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Walk of the month:Hooe Circular |
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One of our favourite walks, at its best in summer with beautiful wildflower meadows. At about 5 miles you could do it in less than 3 hours but it’s worth taking much longer with a picnic along the way. Easy walking mostly following routes marked on the 1:25,000 OS Explorer Map Sheet 124 (Bexhill & Hastings). |
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| 1. Outside and facing Red Lion pub, walk left along roadside for few yards then turn right through a (chained shut) galvanised gate to left of an open-sided hay barn; walk straight ahead through a lovely wildflower meadow, towards large oak tree. Pass through the stiff gate in the far left corner of field & turn left onto the B2095 for 70m or so (careful of traffic). 2. Turn right into un-made road with steep, high banks and at fork take the right track between hedges, following slope downhill. Nice view – albeit with pylons – on your right. Reaching farm on your left, again take the right track, which is grassy. Keep going until you pass under the power lines and immediately you’ll see a gate on the left which you should take. 3. Walk parallel with power lines through field; just to right of the far left field corner, pass over a stile hidden by vegetation, below a prominent tree. Now head for the far-right corner of field (note warning about cows with calves here). Cross farm bridge over river and immediately on your left is another gate—padlocked shut when we were there (tut-tut farmer!) but easily climbed. Continue along river bank. Ignore first gate & bridge on left, but take the next and continue with river to your left. When it curves left, cross another farm bridge. 4. Bear right along trodden path through grass. You’ll soon see a footbridge on the left, marked ESCC with the usual yellow arrow. Up the slope through the trees and over the next stile. Now head uphill to the far right corner of the field, towards the pylon. Cross the stile on your right and keep in the same direction towards the right corner (this is a lovely picnic spot). Once under the power lines you’ll see a house with a white garden wall to the left. Walk towards the fence on the left and just next to the gate, cross the stile – beware barbed wire while crossing! There’s a valley to your right here. 5. Straight ahead, along the flat path, and through another gate. Keep on uphill, past the gorse, following the footpath through yet another gate. The last gate brings you to a tarmac access drive – cross straight over and up the steep steps directly on the opposite side of the road, marked as a footpath. Head for the top of the hill, past the paddocks on the right (views to your left where the Pevensey Levels stretch out). Go through the gate in the far right corner of the field and along the path which takes you through some trees to another stile. The next few yards are curious – through the garden of a little lodge where a sign warns of ‘naturists’ but no cheap thrills for us, it was deserted. Ignore gate on left but take dilapidated gate ahead. Head down track towards a lane and pass to left of a locked gate. |
6. Cross the road and take the opening in the hedge opposite. There’s an obvious path ahead, through fields of crops towards Hooe Church at some distance. At end of path, go down steps and turn right into lane towards church. Go through churchyard to left of church and through a small gate on left, then immediately over a stile and left along a field edge. Cross the field keeping to its left edge, over a stile & keep left through another field. In the corner of this field, stay IN the field but turn right, so hedge is on your left. Continue down to the corner where you turn right for a short distance until reaching a gap in the trees and can turn left into next field – there’s a footpath marker. Cross ditch using planks. Continue ahead along the left field edge, up slope. Pass through gap in hedge ahead (under the trees) then turn left onto road. You’ll soon pass beautiful old red-brick Court Lodge on your left. 7. Cross road at T-junction; public footpath takes you up access drive to Rosemary Cottage. Take path between houses to gate into field, marked ESCC. Continue ahead, downhill along right field edge. At mowed grass junction turn left. Once on this path, don’t turn right alongside river, go straight ahead, up towards gate; just before it, hidden on right, take a narrow overgrown passage. Then through wooden gate and turn right alongside stream on right. Continue along this path through marshy fields and another gateway. Cross a stile, ignore gate on right and take path that heads left (field on your left, ditch on right). Follow track to gate and pass through next field along riverbank. On reaching the prison grounds, turn left away from wooden bridge over ditch. Pass under power lines and over stile, with marshland on the left. 8. Cross the field, arriving slightly left of the far right corner and cross the stile without a step. In the next field you’ll see Hooe Church again ahead, and a house with two white chimneys in the distance. Pass along the right edge of the next three fields (filled with long grasses and wildflowers - another lovely picnic spot). Ignore footpath that goes to the right. After third field, take gate to track alongside house, which takes you to road; turn right along road, and it’s a mile back to Hooe and start of the walk. Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! |
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