© Colin Saunders, 2006

The new, 4th edition of the route description will be available to download later in 2008

Here the VW passes through some of its best scenery with a route through the Ashdown Forest, prepared with the help of the Conservators.  From Forest Row the route climbs steadily, passing near Coleman's Hatch, thence via Gill's Lap and King's Standing to leave the Forest at Poundgate.  From here the route descends via High Hurstwood and Pound Green to Blackboys, crossing the valleys of the River Uck (a tributary of the Sussex Ouse) and its tributary Tickerage Stream.

Lowest and highest points: River Uck (31m); between Gill's Lap and King's Standing (210m).

3.1.  At Foresters Arms in Forest Row Hv TL along B2110 Rd for 300m.  At telephone kiosk cross Rd to School Lane and take tarmac Fp diagonally across green, crossing private Rd, then Fp twists between garden fences.  TR at next Rd (Chapel Lane), and after 200m near top of hill, before Rd bears R, bear half L on Fp opposite postbox in wall, then immediately fork R.  After 40m TL along metalled Rd and keep to L fork.

(Grid Reference TQ430344)

You have now entered the Ashdown Forest.  Apart from observing the Countryside Code, take special note of the following which are among the bye-laws of the Ashdown Forest:

• No person shall camp in cars, caravans, tents or sleeping-bags.

• No vehicles are allowed in the Forest away from public highways except in the car parks provided.

• No person shall wilfully obstruct or interfere with persons lawfully playing golf, cricket or bowls in the areas set aside for such sports.

At the time of writing, waymarking of the VW through the Ashdown Forest was under discussion, but had not been implemented.  As parts of the route through the Forest shown on some OS maps are inaccurate, you should stick closely to our route description.

3.2.  This section passes through the Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Course; take great care when passing near tees and greens and crossing fairways; always allow golfers to finish their stroke before continuing.  Note that an off-road diversion from the first few hundred metres of this paragraph was being considered at the time of writing – if this comes about the diversion will be waymarked.

Keep on Rd downhill around bends, forking R at Warren Heights and Fernroyd, until reaching house called Shalesbrook.  Here continue SA on rough Tk.  After 100m at another house (Shaleshurst) take L fork and cross ford.  Shortly TR on surfaced Tk then after 40m TL on Bw between woods and fairway.  After passing tee on your R, fork R off gravel Fp, then cross another gravel Fp in fairway.  Keep to main Tk, pass between trees then cross another fairway with gravel Fp (beware tee on L).  Continue along Tk through woods with boundary fence on your L.  Presently cross metalled Tk and continue across ford.  As main Tk bears R, continue SA uphill on rough Tk to pass between woods and fairway, keeping SA at Fp junction.  At top of incline continue SA on Tk past house with garage.  After 120m keep to Tk bearing R, ignoring Tk forking L.  (Good view just past here of Coleman's Hatch and Quabrook.)  Continue on Tk between woods and fairway.  After next green and tee Tk crosses small stream in dip then bears R uphill - here VW leaves golf course.  At top of hill, TL at Tk junction and after 100m TR at crosstracks to Rd.

(Grid Reference TQ448330)

For Coleman's Hatch and the Hatch Inn H TL for 700m; on leaving the inn, TR downhill for 600m to rejoin VW at Portobello Farm in Newbridge (paragraph 3.3).  Or you can TR for the Ashdown Forest Centre (2km) and Wych Cross (3km) Hv

3.3.  Cross Rd to Tk.  Keep to main Tk which bears R and passes round two sides of bowling-green.  Cross metalled Tk and take grassy Tk L of cricket pavilion and past high hedge.  At next corner of pitch, where paths fork, bear L away from pitch on narrow Fp through bracken and gorse.  In 50m bear L on clear Tk.  At next Tk junction TL then after 100m go L on metalled Tk to Rd by Portobello Farm at Newbridge.  (Here detour via Coleman's Hatch rejoins VW.)  TR along Rd for 300m then TL to cross ford (The Splash).  After 60m bear half R on rough Tk which soon goes uphill between hedge and woods.  At end of hedge by horse training paddock, continue SA on broad rutted ride.  After 300m TL at Tk junction.  At next Tk junction, keep SA for 200m to five-ways junction of rides, then bear R uphill towards summit.  At broad crossing ride, go SA up steep path to trig point at Gill's Lap Clump.

