Stage 4 - Eridge Old Park to Cousley Wood (6.5 miles)

I left work a little early to allow us to start this walk around 4.30pm from outside the entrance to Eridge Deer Park on the A267. It was an overcast but reasonably warm afternoon.

Heading across the fields after Pococksgate

We crossed the road and made for a track with a sign Pococksgate, following it to and between the farm buildings, before heading westward across several fields and an old orchard. When Steve and I walked this path several years ago the orchard was still in existence, but now all the trees had sadly been cut down and just their stumps remained.

Orchard graveyard

At the end of this field we turned right and followed the field boundary round to the left. As we entered the next field Anne spotted a herd of deer grazing further down the hill. Both dogs set off in pursuit. Zuka responded quite quickly to Anne’s calls, but I’m embarrassed to say that Poppy completely ignored me and disappeared out of sight. She was wearing a spray collar, but this had absolutely no effect whatsoever! Fortunately the field was fenced and once the deer had escaped, Poppy returned looking very pleased with herself. Bad Boxer!

Poppy returning from her deer hunt
Reaching the private road to Lighlands

Continuing, we walked through one more meadow, before reaching a gate onto the private road to Lighlands. Here we turned right and briefly followed an enclosed footpath adjacent to the drive, before emerging into fields once more. We descended to the valley bottom where we entered a thin strip of woodland and crossed a stream.

Heading south into the valley

Strip of woodland and stream in valley bottom

Immediately the path climbed the other side of the valley, with some steep stone steps to negotiate. Anne reported that these can be very slippery when wet, but today it was OK, and there was a smart new handrail. It’s probably worse coming down.

Steep steps
Cows guard the way to Earlye Farm

Once through the wood we climbed up a field towards the buildings of Earlye Farm. There were cows with calves grazing, so we were a little on our guard. They did get a little defensive and we were forced to use maps to shoo them away as we approached the gateway to the farm.

Phew! Safely through the gate.

Oast houses on the track leaving Earlye Farm

We followed the track through the farm buildings to the left of a high-roofed barn, and continued past two oasts before turning right & left into a field. Heading downhill once more, we continued into a wood and down to a lane.

Heading downhill through the wood

Approaching the footbridge after the lane (strong smell of garlic!)

Turning right we followed the lane for a few hundred meters and then took the first footpath on the left, over a stile. Going downhill into a wood, we immediately turned left over a footbridge before ascending again though fields. It this point we met a woman walking her Scottie and chocolate Labrador. As you can see from the photo, the Lab took quite a liking to Zuka!

Er.........X-rated stuff! Poor Zuka!

Reflected in the mirror

After crossing a number of fields, we finally reached a lane and turned left. Opposite Buckhurst Manor we crossed a stile on the right, and followed the edge of the field downhill, turning right into a wood. Crossing a footbridge we emerged into a meadow which we crossed to enter a strip of woodland, and then turned right by a stream.

Buckhurst Manor

Lovely meadow

We crossed the stream where sandstone slabs have been exposed by the water, and were quite slippery. The bridge here must be farily new as our guide book specifically said there wasn't one. The path climbed along a field edge, before reaching the drive by Ravensdale Farm. We turned left here and followed the drive uphill to a road by Ravensdale Cottage.

Sandstone slabs leading to the stream

Pond near Ravensdale Farm

It was along this section of drive that we spotted some more deer. Fortunately I was alerted to Poppy’s increased interest in the surroundings and had just put her on the lead before several deer ran across the drive in front of us. Zuka was very good as usual and did not chase them.

Just after the deer crossed the drive

Entering the woodland after Tapsells Lane Farm

We crossed the road and continued along a lane for a few hundred meters, before forking left up a track to Tapsells Lane Farm. Taking a path to the left of the farm buildings we continued through woodland into a field. We soon crossed a railway line and walked uphill to the B2099, just south of Wadhurst station. There was no pavement or verge as we emerged from the path and it was a little dodgy crossing the road as there was still a bit of rush hour traffic about.

