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Directions

1. Starting from bus stop in centre of Forest Row, walk downhill on LH pavement adjacent A22 until you meet Forest Way at pedestrian crossing at bottom of hill.  Turn L and follow Forest Way for 700m, taking first L turn - the BW which descends to the ruins of Brambletye House. You can see the initials C H M in a lozenge at the top of the central tower – the house was built by one Henry Compton and his wife Mary in 1631.

2. Ignore BW turning L and follow FP and signs for Brambletye Barn South. Climb gently past farm on R. Look out for FP on L and follow down through a shaw with hazel and holly, and cross a footbridge. Keep R across field to cross a second footbridge and then follow narrow FP, muddy after rain. Follow FP uphill. Take a moment to look at the view, with East Grinstead church in the distance and orchards, woodland and shaws, a classic Sussex landscape.

3. Disappointingly there is no access to Weirwood Reservoir. Keep chain-link fence to your L as you skirt reservoir, picking up Sussex Border Path halfway along. Views of the water are few, but the Millennium Picnic Site has benches, and you may get a glimpse of people fishing from boats and some of the birdlife.

4. Optional Detour – Standen House. Where the Sussex Border Path meets the High Weald Landscape Trail, roughly 2/3 along Weirwood reservoir and where the route goes under some pylons, turn R and follow FP uphill for 800m until you reach the driveway for Standen House – an Arts and Crafts masterpiece.

5. Keep L and meet Canoe Club Car Park. Follow surfaced road to busy Grinstead Lane. Take care crossing the road. Turn R then immediately L, following BW along top of Stone Farm Rocks, a SSSI. Popular with local climbers, it’s a good place to stop for a break, with views to Ashdown Forest. The outcrop is part of a ridge that runs from East Grinstead to Tunbridge Wells. The rock has a thin outer layer and is very fragile.

6. When path emerges from woods, carry straight on rather than following BW to the R, and descend to an unusual footbridge with an iron walkway. Follow path as it makes a sharp R turn and climbs up the side of embankment to Bluebell Railway. You will have heard the train whistles if the trains are running, and it may be worth waiting to see the dramatic sight of a steam train thundering past just a couple of metres away.

7. Cross tracks, descend into woods and when you meet a surfaced road turn R on BW. Follow road uphill then downhill. There is a FP on the L at the valley bottom, follow this across fields and into woods - you are now entering the WIlliam Robinson Gravetye Estate, a W2W partner.

8. Optional Detour: If you want to visit the Bluebell Railway, Kingscote station is just a kilometre ahead of you along the BW.

9. Cross the BW and follow arrows onto a permissive FP into Hastings Wood. Turn left and continue to Lower Lake. William Robinson Gravetye Charity provide permissive access to walkers along the south side of Lower Lake with a new path. Please take time to see Sackville School's insect hotel, Newt Pond (restored by the Newt Conservation Partnership in 2023) and three huge giant redwoods along the lake path. At the western end of Lower Lake, you will meet The High Weald Landscape Trail. 

10. Short Detour: Take time to look up the hill at Graveteye Manor, built by a local ironmaster in 1598. Pioneering wild gardener William Robinson (1838-1935) lived at Gravetye Manor for 50 years writing influential books and nurturing the wild meadow and gardens you can glimpse. If you want to explore more of Gravetye Estate or find out about wildlife projects, please go to www.william-robinson.org.uk  

11. Return to FP and head S (with your back to Gravetye Manor). Keep close to the valley bottom and then follow FP uphill for around 700m, meeting a surfaced road in a holloway. Follow this to the edge of West Hoathly.

12. Walk past West Hoathly Garage (which specialises in Bentleys and usually has some fine examples on display) to meet main road.  Cross road and follow North Lane towards spire of village church past houses to The Cat Inn – a good place for lunch or a pint.

13. Keep Norman St Margaret’s Church, constructed from local sandstone, on L. On R you will see the 15th Century Manor house and shortly after that the 15th Century timber framed Priest House standing in a traditional cottage garden. The house was built by the Priory of St Pancras in Lewes but was seized by Henry VIII following the dissolution of the monasteries. Subsequent owners included Thomas Cromwell, Anne of Cleves, Mary I and Elizabeth I. It is now furnished with 17th & 18th century country furniture and domestic objects. The resident curator gives tours of the house and garden upon request (March – October).

14. Follow road to R and keep straight when road turns L. Follow BW with excellent views of South Downs. Go past Philpotts Quarry, a geological SSSI whose rocks date to the Precambrian and which has many dinosaur fossils (though not open to the public).

15. Follow BW through grounds of Philpotts School then descend through woodland to Chiddinglye Wood, a SSSI with exposed outcrops of sandstone, weathering of which has produced sculptured blocks. The valley has the richest sandrock community in the country and a warm, moist microclimate supporting a rich variety of ferns, mosses, liverworts and lichens and the uncommon cranefly. There is a diverse breeding bird community.

16. Towards bottom of valley the path is lined by bamboo. Reach sign and turn R uphill, then immediately turn L. When you get to gate turn hard R and climb steeply to B2028.

17. Cross road and turn L along path following verge for 200m to the first entrance to Wakehurst. Turn R. Follow FP along service road. The tearoom for Wakehurst is on your L, a good place for afternoon tea. Follow signs for Wakehurst farmhouse. See award-winning Millennium Seed Bank to your R.

18. Optional Detour – Wakehurst: there is much to see – a 16th century mansion, a 20th century garden and the Millennium Seed Bank across two square kilometres of rolling countryside. There are walled and water gardens, woodland, wetland conservation areas and the site contains two nature reserves. The gardens are managed by Kew Gardens.

19. Continue along FP with hedge on R to reach gate. Go through and continue straight, ignoring tracks to L and R. Descend to Ardingly Brook. Go through gate at foot of a giant redwood. Pick up boardwalk then cross several footbridges. Go steeply uphill before turning L at a gate and follow the edge of field, climbing steadily to road.

20. Turn R then immediately L following signs for The Cart Lodge. Take L fork signed “strictly no vehicle access” and follow straight track downhill. Fork L in front of barn and continue down to trees. At the bottom turn R at gate and follow path under telegraph wires. Pick up paved track, turn L and follow it round to the R.

21. Reach Balcombe Lake and cross embankment. After embankment turn R on FP, follow FP uphill to ridge, turn L for 100m. Continue uphill leaving cricket club on L to arrive at village.

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