(Grid Reference TQ469320)

Stop and admire the view back - on a clear day you can see the South Downs to the left and the North Downs to the right.  In 1980, Alan Mattingly, National Secretary of the Ramblers' Association, officially opened the VW near here.

3.4.  TR on Tk parallel with Rd to car park.  (You will find picnic-tables and possibly an ice-cream van H; also a collecting-box in the map-frame for contributions to the cost of maintaining the Ashdown Forest - gratefully received!)  Go to corner of car park by Rd junction, cross major Rd (B2026) to Tk and continue SA for 100m.  Bear R along Tk which runs parallel to Rd for 1km.  (About halfway along, a few metres to R beside the Rd, is an iron milepost "London 37 miles" of the Westerham & Edenbridge Turnpike Trust dated 1767.  The radio transmitters ahead are used by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for official worldwide communications.)  200m before car park, VW crosses the Wealdway.  At Pines car park continue SA on Rd (keeping to grass verge on L), cross B2188 Rd and enter another car park at next Rd junction (more picnic-tables and sometimes another ice-cream van here).  Proceed through car park passing to R of King's Standing Clump.

(Grid Reference TQ473301)

Here the predominant vegetation of the Forest changes: the bracken in the wetter western part gives way to heather in the more acid soils in the eastern part.

3.5.  Fork L past end of Clump then continue SA crossing Tk after 100m; follow spur for 700m with good views either side.  (Large white house in copse on hillside to L is Greenwood Gate.)  At end of spur bear half R on rough Tk (ignoring Tk on R) first contouring hillside then downhill for 500m to cross stream.  (The pool to R is the source of a stream which eventually joins the River Medway 7km away.)  Cross a wooden footbridge then continue SA uphill for 700m passing copse on your R at top.  Keep SA past gardens and Old Bell House on your R to join Rd (A26) at Poundgate Hv where VW leaves the Ashdown Forest.

(Grid Reference TQ491289)

For Crowborough Hv go L along Rd for 2.5km.  A more pleasant route along a track can be followed eastwards from Black Hill, just N of King's Standing Clump.

3.6.  TL along Rd for 250m towards Crow & Gate pub.  Just before it cross Rd to telephone kiosks and cross stile in wooden gate.  Bear slightly R across field and go through another wooden gate.  Pass between houses on concrete Tk to go through metal gate in 30m.  TR to corner of field, cross either of two stiles by trough, then keep to R edge of next field.  In 100m by next tree in hedge TL across field to wood.  Cross stile in metal gate into wood, bear R on Fp along edge of wood, then cross stile into field.  Follow L edge of field and at end cross stile and go through woods ignoring turnings to L and R.  Tk passes under telegraph wires then leaves wood by cottage on R.  Cross stile to follow R edge of field for 75m to fingerpost.

(Grid Reference TQ487278)

3.7.  For the next 600m the VW has been substantially diverted from the route shown on some maps.  Instead of passing through Stroods House Farm, the route now circles round to the west and south of it, and is well marked by signs at frequent intervals.  At fingerpost bear half R through trees to descend steps on to concrete Tk by lake.  TL then immediately bear R across field.  At next fingerpost, TL up steps, pass tennis court on your L and descend field, crossing stile, to rejoin original route at stile on R.  (End of diversion.)

(Grid Reference TQ489274)

3.8.  Head down field to cross stile by metal gate and follow narrow Tk downhill between fence and hedge towards houses, crossing another stile after 150m.  Cross footbridge over stream, then up steps to Tk by houses and along it to Rd.  TR on Rd for 200m then TL on drive to Holy Trinity Church at High Hurstwood.  Here the VW coincides with the Sussex Diamond Way for about 1km.

