Etchingham Station,

circular via Burgh Wood

A five-mile walk with great variety on quiet lanes and public footpaths through the wonderful ancient Burgh Wood with its peace and quiet and flowing streams.

The walk starts and finishes at Holy Trinity church. I prefer an anticlockwise direction which takes advantage of the initial downhill route through Burgh Wood to the sturdy bridge over the stream which flows into the River Limden just before it meets the River Rother passing under Haremere Hill near the level crossing.

It was in this stream in the wood that several elvers (young eels) were spotted heading upstream. The path now leads uphill to the track to Bellhurst where it pays to pause to take in the view over the gate where you may be lucky to spot a barn owl on the hunt.

A few strides up the trail and a hop over a stile opens up the highlight vista looking across the valley towards London Barn. A collection of homes in a secluded rural location leads uphill and then down into open pastures before the inevitable climb back up to Sheepstreet and Fysie Lanes. The final stretch to the station and its brilliant Bistro for a welcome coffee and more is just across the fields from the dip. After refuelling it’s just a case of climbing up Burgh Hill with the option of returning to the Church via the edge of the woods.

Given the ups and downs this five-miler should be achievable in around two hours.

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