1 - Start the walk along Maxfield Lane, a cul-de-sac which heads north from the road through Three Oaks, next to the Three Oaks Inn. After less than 100 yards, go right through a metal kissing gate, one of a number in the area erected with help from a European Development Fund.

After ten yards, where you have a choice of two trodden cross-field paths, fork left, soon converging on and following the left field-edge.

At a finger-post, turn left through the hedge, now on the well way-marked 1066 Hastings Link Path which you can now follow across four successive fields and over a railway bridge.

After another 60 yards, go through a metal gate and immediately right over a stile beside a gate, still with the 1066 path, which follows a track down through woodland.

2 - At the bottom of the slope, soon after crossing a stream, turn right through a narrow metal gate and forward along the floor of a quiet valley, walking parallel to the left field-edge.

At the end of this long, thin meadow, go over two stiles (or the gates next to them) and continue between fences, where the path, though well-trodden, may be overgrown in places. Go over a footbridge and follow the right field-edge with a feeder stream of the River Brede – labelled on the map as Sailor’s Stream and, further on, as the Doleham Ditch – hidden in the trees on your right.

After about 400 yards, turn right over a footbridge, now joining the main 1066 Country Walk, a long-distance route linking Pevensey and Rye. Head squarely up across a field and back over the railway.

After leaving trees, head up across a field, in the top corner feeding into a track which takes you out to a lane. Turn left. At a road junction, go ahead, signed to Guestling.

After another 300 yards the 1066 walk goes off to the left, along the drive to Lower Lidham Hall farm on its way to Rye, but you should carry on along the lane.

3 - At the bottom of the hill, just after crossing a stream, go left over an overgrown stile. The path from here, little used and far from obvious, requires some care with navigation.

Once over the stile, turn right along a fenced path behind the roadside hedge to a second stile. Then continue along the right edge of neglected and weedy field, soon with a fence and wood on your right.

In the field corner go forward over a stile and half-right across a field (or round the right edge if the field is too thick with grass and weeds). In the far corner, go through a gap in a dip and straight ahead across the next field, where there is a faint path, joining and following the left field-edge.

At the far end of the field, where there is a good view to the left across the Brede valley, through a gap in the hedge, at a finger-post, go ahead along a clear track, through woodland and along a right field-edge to reach Stocks Farm. Pass to the right of the buildings and follow the farm access drive out to the A259 road.

4 - Turn left and, after less than 100 yards, turn right over a stile beside a gate and head slightly left across a large field where, at the time of writing, a path had been cleared through a growing crop. The spire of Pett church provides a useful distant direction marker directly ahead. The impressive view also includes the square tower of Fairlight Church on the skyline and a distant glimpse of the sea.

In the next field continue, veering very slightly left. Join and follow a left field-edge for a few yards, then turn half-right across the field, once again following a cleared path across an arable field and passing close to an electricity pylon.

Go through a metal kissing gate and ahead, skirting to the right of partially cleared woodland. Where the fence on your right turns squarely away, go left along a narrow path which winds down through the wood to join a road. Turn right.

5 - After 60 yards, turn right over a stile beside a gate and follow a wide fenced path, which soon bears left along a lower left field-edge. About 60 yards after passing beneath power lines, turn left along a track which soon climbs gently across a field with another marker, the stubby spire of Guestling Church, intermittently in view ahead.

On the other side of the field, go through another kissing gate and ahead, soon climbing between banks.

Follow this path round to the right and through a gate into Guestling churchyard.

The isolated church at Guestling, detached from the nearby settlement of Guestling Green, is nicely situated on a low mound. Although the interior has been much restored following a fire in 1890, parts of the tower – which has no door and was probably originally designed, partly, as a defensive structure – date from 1100.

6 - Leave the churchyard through the lych-gate and follow the path opposite, along the top of a bank, eventually merging with the church access road. Continue to the A259 and turn right.

After about 250 yards, turn left, back on the 1066 Hastings Link path, which follows a wide, fenced track at first, through woodland, then along the right edge of two fields and slightly left across a third to join the road, back at Three Oaks. Turn left back to the start.

* Distance/Time: Five and three quarter miles/three and a half hours

* By Car: Start from the village of Three Oaks, most easily accessible from the A259, about four miles north-east of Hastings. Verge parking is possible in several places beside the road to the east of the railway station at GR 839147

* By Public Transport: Two-hourly weekday train service from Brighton and Hastings to Three Oaks. Bus from Hastings along the A259, joining the walk near Guestling after point 6

* What’s underfoot: Easy walking, mostly along good field paths. Route finding requires care along the little-used and partly overgrown path between points 3 and 4

* Thirsty Work: Three Oaks pub at Three Oaks So you don’t get lost: OS Explorer 124