Lost Steam

UCKFIELD TO SHEFFIELD PARK STATION VIA LAKE WOOD, PILTDOWN GOLF CLUB, FLETCHING AND SHEFFIELD PARK

First hat day of the season. Vague idea of walking from Uckfield, getting the Autumn cliché of the colours at Sheffield Park and then looping back somehow. Not feeling hundred percent and had spent Thursday largely in bed. A frosty start and blue skies meant that the day was relatively kind to me. In eventuality, an unexpected steam train forced my hand beyond the Park, or rather, my feet and I returned via East Grinstead. It's still a 10 miler but all is relatively flat and as much as I could take.

Uckfield can be reached in under an hour with the pairing of the 271 to the Princess Royal Hospital and a quick switch to the 31. You can do this or take a train to Haywards Heath and the same 31 bus from near the station. A return, naturally, would be dependent on where you end up. I number of less accessible options are open which is why East Grinstead was as good as any on this route via a journey on the Bluebell Railway. I had thought about taking the cycle route back to Three Bridges Station but a 291 bus hit first. From here, it's a shortish rail journey back to Burgess Hill.

From Uckfield High Street, go east on Church Street, easily located on the map as the one where the church is. Rocks Road is an apt name because you'll find the footpath to Lake Wood winds you through and about the sandstone geology in these parts. The wood was a delightful surprise and open access so wander at will, to the lake itself and here and there amongst the boulders. On the western edge, follow the path to where it meets the bridge crossing the A22. On the far side, take the path north alongside before continuing west in Butcher's Wood. You'll go over a couple of footbridges. before exiting into some fields around Fairhazel.

Lake Wood was a smashing little find, once part of the Streatfeild (sic) Family's Rocks Estate. Here abouts, you'll see the Wealden Walks waymarkers. Mist was rising from the lake and I disturbed my first heron of the day to a soundtrack of Deep Purple. At the frosty field at Fairhazel, I disturbed the deer. Everywhere I went I surprised the folk. At Piltdown Golf Club, I disturbed an early walker weeing in a bush.

After crossing Golf Club Lane, make your way through the heathery rough, roughly following a combination of signage and map northwards. Wagtails were patrolling the green before the golfers got started. Join the track to the A272 and cross. Take the path from the drive to Ferrars Farm and the path through the birch wood. Here the ground was strewn with potato-like puffballs. Views present themselves westward.

Mallingdown Farm was a wetter track than I expected. After the converted oast, the field was divotted and puddly and cold. Cross the fields, taking care to be on the right side of the boundaries and not to miss the stiles. Make your way to the right of the silos and the the edge of Fletching graveyard. Follow the western edge and exit the church onto the High Street. The café and pub were shut. You are very close to Sheffield Park and Fletching Lodge guards a driveway but there is no public access. Instead, follow the relatively traffic-free Mill Lane all the way over the Ouse to Rotherfield Wood where the Ouse Valley Way enters the wood near the wood yard. A raven gurgled its call amongst the pines. Once out of the trees, you are within the park. You can access this area from dawn to dusk. The National Trust has provided some signage and you can wander towards the car park to the gardens where an admission is required. I sat in the field to eat my satsuma and heard a steam train. The station for the Bluebell Railway is on the western corner of the park.

It was after a ramble about the gardens and woodland that I returned and exited here to take a steam train, like you do. There are stops at Horsted Keynes and Kingscote but the trains aren't always running and so I got lucky. Sometimes tickets are combined to give access to Sheffield Park, so book ahead if you like old puffers.

From East Grinstead, I toyed with the idea of taking the Sussex Border Path and cycling route back to Three Bridges but I was weary. A bus took me instead and I swapped to an ordinary boring train. It felt like I'd spent longer on transport than my legs.