, now offering some rather grand self-catering accommodation.

5. Turn left beside this busy road, taking great care as there is no verge and there are blind bends in both directions. After 30 yards, turn right on a far from obvious path, marked by a stone plinth. It climbs an overgrown bank where there are rudimentary steps.

Make your way along the top of the bank for a few yards out into a field corner and then climb along the left field edge.

About 30 yards short of a small shed, go left on a narrow overgrown path through a bramble patch to a stile. After another ten yards, seek out the start of another narrow path on your left, which squeezes along the left edge of a garden to join a lane where you should turn right.

6. After less than 200 yards, just past a house called Beagles Boundary on your left, turn left along a track between houses to enter woodland. Immediately inside the wood, turn right along a path within the right edge of the wood with houses and gardens to your right.

Ignoring exits into the estate on the right and paths into the wood to the left, follow the path ahead, which keeps roughly parallel to the wood edge and finally leads out between houses.

Continue on this path until you can turn right into Hurst Green churchyard.

Pass to the right of the church and round behind it to exit on to the A21 via the main church entrance. Turn right and right again at the A21 /A265 junction back to the start.

  • Distance/time: Five-and-three-quarter miles/three hours.
  • By car: Start from the village of Hurst Green which is at the junction of the A21 and A265 roads between Heathfield and Hawkhurst. Park in the car park signposted southwards from the A265 a few yards west of the A21/A265 junction at GR733272.
  • By public transport: Scanty bus service from Heathfield or Etchingham railway stations.
  • What's underfoot: An undulating route along field and woodland paths as well as farm tracks.
  • Thirsty work: Pubs at Hurst Green and Silver Hill (point three).
  • So you won't get lost: OS Explorer 136.

To see a full-sized version of the map, click 'related links' above.