Leafy Underwhelm
Hastings to Battle had inspired me to do another route to the Abbey but roughly from the location others believe 1066 actually took place. It was another poorly researched route, with not quite enough sleep or sustenance. I did eat lunch and the weather was gorgeous but my discomfort no doubt coloured my dissatisfaction with churned-up forest drives, inaccessible woodland and park and the way time drifts away when it's boggy underfoot.
I number of misjudgements made the route a mixture of trial and near ridiculous compensation, as will be discussed. In the fuzzy post-walk haze, I feel I'm sure I can make the route better and probably a bit less ambitious. There was some interest in the form of woods that might be explored better and further, I visited only fleetingly to which I could return.
I've decided, that unless someone can convince me otherwise, Heathfield is not a very practical destination from Burgess Hill. It takes the best part of two hours and might be the reason I bailed the bus a bit too early at Cross in Hand. It's embarrassing to list my mistakes but I'll be unflinching, in case I should make the errors in the future.
Cross in Hand can be reached via a train to Lewes and the 29A bus. Return was via train and Brighton.
As I hastily charged my phone and worked out my exit from the bus, I came up with a small detour to Heathfield via what I thought might be a windmill and a pleasant woodland diversion. The mist hung attractively in the combs as I jumped of against the tide of school kids, reluctantly loping on their way.
My first real mistake was getting a less thand sufficient look at a sailless windmill from maybe the wrong side road. I took Dads Road and saw only a fleeting glimpse of the forlorn post mill before I returned to the main road. If I'd taken the drive a little earlier, I would have had a better view of the decomposing building.
Back on the slightly uninspiring Lewes Road, join the A267 and take the bridleway on the left. This is a substantial road that eventually meets the Sussex Diamond Way going back to the main road. There is no access to the woods on the way but I might have more luck from the back of Co-op. Millennium Green provides access to woodland around the dismantled railway. I didn't know this at the time. At Herrings Farm, you descend a surprising airfield and navigate some electric fences. The hill was quite wet and, where the cows are funnelled into the next, I descended a bit too much onto a knee. The mud made its first attack. Somewhere along the line I lost the main path on the only bit of wood accessible. I found a little gap in the fence to rejoin it at Orchard House.
Another sketchy bit of planning meant I though I might have access to Heathfield Park. It seems it, its SSSI and Gibraltar Tower are not open to the public. Tower Street suggests the former and can be followed to Hailsham Road and Park Road that skirts the Park Wall. Weaver Road will take you round to Old Heathfield. I circled the Church and past the Star Inn onto Church Street. Take the footpath into the field to the right of the drive to Heathfield House. Bear left on what was a muddy path down to more water and a damp field. After the wood, join the Byway, coming out on Church Hill. Take the bridleway on the left, as you go south. Westwards I can't actually remember very well. Emerge by a back garden into Rushlake Green.
I waited on the sunny green for the pub to open. A sensible move. After refreshment, cross the green. Rookery Lane takes you north past Stone House and take the footpath up and over a field with impressive trees and a pond. More ducks follow. Beyond, I felt rather abandoned trying to navigate the bounds of a ruined Augustinian Priory. The actual path I missed as it nestled in brambly nettle. I returned to it a descended into worse. I exited into the field and skirted the other side of the hedge to regain the trail. More mud before joine Grovely Road and solid ground.
A mildly disconcerting backtrack north takes you to a footpath on the right to Northfleet Farm. The fields were very muddy and somewhere along the line, I missed the actual path beside Alms Wood. This involved me with some barbed wire gymnastics to rejoin. Go over Battle Road, onto the Byway beside Dallington Forest and cross the stream via the bridleway to Brightling Down. Take the second footpath through Upper Plantation. You'll end up crossing a muddy field to the road. I popped through the hedge to bring me close to the entrance to the Deer Park. A solid bridleway descended onto a gruelling forest road through a string of woods onto the Penhurst Lane.
Cross into Darwell Wood and the Darwell Stream. Bear left and take the Bridleway around the hill. Leave the bridleway after the Conveyer Belt. This construction has its name on the map and is a covered way of transporting gypsum from the mine. Go to the south bank of the Darwell Reservoir. I walked to the bank amongst the blackened mangrove-like trees before returning to the path.
I can't recommend the following as I'm unsure of the access and the paths were a trial. I compounded my problems by taking a vague track back to the conveyor soon after. It might be possible to walk alongside and cross its path further south but I took the opportunity to make an unlikely roll under, wishing that noone saw my ungainly manouevre. Back on the easy side of the belt, I followed it down a bit further and then dived back into jeopardy southwest towards another broader forest track. I took this west until another took me south. I continued as best I could to the Darwell Hill but ended up at the back of the house. I couldn't exit to the road. Desperate to get there, I went west and cut along the fence line through the bracken and trees and finally made it.
A longish walk through Netherfield took me to a fotpath on the right. This will take you pretty directly to Battle. This was a relief but the hazards were still there. Thirst hit and I took a moment to get the paper map out. My phone battery was dwindling, as was the light. Cross the sheep field to the corner and join a drive to Netherfield Farm. More footpath signs than are necessary guide you through. I was running the downward bits through the wet fields, thinking of the conditions of those fighting in 1066. Cross the byway. The track is quite clear to the edge of town. Thankfully the darkness did not hinder me too much but the uphill and running was hard-going. In town, follow the high street to Upper and Lower Lake and Station Approach. My running paid off and I was able to catch a delayed train after depleting the last bit of energy googling the best way. Sweaty and a bit hassled I sent word of my return home. I left with the knowledge that a third episode involving Battle is required as I'm still to actually visit the Abbey.
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