Approaching the railway

Footpath leading away from the road

Safely across the road we walked up a driveway and path to reach a house called Spike Island. It was a bit unusual, and we were a little hesitant here, as the footpath (actually a bridleway) went right through their garden, very close to the house!

The path passes just to the left of the house!

As we leave the garden I check the onward route

We continued along a metalled drive to a lane and turned right. Just past the private drive to Tappington Farm we took a path on the left and followed it into a wood. Continuing between fields and through another bluebell wood we soon reached another lane.

Bluebell Wood

Turn left at the lane

Turning left, we continued along the lane for about ½ km, passing an attractive house set on a hill above the road. We then turned right up the drive to Great Shoesmith Farm, and followed it almost to the farm buildings, before tackling a tricky stile/electric fencing combination to get the dogs into a field.

Fine house set high above the road

Great Shoesmith Farm

Descending, we passed a pond and crossed a stream, before bearing right gently uphill across a field to a gap in the hedge, and then across another field.

Unusual root ball by the stream

The path becomes a grassy track

The path then followed the edge of several fields, before becoming a grassy track. Poppy had her head up by this stage and was air scenting. I hastily put her on the lead, which was just as well, as it turned out that there were sheep ahead.

"Sheep ahead!"

Wych Oast (one of a number of fine dwellings on private road)

The grassy track bent round to the right to join a private road by a house. We turned left and went uphill past a couple of oast houses to the lane at Wood’s Green, more of a hamlet than a village. Here we turned left and then right at the first junction. We soon reached a track on our left which was our route, but first we had a peek at the rather splendid Gate House, which was just past the turning.

Wood's Green

The splendid Gate House

The path took us between Gate House and the adjacent property, and became a grassy track leading uphill to a field. Our passage was resented by the canine occupants of both houses, who surveyed or barked at us from their respective gardens.

Guard dogs on duty

We crossed a couple of meadows...

Continuing to climb gently, we crossed a couple of meadows before reaching a grassy track between young fenced woodland. We came across a small paddock containing some pet sheep and a Shetland pony. They were very curious and came over to greet Poppy, who was beside herself with excitement!

The path between young woodland

Poppy makes some new friends

When I was able to drag Pops away from her new chums, we continued the short distance to the B2100 at Pell Green (just south-west of Cousley Wood), and to my waiting car. The weather had not been as good as the previous evening walks, with grey skies, but it had been warm enough and dry. Both the dogs had made some new friends (deer & pet sheep in Poppy's case, a rather amorous chocolate Labrador in Zuka's!) All in all, another very pleasant walk.

Stage 3 - Boarshead to Eridge Old Park (3.8 miles)

Another quick Wednesday evening walk and once again the weather was very kind to us – lovely spring sunshine. Our walk commenced at Boarshead, on the old A26, which is now a dead end.

Waymark near the start at Boarshead

Setting off about 5.30pm, we took the concrete drive close to where the path crossed the A26, and swung south east past some nice houses and on towards Rocks Farm. The views to the north east were stunning and both Frant and the tower on Saxonbury Hill could be clearly seen.

View east towards and Saxonbury

At the farm the path here was diverted some years ago to go round, rather than between the buildings. It must be a very fine place to live. Skirting the field boundary we then bore right in a roughly easterly direction and passed close to the ski slope of Bowles Outdoor Center. There were quite a few people there on this fine evening, and their chatter carried to us on the breeze.

Looking NE after passing Bowles rocks

 

We descended gently along the left field boundary of a large field, and past a nice country home where two young people were playing tennis. Sheep and lambs grazed in an adjacent field. Zuka thought about disappearing off across the field after some heavenly scent, but (fairly) quickly responded to Anne’s pleas to return.

Bluebells in Roughets Wood

 

Dappled sunlight on the path adjacent to Roughets Wood

 

After about 500m we reached a lane and crossed to negotiate a stile onto a path adjacent to Roughets Wood. The wood was full on bluebells and so was a wonderful sight. We continued to descend with the wood on our right, on a slightly muddy path (with one much wetter bit). Reaching the bottom of the hill, and the end of the wood, we veered right across a farm bridge and across a stream and passed under the railway bridge. As we were passing, a commuter train went by overhead – I’m glad I was out walking, rather than being stuck on a train!

