Marching Giants

BURGESS HILL TO BOLNEY AND BACK VIA BEDELANDS AND GODDARDS GREEN

I started this walk against the tide of school children, doubled-up parents and pushchairs and the north wind doth blow. I felt a bit glum. I passed a disappointing deflated Father Christmas and snowmen and, anyway, wondered whether it was much too early to display that level of Christmas cheer. I like the season but suffer terribly from fatigue. I can manage to sustain an effortful show of enjoyment for two or three weeks but all this extra November revelry just heightens my retail anxiety. Happily I was able to turn my mood around with a pretty long romp.

Begin this walk at either Burgess Hill Station, up Mill Road and onto the path at St Wilfred's Close or just continue the route opposite Wivelsfield station via the caravan park to Bedelands Nature Reserve. I paused at the pond and sullenly watched a pair of treecreepers scuttling around the limbs of a tree. Keep going north and cross the bridges between the river and the pond. Go west at the pond's midpoint and follow the footpath sign until you hit the T junction. Go north until you reach the A273. I took the track parallel the road, that meets Holmbush Cottages, so I didn't have to dodge traffic for so long. From Hookhouse Farm, go west. Have some faith as you slop around in some odorous mud and follow the car track all the way to the road at Moonhill Farm. I nearly stepped on a rabbit en route before it regained it's legs and darted into the hedge.

Cross one road, continue east and cross Cuckfield Road, going straight across. At Bishopstone Lane, go north and then west when you see the finger post from the right hand side of the road. Pass through the farm buildings until you reach the open field. The sheep rose from there seated positions on the path and views were seen north and south. Follow the path on the ground which takes you on the edge of the Foxashes before disappearing inside. My spirits rose considerably in this mixed woodland. Continue to Lovell's Farm and further to Stairbridge Lane and go north.

Cross the A272 at the junction and take Buncton Lane as signposted. More a journey than a destination, follow it until you see the signposted High Weald Landscape Trail going west. A satfisfyingly square aperture permits you to travel below the fearful A23. I definitely did not have a sing in the tunnel. Exit over London road and take the footpath south, marked at the junction with Ryecroft Road. You'll pass some woods that I think the Bolney locals must walk in and the back of the school, until you reach the Church of St Mary Magdalene. I had a delightful wander here, admiring the fungi amongst the headstones. Like a heathen, you'll exit the admirable Lychgate and come face to face with The Eight Bells. It was too early to eat here and at Rawson Hall Community Cafe, further north so, oh well, I decided to stop at Bolney Wine Estate instead. Dipping west, just before the community centre, take the path and you'll exit onto Foxhole Lane.

You'll be well directed to Bolney Wine Estate. I'm not much of a wine drinker but it is the season for soup and, as I was offered the mulled version with my meal, I chose to sip in the company of Christmas trees and tunes. The warm welcome encouraged me to make a purchase....of gin.

When and if you're ready, exit and head north until you reach the Sussex Diamond Way going west into the woods on the northern side of the vineyard. There's more than a touch of pylon in these parts but that does not detract from yet another lovely wood by the name of Nailard's. You could, if you wish, leave this out all together, have a longer lunch in the restaurant and head home but I was up for more and chose to encircle Colwood and Wykehurst Park. When you reach Cross Colwood Lane, go west then north up the first road on the right. Follow it round and head north past Pitfield Plantation and Rout Farm. I detected a change in the morphology here, it being hillier, gorsier and chalkier. you reach the road at the Rifleman's Cottage and go immediately east. You can consider this your route home now as you head obliquely east and back up the same hill you descended just moments ago.

When you reach Colwood Lane, go south and take Jeremy's Lane east. About mid way, going south, will have you back on the High Weald Landscape Trail and as the shadows lengthened and the sky had cleared, I could see how massive the moon looked and how nice things really are.

All in good time, you'll exit on The Street in Bolney, take Top Street on the left then Cherry Lane on the right. You'll soon see the little footpath at the back of the houses and through a small oak wood, reaching the junction with the A23. There is no shame in going back the way you came or, as I did, continue in the reverse direction on Stairbridge Lane until after the pond at Bolney Grange Farm. Heading east, you cannot avoid the last bit of Bishopstone Lane, crossing the A2300 and getting to The Sportsman.

East on Gatehouse Lane will get you to the footpath going south on the Green Circle, a route you can follow without deviation all the way to Nightingale Meadows, the railway bridge and back north to the station.