Sun 03-Nov 00:49

23 I think on this enjoyable day out. Mud of course but not too much. Quite a lot ate at the Bull, which was quite efficient and the food was good. We got a bit fragmented in the afternoon, but most did the extension loop, getting to the Greyhound around the same time with 5 or so in the wine shop. I think around 15 stayed for the fireworks which were as impressive as ever, though the bonfire, whilst good, was perhaps not up to some previous events.

We then split into direct to the train and back route. The back route group of 9 perhaps took too long getting supplies as a few had to run for the 2101 for a jolly trip back. All in all a pretty good day out

In those days, heroes walked the earth…Four super-tough guys (and girls) got off the 9.08 train to Robertsbridge and deftly negotiated the longer start to arrive exactly as the rest of the group were emerging from Etchingham station. 20 of them - the best turnout I have seen in ages - so 24 in all.

The rest of the morning was very pleasant - sunny - and passed agreeably in varied chat. In Ticehurst some picnicked in the churchyard and at least one planned to catch the bus, which I hope she did.

At least 14 of us carried on to the Bull pub in Three-Legged Cross, where we easily got tables in the garden, and were equally easily allowed to order food at the bar. What a super establishment this is, the staff so friendly, the kitchen so quick. All pub staff should serve an apprenticeship here.

After lunch most resumed the main walk but five let themselves be inveigled by me into doing the first of the three Bewl Water loops, a task made even more heroic by the fact that having done it, I decided it was not really worth including in the walk anymore. (ie I plan to delete it).

We then carried on to the second and third loops, which are much better. We had a lovely walk along the reservoir, watching yachts sail and greylag geese fly squawking through the air, and only wishing we could have a swim.

In Wadhurst, we went to the Hart Inn and then discussed dinner options. We decided to go to London Bridge to seek food there, and bought wine for the train. We then had a tranquil walk down the back lanes. The Robertsbridge starters thus completed the full 16.8 mile route and the Etchingham ones 14.3 miles, the maximum possible walk under the current (soon to be reduced) walk directions.

In the end we did not go to London Bridge but to Waterloo. There five of us had excellent Thai food in Marie’s cafe. All in all, an outstanding day out

A third possible tea option in Wadhurst (also closing at 4:30) is the recently-opened La Petite France in the old NatWest bank building virtually opposite the Greyhound. The cuisine is self-evident from the name, and it gets good reviews for its coffee, cheeses, meats and wines.

Ah yes, Brian: thanks for pointing this out. The tea places in Wadhurst have changed a bit. I updated them last November for the Wadhurst via Bewl Water Circular, but forgot to do the same for this walk. See the Wadhurst via Bewl Water home page for the latest. This link might work

https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/wadhurst-via-bewl-water-circular/

11 off the train at Etchingham for a stroll across the High Weald in smirr becoming dry but overcast on a day when the area lived up to its reputation for thick, gloopy, slippery mud which was our companion for much of the way. Greetings over, we set off undaunted, but carefully, across some very boggy fields to cross the railway line into Foxhole Wood and up to Sheepstreet Lane. The gentle but steady climb up to Ticehurst spread the group out a little, and though four of us picnicked in the porch of St Mary the Virgin, others presumably walked on to The Bull at Three Leg Cross. Certainly, a quick recce in the Bell Inn Ticehurst showed no signs of our company.

Lunch over, we carried on towards Wadhurst, encountering some very tricky mudslides but also some very welcome shows of daffodils, snowdrops and primroses. The spire of Wadhurst church, like that at Ticehurst, was visible several miles away and led as unerringly to the deepest and gloopiest mud bath of the entire walk (I'm talking over the top of boots here) but rewarded the walker with a cunningly concealed tap on its southern wall with which to wash off most of the mud enabling an acceptable entrance to the Greyhound which provided a well-kept pint of Harvey's Sussex best. Reports welcome on other establishments, including La Petite France, if anyone tried it.

Just 3 hardy all-weather types today. Others presumably deterred by those scaremongers at BBC Weather. Off we set, with a song in our hearts and a spring in our step. A bit cloudy but nothing special. Until, that is, we approached Ticehurst. Skies darkened, thunder rumbled. Maybe they weren’t mongering scares after all. One faster walker went on to the Bull for a meal. Service was said to be good. The other two ducked into the Bell for a drink. They were shepherded into the quirky garden under a complex of umbrellas and woven mulberry trees. The garden is smaller than it used to be, filling up with sheds you can sleep in. But still quirky. Staff were friendly.

