1 - From the entrance to the Bodiam castle car park, cross the road and start the walk along an access drive which starts immediately to the right of the Castle Inn. Follow this drive along the valley, ignoring all side turnings.

After about two thirds of a mile, you will pass through a light industrial site. Shortly, when you are level with a pond on your left, fork left over a footbridge and walk along the right edge of the pond.

Towards the far end of the pond, turn right along a narrow path which winds through a thicket to cross a stile, turn right to go over a second stile beside a gate, then go forward across a field to join the B2244 road over another stile beside a gate.

2 - Cross the road, go over the stile opposite and bear left to walk round two sides of a field. In the second field corner, go over a stile and plank bridge and head out across a field, heading very slightly right.

Pass to the right of a clump of trees shrouding a pit and maintain direction to go over a stile in a crossing hedge. Veer very slightly right across the next field to scale a stile without a step or the sheep wire next to it about 40 yards to the left of the far right corner.

Pass between two small ponds and go ahead along a left field edge with woodland on your left to join a lane. Turn right to follow this quiet road (Bourne Lane) for about two thirds of a mile.

3 - At a road junction, turn right and, after a little more than a hundred yards, go left along a concrete drive, signed to Baileys Reed Farm. Follow this drive northwards for a little over half a mile to reach Great Wigsell, an impressive 17th-century stone mansion.

Approaching this house, fork right over a cattle grid and, after ten yards, go left along a gravel drive, passing the main house on your right. Beyond a small twin converted oast follow the drive round to the right and shortly, on reaching another cattle grid half-buried in the drive, turn left along a grassy strip between trimmed hedges.

Go through a wide swing gate and forward, still along a grassy strip. When opposite a large barn, away to your left, fork right along a not very obvious path which burrows through scrub and climbs between banks.

Follow this fine old track, which looks as if it might once have been the main drive to Great Wigsell, for a quarter of a mile. Where it opens out, go ahead along a hedged farm track to join a road and turn right.

4 - Cross the B2244 and follow Conghurst Lane, opposite. After about half a mile, where the lane bends squarely left, fork right along the drive to Conghurst Farm. From here to Bodiam you will be following part of the Sussex Border Path, in places indicated by a green logo.

Follow the drive as it passes an oast house conversion, makes its way between farm buildings and continues as a farm track, gradually losing height. About 200 yards short of the point where the track levels out at the bottom of the hill, turn right at a small waypost, to follow a headland track with a hedge on your left.

5 - Where this hedge ends, veer half-right along the top of a low grass bank and over a curious rusty iron-girdered footbridge which has the remains of a central axle attached to it and looks as if it must have started life as some kind of trailer.

Now follow a good headland path as it climbs along a right field-edge and then turns left with a post-and-rail fence to the right. Just short of the buildings at Northlands, turn left along a track and, after 100 yards, fork right along a wide grassy path which descends into a valley, climbs between hedges and then feeds into a farm track.

After about 150 yards along this track, go forward through a metal swing gate and follow the access drive from a number of properties for about half a mile out to a lane.

6 - Turn right and, after ten yards, go left through a gate and diagonally up across the middle of a field, aiming for a prominent oak tree on the skyline. Go over a stile beside this tree and turn left along a left field-edge to another stile.

After another 40 yards, veer half-right up a steep bank to a stile in a post-and-rail fence. Cross a concrete drive and maintain direction up across grass. Join a track, bear left for 20 yards then right to join and follow a fence, keeping it on your right.

After a few yards Bodiam Castle comes into view ahead. Drop down, entering an enclosed path which leads to a stile providing access into the castle grounds.

Walk back through the grounds to the start.

Bodiam Castle dates from the 14th century and, although in ruins, appears remarkably intact from the outside, a perfect image of the romantic medieval moated castle. Dismantled, like so many similar structures, by the Parliamentarians during the Civil War in the 17th century, the ruins were carefully preserved and partially restored by Lord Curzon and subsequently bequeathed to the National Trust. The grounds are accessible at all times and the castle is open at weekends through the year and daily from mid-February to the end of October.

* Distance/Time: Seven miles/three and a half hours

* By Car: Bodiam is about eight miles north of Hastings, signed eastwards from the A21 and the B2244 roads.

Park in the Bodiam Castle car park (fee payable – free to National Trust members)

* By Public Transport: Two hourly weekday bus service from Hawkhurst or Hastings

* What’s underfoot: A gently undulating walk, much of it along good tracks and quiet lanes

* Thirsty Work: Pub and National Trust tea rooms at Bodiam

* So you don’t get lost: OS Explorer 135