WALK
As autumn and the end of British Summer Time approaches we sent Robert Veitch out for an autumnal walk through the woods, fields, lanes and footpaths of Mayfield and the surrounding hinterland
F
rom South Street car park, walk up Holders Lane to the High Street and turn right, then left around the corner into Tunbridge Wells Road. Bear right into the Recreation Ground car park, heading down the path past the basketball court, skatepark, goalpost, then down ten steps to the track. Across the track and over the stile, continue alongside the stock proof fence, over another stile, then through another field to the junction with the track by the decaying 4-way fingerpost. Turn left, then 10m later, turn right and follow the field perimeter downhill to the stile, which leads into a woodland corridor and eventually to a diminutive stile. Continue along the edge of the next field, in the same general direction, before entering Vicarage Woods, via what looks like a humansized rabbit hole in the trees.
MAYFIELD WALK Walk downhill through the beech trees, past the curiously located bench, and though the route is fuzzy in places, it leads eventually to a mesh lined bridge over the uppermost reaches of the River Rother. Turn right and cross the stile, before turning left, walking uphill past the giant oak into a field that looks like part of a re-wilding project. Take the right hand fork at the fingerpost and
Walk downhill through the beech trees, past the curiously located bench
continue to another fingerpost beside the gap in the hazel hedge. Continue in the same general direction across the next field, past the inclined ash tree, then hugging the ferns on the right, all the way to the stile. Over the stile and beyond the strange collection of tassels, find a way across the stream then turn right and amble down and across the footbridge. Turn left towards the adjacent 3-way fingerpost, then 50m later cross another footbridge, which leads to the exit from the woods. The path snakes its way between brambles and small oaks, dips into the woods, then over some steppingstones and up to a gate. Beyond the gate, follow the post and rail fence to the three metal gates then continue uphill to the stile preceding the junction with Lake Street. Cross over and follow the gravel October 2021 | SUSSEX LIVING 83