After a while, one of the two decided to press on. There’s only so much alcohol you can drink while waiting for better weather. The other stayed.

It started raining in the orchard. Not as much as what London got, but enough to mention. The rain stopped after a while, but the damage was done. If you can imagine running a wet gauntlet, that’s what the afternoon was like. Overgrown paths, treacherously slippy at times. You know me, I’m not one to complain, but by the time I reached Wadhurst, I swear I had webbed feet and started quacking. And it was raining again.

I was reunited with the faster walker at the station. The third had diverted to Stonegate, having got a ‘bit wet’. Perversely, I think all three enjoyed this cloudy then wet adventure. The scenery was a contributory factor.

Thanks to the lady who suggested Yalding Circular: it looks like a nice walk, but does overlap about 50% with Wateringbury Circular which was posted just two weeks ago and got a good turnout. One to bear in mind for the future, however

5 off the train at Etchingham synchronised neatly with 2 who had started earlier from Robertsbridge and 7 set off under overcast becoming sunny with occasional clouds across the Rother valley to Ticehurst, a very pretty Sussex village, where lunch was taken in the grounds of the parish church. After lunch we walked on, passing up the chance of a drink at the Bull at Three Leg Cross and choosing instead a bit of impromptu windfall gathering in an orchard of apple and plum trees. A discussion ensued on the difference, if any, between Private and Strictly Private, as proclaimed by several signs we passed. We decided that Strictly Private meant you had to be able to foxtrot. Thereafter the group separated, some opting for the Bewl Water loop, others making their way across picture-postcard landscape (think a church spire rising on a wooded hill, oast houses in the foreground) to Wadhurst and, for 1 at least, a pint of Harvey's before catching the bus to the station.

Hey everyone, I am planning to join this walk and the bonfire, and since I am new to SWC, I was wondering what would be the best way to meet people at the train station at Charring Cross.

Thanks,

Carmen

Hi, Carmen: it will be great to have you along.

We meet on arrival at Etchingham (or Robertsbridge, depending on which start you aim to do). The group will be obvious as both are quiet rural stations. Otherwise, if you walk down the train during the journey you may see a group of people who look like walkers, but we are often scattered here and there throughout the train.

If you have not already, do read this;

https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/swc/index.shtml

Thanks for getting back to me! Since it seems that at least some people are going to Etchingham, I will plan to meet you there. I will wear a red jacket. Looking forward to it!

Carmen

I have been checking the weather for this one for the last day or two and it's not looking promising. Does anyone know if it will impact the bonfire/fireworks?

~karen

Thanks for asking, Karen. I checked and sadly the event has been CANCELLED due to the weather forecast.

The 10.15 train is starting from London Bridge (10.24)

I, Karen, am on the 10:24 train from LB to Etchingham. I hope other people have made it too!

So often on the walks we are threatened with dire weather and it proves to be a lot less dire. But not today. Strong wind and heavy rain was forecast and that was what we got. Despite this an impressive 12 walkers turned out, 5 doing the longer Robertsbridge start and 7 the later Etchingham one. As predicted, the longer walkers arrived at Etchingham just in time to meet the later starters, and we walked together till lunch.

The weather was as described, though the wind almost never felt dangerously strong. At times I suspected the rain was not that heavy either, only that it was driven by a strong wind and so seemed more pervasive. But approaching lunch in Ticehurst it definitely sheeted down, turning the main road into a lake at one point. I think almost everyone found their wet weather kit deficient in several places.

Gratefully gaining the sanctuary of The Bell, we were told the arrival of a wedding party was imminent, but they sped our orders through to be ahead of it and the very nice food came quickly. A blazing fire might have also been nice, but you can’t have anything.

After lunch the Etchingham Seven all decided to take the bus to Tunbridge Wells for tea. The Robertsbridge Five carried on with the walk. The rain was now much less and there were even dry periods, but on the road section mid afternoon there were some amazing floods, a little side stream at one point bursting onto the lane and turning it into a river, which for forty or fifty metres we just had to wade through (I will try to put a video on the group Facebook page). Towards Wadhurst we did the short extension along Bewl Water which was very scenic. Despite all the rain the reservoir is still some way from being full.

