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Walk of the month:Crowhurst Circular 2 |
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This is our second walk around Crowhurst (if you missed the first, you can find it here). As notices along the way will tell you, the new Hastings to Bexhill Link Road is destined to be built right through this area so whether you’re for or against its construction we recommend you get out there and enjoy this beautiful bit of countryside before it changes forever. A fairly easy walk at just 5 miles, you can do it comfortably in 2.5hrs - Just what you need for some exercise in the fresh air of the New Year! Best take along your 1:25,000 OS Explorer Map Sheet 124 Bexhill & Hastings. |
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| If you’re feeling energetic you could even walk here along a footpath from St Leonards, but there is a car park in the village, just down the hill from The Plough on the left (facing the pub) but it isn’t always open. Otherwise you could park on the road that leads to the station, around the corner by the pub. 1. In the centre of the village, with the car park by the football field to your left, is a waymarker over a stile to the 1066 Bexhill Walk. Follow this path and walk alongside car park on your left. There is a stream to your left, stables to your right. At the first waymarker, turn right away from the stream towards Sidley. The path winds up, through some trees and over a stile into a field. Keep going south. Cross a ditch, keeping the field boundary on your left. At the other side of the field, cross the stile in another ditch. Continue ahead, now uphill, field boundary still to your left. Head for the top left corner of the field and through the gap where you should be able to see a waymarker ahead. Pass through the gate and turn left to follow the arrow, along a concrete track. At the end of the track, there are several gates; take the path just left of the white gates – without a gate. 2. Pass some farm buildings on the left – this is Hillcroft Farm. The path continues between two hedgerows. At the bottom of the slope, the path opens up. Continue. Ignore the stile ahead and follow the track to the right for a short distance – it will take you over the stream ahead by a bridge. Go through the gate and up a slight slope, along a path across a field ahead. At the gate is another marker for Sidley. Continue – pass the fields and stables on your right, through the gate and on. The waymarker now points to Buckholt. Follow the track, enclosed by hedges.
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3. Where the path forks in front of the wood, turn right uphill and away from the sign towards Sidley. Continue over the top of the hillock and onwards. Pass Hennikers Farm on the left. Carry on, past another couple of houses. This should be an easy path to follow, not too much scope for going wrong! 4. As you come to some farm building at the top of the hill, another footpath joins from the left. Carry on, along the same track, past a pond, houses and through Buckholt Farm. Veer right and you should see the waymarker ahead by a gate and a stile. Over the stile and follow the path through the field. Towards the valley ahead you’ll see another galvanised steel gate and stile. Continue ahead, downhill, through the gate into the woods. 5. Take the left fork, then immediately after the right path, downhill through the woods and round to the right. At the galvanised gate is a waymarker – continue through. The path now opens up with fields to the left and wood to the right. Follow the electric fence around to the left, towards the gate and bridge over a stream. On the other side of the stream, go through the second gate. You’ll now head uphill, under the pylon lines ahead. Ignore the gate on the right and take the gate ahead, uphill. Again ignore the gate on the right, take the gate ahead. You might hear or see the road beyond the hedge on the other side of the field. Cross the field towards the road. 6. Pass through the gate and turn right onto the road. Follow the road downhill to the T-junction. Turn right here and follow the sign towards Hastings which will take you back to the centre of the village. |
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