Down with the Natives
I unrealistically proposed a 20 mile walk with a side quest to the British Wildlife Centre and allowance for a little butterfly survey. Things evolved and sensibly, I cut it short, allowing myself ample time to enjoy the animals. Slowly, I am learning to not necessarily squeeze everything in, sacrificing full coverage for ad hoc enjoyment.
The absolute highlight was the wildlife centre as there is not much to recommend the approach. At times, things were wilder, in the sense that it was less civilised than I would have preferred. Much of the walking was extruded behind fences and on brambly paths.
Crawley Down can be made with a train to Three Bridges and then a 272 bus eastward. Return was on the 291 back to Three Bridges Station and back.
From the War Memorial stop, back up the Sandy Lane and take the footpath north on Cuttinglye Lane. This merges with Fermandy Lane. You are walking through an area that would have been part of the Hedgecourt manor and heavily felled for the iron industry for a period of over 200 years. At the T junction, you turn right to walk at the end of Furnace Pond and then bear left on Lake View Road. Continue with the road north and bear left to cross Copthorne Road. The footpath continues north, a little to the left and soon you leave the tarmac for the woods next to Hedgecourt Lake. You will see a sign for Hedgecourt Nature Reserve. The Lake itself is not part of it but the area on the fringe is an SSSI and abundant in less common plants. I followed some boardwalks but became lost in a thicket of reeds and upon abandoned trails. I had to return to the footpath to join the more solid Tandridge Border Path on the northern edge of the water.
After the Crawley Mariners, the path walks alongside the water before leaving it, crossing Stubpond Lane, walking aside the sewage works and reaching the Eastbourne Road. Along here, involved walking some quite brambly tracks beside some very excitable cows. They were thankfully, behind the fence and so I was able to enjoy their frolics. Turn left then right onto the footpath, now beside Wire Mill Lake. Both Hedgecourt and Wire Mill are the result of damming of the Eden Brook. The latter probably was converted from powering a hammer to being involved in the production on iron, copper and brass wire. This could be woven into cloth. The once forge, ground flour in its last milling days and has eventually and after much incarnations from the 1500s became a pub. I considered my options...
Turn left on Wire Mill Lane and continue on the footpath going north to Eastbourne Road. You will emerge from the horse field in front of The Church of the Latter Day Saints London England Temple, the first one constructed in the UK in 1958. Turn right and then left at the roundabout onto West Park Road and then cross to join Bones Road. A little way on the right, join the footpath north, past Frogit Heath. After you emerge from the trees, turn right at the next footpath and you cross the Eastbourne Road, again. Turn left, walk with the road and escape into the Wildlife Centre.
The British Wildlife Centre opens during the week in the school holidays and I arrived to here the red squirrel talk in their enclosure. Although I'm often queasy about zoos, this place, founded in 1997 and the squirrels and wildcats are bred successfully here. The intention is to educate and I did learn things as I wandered all the areas. I saw most of the animals, including two ancient sleepy foxes. The challenge of climate change was very much a challenge to the comfort of the animals and I was fortunate to find those not sheltering from the heat.
On my way, I returned to the footpath junction to take the path on the east side of Eastbourne Road. You get a view of the deer here (roe, red and fallow) even if you haven't visited the centre. At the bridleway, turn south through Shawlands. At the Newchapel Road, turn right and then left on the footpath. At the next junction, go right and you'll have returned to Wire Mill. The footpath runs right on the edge of the lake and on the pub terrace. I took the hint and stopped for lunch and the entire purpose of this awkward homeward wiggle.
Continue beyond the water, bear left then right to follow the edge of the field. Turn right on the bridleway going south. After Wards Farm, go right onto the Tandridge Border Path. Once over the Eastbourne Road, go left and then right to continue before turning left towards Felbridge. You cross the green and go right with the chestnuts on the Crawley Down Road. A bridleway and old coach road on the left, takes you south over Felbridge Water and towards Gullege. Shuffling around it, I saw a grass snake as it disappeared into the foliage. I have heard many a snake rustle lately but this is the first snake I've seen in the wild, in years. South of Gullege you hit the Worth Way.
The directness of the old rail line, consolidated my thoughts and a return to Brighton for a work leaving do was calling. Turn right on a short section of the Sussex Border Path before continuing as the cycle route 21. Pass the Crawley Down Pond, join Cob Close and Hazel Lane and cut through to Copse Close and Burleigh Way. Here the bus stop on the left was my exit.
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