I have not so far mentioned the autumn colour, which was spectacular, when the driving rain allowed one to raise ones eyes to look at it. Oaks are now turning en masse, producing gorgeous orange tints. Norway and Field Maple are not just yellow but an almost unprecedented gold. Sweet chestnuts and beech were glorious in yellow, gold and brown. I predict that next weekend will be the best for colour - if the wind does not blow everything off first.

Approaching Wadhurst at 4.15pm, one of the party went straight to the station to finish the walk in the daylight, while the remaining four of us went to the White Hart with the opposite intention. The pub was eerily quiet on what is usually a busy night, the last minute cancellation of the Wadhurst Bonfire having stripped it of clientele.

We set off again at 5.30pm and had a magical walk down the back lanes in the deep darkness - always a treat - at one point seeing a crescent moon (well, two of us did). We caught the 6.29 train and dried off with a bottle of red wine.

Now I might do the Walk Tomorrow. But what I suggest is to take the 09:09 Train just Incase the 10:09 Train could be Delayed or something like that. You never know.

Hi What's the plan. Can we meet to buy group save tickets together ?

Well no not nessasery. But you hear about on the News about the Cancellations etc which is the thing.

12 on the early start from Robertsbridge arrived at Etchingham just in time to greet 10 on the later train, making 22 on this walk in all. It was a lovely day, mainly hot sun but with some cloud around lunchtime. Buttercups and other lovely meadow flowers were the chief nature feature of the walk - particularly on the Robertsbridge to Etchingham leg and also on the Etchingham start. Once we had to do some cattle herding and once we did a detour to avoid them.

I think we split fairly well between the two pubs. It was my first time at the Bell in Ticehurst and though staff were friendly, food service reasonably quick and their patio garden very pleasant, we all, I think, thought the portions small for the money - in one or two cases derisorily so. I hope the Bull lunchers had a good experience.

Four of us definitely did the full 16.9 mile long option - possibly others since some at the start had said they would do it. Several other walkers definitely did the first loop down to Bewl Water as we saw them ahead of us but never caught up with them. The start of the second, longer loop, is on a permissive path that seems to have fallen out of use, so sorry to anyone who tried to use that: I will amend the directions to a slightly different route on public footpaths.

In general, though, the sections beside the reservoir were an utter delight. They were knee high in buttercups and grasses and other flora, and Bewl Water itself - which was very low when we last walked along it in November - was full to the very top. The recent rain must have helped but I suspect also they have filled it from the River Medway (as they have the ability to do). Whatever, to see the water lapping right up to the path, flooding willow woods and filling every creek was charming. It did mean for some muddy patches on the path in places, which was an odd experience for June.

We four 17 milers got to Wadhurst at 6.30pm. All tea places were closed by then (it seems the Jempson's cafe has gone for good anyway), but we had tea/drinks in the Greyhound before the final walk down the back lanes to the station in beautiful golden evening light, catching the 8.29 train.

So pretty much a perfect day's walking. I would be happy to hear how others in the group got on, however.

I am going to get the earlier train so will start at 10:12 if anyone want so do the same and get an earlier lunch...

Rich

Just another fab 4 on this walk with me again as Ringo. (Can we stop this silly joke everytime there is just you and 3 other people on a walk! SWC Ed)

I'm glad there were a few nights of hard frost before doing this walk as this made the early fields passable but generally the ground was firm except for one short slippery slope and a couple of patches of black ice on the lanes. The weather was unbroken sunshine . At times in sheltered spots it felt almost warm and then a few yards further on you would be hit by a blast of wind just to remind you that the "beast" was on its way.

We had a short pit stop in Ticehurst but the Bell Inn had a "wedding fair?" on and as we were not quite dressed for the occasion we did not stop there. We pressed on where one of our number went to the Bull for a meal whilst 3 of us continued on to Wadhurst hopeful there would be a cafe open for tea and cakes. We were making good time so decided to do the last loop around Bewl water reservoir where the water levels were perhaps a bit lower than one would expect. We reached Wadhurst around 3.15pm but no cafe was open so we had a quick refreshment stop at the church. By setting a steady pace (or really fast as I have to call it now!) we did the stretch to the station in a little over 30 mins and caught the fast 4pm train with 5 mins to spare. An invigorating and convivial day out. (Did anyone take an earlier train from London?)

