Length: 18.7 km (11.6 miles), with longer and shorter options. Toughness: 6/10
10:09 Hastings train from Cannon Street† (London Bridge 10:13, Orpington 10:41, etc), arriving Wadhurst at 11:21.
† There are no trains from Charing X and Waterloo East because of engineering works.
Return trains from Wadhurst are at xx:02 & xx:30 to 20:30, then hourly.
The Short Walk options in Book 2 no longer get many postings but the Wadhurst one combines well with the second half of the Bewl Water walk to make a nicely varied outing. Although part of the afternoon leg is alongside the reservoir, this is a distinctly hilly part of the High Weald and the walk's saw-tooth height profile shows hardly any flat sections, hence the 6/10 rating.
After about two hours you'll have looped round to Wadhurst where there should be a fair choice of refreshment places: there are two pubs in the village (the White Hart and the Greyhound) and several cafés, with both Hatters and La Petite France claiming to be open on a Sunday. For the afternoon I suggest the ‘Main Walk’ loop of the Bewl Water walk, but you could do its ‘Long Walk’ option (an extra 2.6 km) or simply complete the Book 2 Short Walk.
If you do either of the Bewl Water loops you'll find yourself back in Wadhurst where its two pubs now function as tea stops, since the cafés will probably have closed for the day. As most of you will know, it's about 2.3 km down the main road to the station but the walk directions offer a much nicer amble along back lanes which is only 1 km longer.
You'll need to bring the directions from the L=2.18.a page (for the morning) and the Wadhurst via Bewl Water Circular walk (for the afternoon). Note that the distances (and toughness) for the Book 2 walk are understated; the Wadhurst Short Walk is 11.3 km (not 10) and so the Figure-of-8 walk options are also about 1 km longer than stated.