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Walk of the month:Battle Circular |
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Mid-summer in rural England: ripening crops and Constable-clouds, golden meadows and shady green trees. This walk takes in the best of it – and we couldn’t have asked for a better day to enjoy it, so we hope you’re as lucky! The walk takes about two and a half hours, covers wide-open fields, some welcome woodland-shade and a small stretch of road. I regretted not wearing boots, despite walking on a lovely day as the ground was wet and muddy in places. Easy walking, mostly following routes marked on the 1:25,000 OS Explorer Map Sheet 124 (Bexhill & Hastings). |
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| 1. The walk starts on Mount Road in Battle, a short distance from Mount Road car park entrance walking away from Battle High Street. Turn right down a pot-holed road just opposite Zion Chapel, with Zion Cottage on the right-hand corner. (You can also reach this road further downhill from the bottom corner of Mount Street car park.) Walk down hill past the allotments, past the car park on your right, between trees. At the bottom of the hill you’ll see Little Park Farm ahead. Before you reach it there’s a hidden right turn… you might just notice what’s left of the signpost at knee level! Look out as the road levels beside a scrubby field on the right, edged by trees. There’s a gap in the trees which you’ll see as you advance. Walk through and cross the wooden footbridge marked with yellow arrow, and through the gap ahead. 2. Follow the path ahead through the field and through another gap in the hedge, continuing eastwards over the stile. Cross the next field and pass through an open gateway, marked as a footpath. At the far side of the next field you’ll hear the stream to your right. The next gate is marked ‘Penalty for not shutting gate £2’ – pass through. Bit muddy down here! Go through the tunnel and as you exit, take left fork. You’ll arrive at the sewage works – here turn left and up onto a crop field. Follow the left edge uphill. Continue through the small gate at the left of the hedge ahead. 3. Continue along enclosed fenced path with houses on each side. Pass the pond disguised with duckweed on the left and at the end of the lane cross the road and follow the ESCC way marker ahead, through the gate into the field. There’s a clear path ahead, through the middle of the field. On the other side, pass through the smaller gap in the hedge to the right and out into a field. Cross it diagonally and on the other side pass through the gap into the next field and walk along the left edge boundary under the telegraph wires. 4. In the far left corner of the field pass through the small gap in the hedge. Take the path through the field that cuts off the right corner – bearing right. Pass through gap in hedge over the stile on the right, along fenced path through stables. Continue ahead over broken stile and to road. |
5. Turn left for a short stretch on this busy road, past Rutherford Business Park. After a couple of minutes, opposite Marwin Farm, turn right into the footpath through trees. Cross the footbridge and ignore the stile on the right. Pass through the Forestry Commission gate and into the woods, onto the grassy path. At the way-marker, turn left on path that doubles back sharply into the wood. Continue on the path, up slope. The path goes through a large puddle – you can skirt round the left edge. As you exit woods, turn left for short distance on a grassy path past a bench to your right and through a marked gate ahead. Follow the fenced, tree-lined path between fields. The path continues for some distance and is a bit prickly in places. Exit through a tall wooden gate marked ESCC. Continue ahead in the direction of the Sedlescombe walk, down the access drive for Beanford Farm which is on the right. 6. Turn right through the farm grounds, just past the big barn and piles of wood and tiles. Go through the gate that warns to keep your dog away from sheep. There’s a lovely wide meadow ahead to the right and low way marker ahead, in the centre of a mowed path. Continue alongside stream. Pass the pond and stay on mowed path until you reach the gate that leads over a stile and into Great Wood. 7. Cross the bridge on the left and follow the path through the pine trees. At T-junction turn right. Straight over at crossroad, uphill through the wood. Straight over again at the second cross road, and again at the third. As you hear the road and see a stream to the right, ignore the waymarker to the left and go straight on past house on the left. At the road, turn left, and follow road back to Battle. You’ll arrive at the bottom end of the high street – Mount Road where you started is back up at the top end. |
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