A few comments need to be made about the directions between Sheepstreet Lane and Ticehurst. In para 22, there is a suggestion to go uphill towards two solitary trees and then, beyond, to cross "two strips of land planted with maize". We followed the directions, but once across the strips of land realized that it would have been better to do two sides of a triangle (i.e. turn left with the footpath arrow on entering the field and then, once past the strips of land, turn right uphill to rejoin the path heading towards the clump of trees referred to in para 25. In para 28, we negotiated the "wooden hurdle" with difficulty only to discover there appeared to be a way of bypassing it by going over the "well-made stile" to the left and then walking through a short patch of undergrowth to reach the other side of the hurdle. This needs to be investigated further. Finally, in para 30, I suggest removing the reference to the right of way crossing the field. The obvious route is up the righthand field edge, as mentioned later in the same paragraph.

Thank you for this feedback.

I am actually planning to give this walk a check in the spring, so I will check out these points then. I am aware of the ROW route on the map in para 22, but when I was researching the walk and tried it, this was blocked by barbed wire, while footpath posts marked the route I describe. Maybe that has now changed.

The walk author

I'm planning to do a circular from Wadhurst and will look out for the group at the lunchtime pub.

16, including two late starters who caught up with us at the lunchtime pub. Mainly dry with a couple of sharp showers in the afternoon .

17 bloody awful in the morning wet and windy then drier in the afternoon

Wind and rain in the morning. The fields around Etchingham were flooded but we avoided them by following the recommeded detour. The ground on this walk was generally quite soggy so probably this walk s best done in drier times. At least 4 gave up after (a very delicious) lunch at The Bell and hopped on the bus to Tunbridge Wells for tea and cake. Others carried on and the weather improved in the afternoon, with less drizzle and eventually dry weather. Some stopped for well-earned refreshment in the pub at Wadhurst before heading to the station or onto the bonfire and fireworks.

Five of us went to the Wadhust Bonfire (possibly three more who stated their intention to go over tea but were last seen deep in a bottle of champagne). As ever, this was an excellent event, well attended but not crowded, with a great big bonfire in whose heat one could sunbathe, and then a firework display as good as one can get anywhere. For me, however, the highlight always is, and was on this occasion, the walk down the back lanes in the deep dark (torches discouraged! They ruin your night vision!) to the station, a magical 50 minutes. We got the 9. 29 train home.

Two great walks on Sunday. Difficult to choose. Thank you MoonTiger. Should you not be promoted to a Saturday walk poster position?

Yes, thanks Tigger. (However, any more fame and he's in danger of being stalked by that nasty dentist from Minnesota).

I always thought posting twice on a Sunday was far posher than run of the mill one on a Saturday

Mr Tiger ain't afraid of no dentist. Not unless he’s near his teeth he ain’t. Grrr!

11 walkers for this. very hot and sunny

One or two navigational challenges. We had to enveigle our way through the maize strips at point 24. This required an element of faith, there being no visible path. It’s fairly robust stuff so no damage done. Later we encountered an overgrown oat field.

Most went to the Bell for lunch, much to the surprise of one walker who had sped ahead to the Bull in the belief he had fallen behind. The Bell have an interesting back garden and provided some fairly posh grub that seemed to go down well. Starters, though, were described as “hit and miss”. The beetroot and quinoa salad was particularly minimal. More chutzpah than quinoa.

Some got the bus after lunch. For the remainder, on return, some went to the Greyhound, others the White Hart. Some went via the reservoir, some didn’t. Some went along the road to the station, some took the back way.

3 Only made it 4 miles to lunch in the first pub before quitting. Our waitress had to run us to Wadhurst station, on account of the next scheduled bus being Monday morning! The food in the pub was pretty average. Still I can't criticise the service!

Very hot and sunny????.Pleasantly warm and sunny I think is nearer the mark. Wadhurst church is lovely and worth a visit before the last leg along the lanes to Wadhurst station. The 2 teashops in the village are closed on Sundays but the Greyhound does a decent cup of tea for £2.

Someone didn't pay for their lunch. It was paid for by other walkers. She had Brixham Crab and a drink. Ring any bells? Please remember to pay for your food, drinks and service before leaving the pub. The Lunch Monitor.