Walk 99: Wadhurst and Bewl Water
Distance:
6.8 Miles (3h 20m)
OS
Map: Explorer 136 (Start at grid reference
TQ641307)
Park
in the free car park in Wadhurst. There are two car parks – a
smaller one off White Hart Lane (which goes down the side of the White
Hart Inn) and the recommended one whose entrance is down the side of the
Greyhound Inn.
Walk
out of the car park entrance, cross the High Street and bear left behind
the NatWest bank along Church Lane. At the end, enter the
churchyard, keep right of the church and bear right out of the
churchyard along a path past a No Cycling sign to Blacksmith’s Lane.
Turn
right and walk downhill to the corner. Turn left along a gravel
track past Little Pell Farm. Take the most straightforward route
through the farm and along the left hand edge of a field. The
track becomes enclosed between hedges and passes a pond on the left.
When track turns sharp left, go straight ahead into narrow wood.
Continue, crossing several stiles, until it emerges into a field over a
stile (u).
Skirt the edge of a wood on
your left. Bear downhill and over a stile to join a broader path
at a T-junction. Turn right and eventually reach the shore of Bewl
Water.
Follow the Round Bewl Water Walk along the shore and through a gate on
the right up quite a steep hill. At the top, follow the path to
the left and reach a metalled lane. Turn right uphill but very
soon take a concrete track downhill on the left towards Bryant’s
Farm. (Don’t follow the Bewl Water Route which continues
uphill.) Halfway down the track, just before a gateway, take a
path on the right signposted to Hook Hill. Go down some wooden
steps then follow the path as it bears left and follows the lake edge.
Soon
after a seat and shelter, reach the bottom of Hook Hill. Continue
forward on a path parallel to the shore. This path is not a right
of way and is not marked on the OS Explorer map (although it is on the
Landranger!) but it is a clear and well-maintained path passing through
woods and then some delightful wildflower meadows alongside a creek
popular with waterfowl. Be careful at point v
at the end of the creek where the wrong path going forward to the lane
is more obvious than the correct path on the left. Follow this
path until you can go no further (w)
because the path ahead leads only to a hide and there is a nature
reserve on your left. Turn right up a metalled path between hedges
to a lane.
Turn
right and, immediately after Rosemary Cottage on the left, turn left up
drive, through large gate and
along the right hand edge of three fields to
Chesson’s Farm. Go straight through the farm and along a
metalled track to a lane.
Turn left and just before the lane becomes enclosed in trees take a path
through a gate on the right. Go down the right hand edge of a
field and between two large trees into the next field. Turn sharp
left along field edge to a track between banks that gradually bears
right, downhill to a gate and a bridge over a stream. Over the
bridge bear right along the edge of a wood; but when the fence bears
right go straight on up the hill and then bear right again to a gate to
the right of the nearest building. Once through the gate, turn
left along a asphalt lane until you come to a large house on the left.
Go
through a kissing gate on the right and down the right hand edge of a
field. About two thirds of the way down, bear left towards the
valley bottom and a stile into a wooded glade. When the path
through the glade meets a broader track, bear right over a bridge.
Bear right again into a field and then turn left, uphill along the left
edge of the field. At the corner of the field, bear right uphill
still following the left edge of the field to a lane.
Go straight across the
lane into another field.
Bear left to the opposite corner of the field and onto the main
road.
Turn right and follow the road (there is a pavement all the way)
into Wadhurst and back to the car park.
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Wadhurst and the Wealden Iron Industry
Wadhurst was one of
the chief centres of the Wealden iron industry from the 16th
to the 19th centuries. The
church contains more iron tomb slabs than any other in the country, such
as the one below:
Our book of Ten
Favourite Walks in the Kent Countryside has routes for ten more
walks like this one.
Ramblers' volunteers in
Kent work tirelessly to ensure that our paths are as well protected
and maintained as possible. Of course we also organise led
walks but most of our members are independent walkers who simply
want to support our footpath work. Please join
us and become a supporter too. You need us and we really
need you.
If you find that the directions and map
for this walk are incorrect in any way, please report the problem to info@kentramblers.org.uk.
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