1 - From Etchingham Station entrance, turn right beside the A265. After about 100 yards, just short of the Etchingham Community Store, turn left along a drive and over a wide concrete footbridge. Now fork half-left across a field to a gate, then uphill in the same direction and across a drive, using two stiles.

Go ahead, passing about 30 yards to the left of farm buildings and drop down, joining and following the right field edge. Go over a stile beside a gate and, ignoring a second stile on your left, go ahead along the left edge of a field to a stile and on between fence and hedge, walking parallel to a stream at the bottom of the wooded slope to your left.

From the field corner, follow a clear path up through woodland, ignoring side paths. Emerging from the wood, follow the right field edge right and left, keeping the wood on your right.

2 - Approaching Squibs Farm, turn right along a concrete drive, following it round to the left. At a meeting of tracks, go ahead through a double gate and, after a few yards, with a disused oast in front of you, turn right through the farmyard. Just past a useful waypost, fork left, for a few yards still with concrete underfoot, leaving a dilapidated barn on your right.

Drop downhill along a left field edge, walking beneath power lines at first. At the bottom, go through a gap, forward along the right edge of a low-lying meadow, over a concrete bridge and uphill within a wide strip of grass and patchy trees and scrub.

A path skirts to the left of a house and garden at Hackwoods Farm and continues along the access drive from the property for about half a mile to join a lane.

3 - Your next path starts opposite as a clear fenced path. Where it opens out, go half right across grass to a gate and down through another wood. Leave the wood over a stile, bear right over a plank bridge, go ahead through a gate and then right over a footbridge.

Now climb along a left field edge walking parallel to an overgrown hollow way on your left, probably the original route of the path. At the top, go through a gap in a fence and veer half-left downhill along the right edge of sloping pasture with a substantial belt of woodland on your right.

At the bottom go forward along the valley with a hedge on your right. About 100 yards short of an isolated cottage, go right through a gap in this hedge and climb, keeping a hedge on your left.

In the field corner, go over a stile and follow a winding path ahead through Burgh Wood and downhill with a hedge on your right. In the field corner, follow the field edge round to the left and, after 60 yards, go right through a gate and along a hedged track which takes you out to a lane. Turn right.

4 - After almost half a mile, at a point where the lane veers right, fork left along the drive to Fontridge Manor, following it as it skirts to the right of house and garden at Hutching’s Farm. Beyond the farm buildings, go through a gate and drop down, walking parallel to a meandering right field edge.

Ignore a stile into a wood on your right and after a few yards, go ahead through a gate and continue downhill along the left edge of two fields. About 80 yards into the second field, turn left through a gate, over a plank bridge, ahead for 60 yards to a second gate, then right along a right field edge.

In the field corner go ahead over a footbridge, left for 60 yards to pass through a gap, then half-right across a meadow to join the far field edge as it turns squarely to the right. Shortly, in the field corner, side-step to the right through a gateway and resume your previous direction, now along a left field edge.

After 60 yards, go left over a footbridge and right along a right field edge to join a lane where you should turn right.

5 - Follow the lane for two thirds of a mile to reach a junction with the A265. Turn left for ten yards, then right over a stile and head slightly left across a field to join the far edge where it turns right at a corner.

Follow the field edge for 60 yards, then go forward over a stile beside a gate and drop down into a valley, along a right field edge to a stile and then within a wide grassy strip. Pass to the right of a cottage.

After a few more yards, just short of the railway, turn right with the railway perimeter fence on your left. Follow this fence for half a mile, diverting temporarily away from it in the second field to avoid a boggy area.

Join a lane and turn right. Where the lane bends right, go ahead though a gate and along a clear path which takes you out through Etchingham churchyard to join the A265. Turn left back to Etchingham Station, now only a few yards away.

* Distance/Time: Six and a quarter miles/three and a quarter hours

* By Car: Start from Etchingham on the A265 road between Heathfield and Hurst Green. Park in the station car park (fee payable – cheaper, and more room, at weekends)

* By Public Transport: Train to Etchingham on the Hastings to Tunbridge Wells line. Hourly service

* What’s underfoot: An undulating route, mainly along good field or woodland paths plus a mile along quiet lanes

* Thirsty Work: Small bistro next to Etchingham Station.

No refreshments elsewhere on the walk

* So you don’t get lost: OS Explorer 136