(Grid Reference TQ495265)

3.9.  Just before church, TR through kissing-gate.  Bear L up field to go through second kissing-gate behind large oak-tree.  Follow FP in trees past lawn in front of house, then go through third kissing-gate and up field to (but not through) fourth kissing-gate.  (For the Maypole pub H go through gate and TR down Rd for 500m.)

(Grid Reference TQ498262)

3.10.  Immediately before kissing gate, TL along field edge, cross stiles on either side of drive and continue SA to leave field at next kissing-gate.  Cross Rd and go SA on rough Tk (which later becomes concrete) to Rd (house almost opposite used to be the Royal Oak beerhouse, now a private home).  TL and go SA on Tk.  In 700m at "Ironcastle", fork R (the Sussex Diamond Way continues ahead here) then in 50m, cross stile and keep SA on grass Tk between hedges.  Cross stile (beware concealed ditch) and continue SA and through gate to go over footbridge in dip by trees.  Cross field half R to stile behind large tree.  Bear half L up field, following direction of yellow arrow, to far corner where cross stile beside gate on to Rd.

(Grid Reference TQ505253)

3.11.  TR for 100m then TL across stile beside metal gate into field.  Bear half R passing wood with stream in gully on L.  Cross two stiles to follow L edge of next field for 300m to end of wood by brick bunker.  Bear L down slope to cross footbridge over River Uck, then keep SA on Fp through woods and pass through arch under Crowborough-Uckfield railway line.  Cross stile then turn half R up Tk in trees to field (can be very muddy).  Keep SA across field aiming for R corner of wood to cross stile by gate.  Continue uphill between hedge/fence for 750m on Tk (which eventually becomes Redwood Lane) to Rd (A272) at Pound Green.  (TR for 1km for the Buxted Inn and railway station Hv.)

(Grid Reference TQ509236)

3.12.  (Note: some OS maps incorrectly show the VW going E along the A272 Rd.)  Cross Rd, TL and then TR immediately on side Rd (Limes Lane) signposted "Potters Green".  At far end of green triangle TL down drive to Pound Cottage.  When drive bears R, continue SA along grass.  At field entrance take Fp to L of wire fence and field.  At Rd TR and, ignoring first turning L, continue for 750m to crossroads where TL and proceed along Rd.

(Grid Reference TQ509227)

Those staying at Blackboys Youth Hostel can either leave VW here (continue to end of Rd, TR then TL then TR again – about 2km) or continue on VW for another 3km before turning back to the YH in 1km.

3.13.  In 50m TR along Tk through trees.  It bears L, generally downhill, deteriorating into narrow Fp.  Follow for 700m, passing first old earthworks then path junction, past farm buildings to your L.  Go through squeeze stile and continue SA to follow sunken Fp in trees between fields.  Cross bridge over stream and, where stream bears away to L, go through gate into corner of field on L.  TR along edge and when it bears R go SA through metal kissing-gate into small field.  Immediately before farmyard, TL on rutted rising Tk and go through gate.  Continue on farm Tk to Rd (Pound Lane).

(Grid Reference TQ513216)

3.14.  TR along Rd and in 150m TL through gate on to Tk.  This goes first across field then descends to L of trees and through gate to reach millpond (formed from the Tickerage Stream; here VW joins the Wealdway for 200m).  Go between houses (former mill buildings) then uphill on tarmac Rd for 200m to go through metal gate with blue posts on L.  Ascend small rise through trees and follow R edge of field.  At gap cross into next field and bear R to follow faint Fp towards line of trees ahead.  Keep R of trees uphill to cross stile and follow Tk to lane.  TL and in 30m TR up Tk into allotments.  After 40m bear L on Fp between allotments to Rd by Scout and Guide hut (TL here for Blackboys Youth Hostel in 1km).  TR to Blackboys crossroads v.  Cross and continue SA along School Lane for 700m to reach the Blackboys Inn H and B2192 Rd.

(Grid Reference TQ522204)

© Colin Saunders, 2006