Landscape Escapade

BURGESS HILL TO HAYWARDS HEATH VIA GODDARDS GREEN, BOLNEY, CUCKFIELD AND BORDE HILL

A not particularly early start had me fighting the tide of scholars. It felt good to get going. The rain had been early and a little bit disturbing. It was wet underfoot but, on the plus side, the showers held off during the day.

The walk makes the most of The Green Circle; a Burgess Hill bridleway that partially circumnavigates the town. You have a small fight with the local highways before joining the Sussex Diamond Way and The High Landscape Trail. The whole walk benefits from fairly easy pathfinding and so you can focus on the beautiful vegetation and ancient farmsteads as you leave the breathy rumble of the road behind.

You can start from Burgess Hill Station or The London Road bus stop but I reflected on Worthing as I descended Chanctonbury Road on the west side of the track. This is a road built in the 1950s on the remains of the clay pit and brick industries. The wide grass verges and mature trees are a splendid introduction to the specimens that lie ahead. You also have the opportunity of walking through Holmesdale Wood, to make your way to the roundabout on London Road, if you wish, or continue down Wingle Tye and to the railway bridge. From here you can wave at trains, cross Nightingale Meadows and join the Green Circle on the far side.

Following this straightforward bridleway, lined with dogs and joggers, you also get to see Chanctonbury Ring from afar as you approach the burial ground. The trail is dotted with pertinant sculptures based on notables from the town's past. At the far end is Gatehouse Lane. Take this west until you reach The Sportsman pub. It is much too early (unless you choose to do the walk in reverse). Take the redundant no-through-road towards the A2300. You can cross this with some care but if vaulting the central barriers and fleeing the cars is too much, just head west. If you can cross, you can make some space between you and the traffic and use Job's Lane. You'll pass some lakes and the Hickstead Hotel. At the roundabout, continue and cross the A23 before reaching the Castle Inn. Go north.

This is the wild west. It's not particularly nice walking but you can think of the old farms of Hickstead, once well connected to market, now dwarfed and isolated on the fast-flowing dual carriageway. It may not be news to you that this is my nemesis - the A23. Leaving Backlands farm behind, you'll meet the footpath going west. Glance across to the far side and you see the path from Chaites Farm and realise that the crossing has become impracticable. The road is much too busy and the reason for our slightly unorthodox roady route.

As you leave the main road, you follow a track past Green Barn, which is black. A triplet of alarmed dogs barked their surprise as I passed. Choose any route around the field opposite as they're two sides of a square. Going north, you'll reach a field with a good range of mature trees, alive and dead. I sat with a small beetle on a fallen bough and heard a yellowhammer.

Onwards, cross Cowfold Road and enter The Street in Bolney and pass The Eight Bells which is now sadly shut (February 2024). Moving swiftly on, I continued passed Batchelor's Field and Cafe which is a community place, very much open. I didn't stop but some cyclists did. Take Ryecroft Road and you'll be eastward bound on the Sussex Diamond Way. Crossing back over the London Road and through the square tunnel under the A23 is an easier matter, at this junction. Take either path after. I took the left, up the steps and departed the road, eastward, through the rhododendron infested Bolney Wood. I went south briefly, on Buncton Lane before entering woods awash with a sea of bluebells and a different character displayed. Wood turned to open pasture and paddock, with magnificent oaks and nosy horses.

Crossing Pickwell Lane, take the northward path, when it divides. The Diamond Way will fight the Landscape Trail for claims on this trail. You have choice again here to take the road or stream. I reached Broxmead Lane, followed it east and entered woods once more. You'll meet Deaks Lane after the vineyard and go north.

Eastwards into Cuckfield Park, the trails battle once more as you descend into Cuckfield but The Diamond Way wins as you head towards the spire of the church. It is lunchtime and there are a few options, including Tom's Food where I stopped. Exiting Cuckfield by taking South Street and Trinity Twitten, affords you views south of the church. Courtmead Road meets Broad Street and, opposite Warden Park School, take Horsgate Lane to the farm. Enter the brambly field on the west side, where horses graze, until you meet Longacre Lane. Still following the trail, you take Hanlye Lane and go north on Lullings Lane. A greater entrance to the Borde Hill Estate there never was. If you're lucky you get to see the rhododendrons in flower. A small reprise from the Landscape Trail takes you east to Borde Hill gardens and your eye is level with the top of a wall that bounds the lawn on its southern side.

I entered, wandered and refreshed. Go north then take Copyhold Lane over the railway. This road needs following with care before ducking south through the wood to Highgrove Barn and the 14th tee on the golf course. You'll know that the southward path beyond is too muddy for shoes and that the upper bank and woodland route on the east side, appear to be tolerated. Going west at the end takes you to Wickham Hill, where you descend towards the fire station doors in Haywards Heath. With not too much trouble you'll be at the railway station or bus stop to take you back.

I popped into Waitrose as it was essential to ensure I could feed my hungry family.