Walk 99: Wadhurst and Bewl Water
Distance: 6.8 miles (3h 20m)
OS Map: Explorer 136 (Start at grid
reference TQ641307)

Click map to magnify and click
again to magnify further
Park in one of the free car parks 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.
From the Greyhound Inn cross the
High Street and bear left behind a white building
(formerly the NatWest bank but currently for sale) 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 you
emerge over stile into field (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 recorded 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 follow a footpath 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 an 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 hand 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.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.
|
Points of Interest
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:

For more information about the Wealden iron
industry, see our Three River Valley Walks book, below.
In addition to the walking routes on our web site we
have published two popular walking guides:

Guide to the
Kent Coast Path: Part 1, Camber to Ramsgate

Guide to Three
River Valley Walks in West Kent: Darent Valley Path,
Eden Valley Walk and Medway Valley Walk
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.
Map contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright
and database rights 2018. Some paths on map are based
on data provided by Kent County Council but do not
constitute legal evidence of the line of a right of way
|