Train heading north to Eridge station

Unnamed stream in valley

We very briefly followed the stream, then headed uphill (I think you are meant to go round the edge of the field, but we cut the corner a bit) to a gap in the hedge, then veered right across the next field towards Stitch Farm.

View from near the top of field

Approaching Stitch Farm

Crossing a stile and a bridleway we walked up a track to the right of the buildings and skirted left round the back of them, turning right again at a field boundary to climb the hill. Initially the path was a little overgrown, but soon opened out.

Fields verdant with winter wheat

Some of the waymarking is past its prime!

Maintaining direction we reached the top of the rise (where the dogs spooked a lone goose), and soon reached a field boundary where we bore slightly right onto an enclosed path, which was VERY overgrown. Even this early in the season, the brambles and stinging nettles were bad – in a few more months it would have been pretty impassable (particularly in shorts!). I emerged unscathed from the ordeal, but Anne managed to pierce her scalp on a vicious barbed plant growing at head height.

Overgrown path

Bluebells in the hedge, approaching Stonewall

Bearing right again, we followed a field boundary (with a wonderful show of bluebells) to the road, where there was a fine converted oast house (Stonewall) and a newer property with a wonderful first floor balcony at the back, taking full advantage of the lovely views from the house’s elevated position.

Stonewall oast house

Grassy triangle at lane junction

 We turned right up the lane and then left at the first junction. We continued to climb, more gently now, and where the road levelled out there were lovely views to the north. We were delighted to see a group of three deer observing us from a few hundred meters away.

View approx west - If you look very carefully you may see the deer

Turning north(ish) off the lane

 

About a third of a mile from the road junction, we turned left on a grassy (slightly muddy) track and began to descend again. The path forked at a narrow strip of wood and we took the open path on the left, believing it to be the official route. I think it was probably the wrong decision, if only because the wood was awash with bluebells and lovely old rotten tree trunks (we diverted back into the wood at its end to take a peek).

Old rotting trees in delightful bluebell wood

At the main wood boundary we bore right and continued to descend gently. There had been a lot of tree clearance work done here recently, and the path was covered with debris and a little difficult to navigate

Descending west through Spring Wood (looking a bit bare)

Crossing the stream just after entering the deer park

After approximately a third of a mile, we turned right across a particularly wet piece of ground and through a gate in a tall metal fence. We were now in Eridge deer park. Almost immediately, Anne spotted a large herd of fallow deer looking down on us from the ridge high up on our left. The dogs did not see them, but after the herd ran off, they could certainly smell them. Poppy particularly was very excited, and even Zuka was put on the lead.

 

Rare photo of Zuka on the lead!

 

The path meanders through thin woodland

The path meandered gently uphill through very light woodland with Rocks Wood and Saxonbury Wood to our right. Along this section were some very fine and very large ancient trees (mainly beech) – they were quite magnificent.

Wonderful old trees

Crossing a boggy bit of ground, we emerged into more open parkland, initially with the wood still on our right. At the corner of the wood we maintained direction uphill with the deer fence some distance to our right towards the traffic noise on the A267.

The dogs alert for deer as we begin the last climb



Poppy enjoys a good roll in the grass!

As the incline levelled off, the views behind us were lovely, and it was an excuse to stop and catch one’s breath after the climb.



Looking back whilst taking a breather

Looking west towards the sinking sun

After a slightly hairy crossing of the main road (we had emerged onto a virtually non-existent verge), we turned right and walked the few hundred meters back to our car in a layby.

Nearing the end of our walk through Eridge Park

Although I had already walked the whole of this section at one time or another, it was lovely to do it again. The terrain is undulating and varied and there are plenty of good views to enjoy. Another good supper at the Boars Head Inn wasn’t bad either. Great stuff!

Boars Head Inn