Sussex Border Path
Ewhurst Green to Rye, East Sussex
(14.5 Miles)
A series of attractive field paths at first, but there are a number of obstructions and virtually no waymarking, so route finding needs much care. The last 7 miles follow the bank of the River Rother and present no difficulties.
After passing Ewhurst Green Church on right and 100 yards beyond 'White Dog' P.H., turn right through gap and along edge of field. After 350 yards, turn left over footbridge and follow right edge of field and then orchard. At far corner of orchard, turn right over footbridge and walk bedside hedge, parallel to road until you can join road through gap at GR 805247. Turn right along road for 150 yards and, just before reaching bridge over stream, go left over stile and follow stream bank. At corner of first field, cross stream by footbridge and cross next field (ESE) aiming for far left corner. Go through narrow belt of scrub and straight across next field (still ESE) to find and cross another footbridge. Keep along left edge of next field and, in 200 yards, cross stream on left via brick culvert. Proceed along valley with stream on right, over 2 stiles and out to road at GR 820243.
Cross road at GR 820243 into driveway opposite and immediately turn left through bridle gate and along grassy path parallel to concrete drive to 'Strawberry Hole Cottage'. This leads into field. Ascend along left edge of field. At end of first field, go through swing gate and continue with woodland on left for about 60 yards before turning squarely right across open field, heading east and aiming a little to right of Northiam Church Spire,which may be glimpsed through trees. Aim also for right hand tree of line of oaks more closely ahead. Beyond oaks continue with hedge on left. At end of field go over stile and sleeper causeway in dip and head towards church. Go over a stile, through wooden gate and follow rough track out to road at Northiam (GR 829245).
Turn right along road (A28) and, in 200 yards, turn left on an access drive between 'Six Bells' P.H. on right and a cottage called 'Greenways' on left. In a few yards, bear right, and, in a few more yards go ahead through a field gate and turn left along a fence line. In 50 yards bear right and descend with hedge on a left heading towards Beckley Church seen on hill ahead. At end of this field, go through gap and bear half across second field in line with electricity poles. Follow power lines through gap into next field and bear half left (ENE) across this field diverging left from power lines to find and go through gateway into woodland (not very obvious from distance). Follow track between banks through wood. In about 100 yards bear right over plank bridge and out into field over fence (no stile). Head diagonally left (almost due east) to cut corner of field. Go over plank bridge and stile, then ahead with fence and bank on right. In 100 yards go ahead over second stile and keep to right of holly hedgerow eastwards to join road by entrance to Woodgate House (GR 843242).
On reaching road at GR 843241, turn left and, almost immediately, at road junction, turn right. In 160 yards, immediately beyond garden of large white house, where road bears right, turn left through field gate and head diagonally right (slightly north of east) across 2 fields with strip of rough ground between them. In second field veer towards right edge and, towards end of field, go over fence/hedge (no stile) in this right boundary and immediately turn left, passing pond on left and on through gap immediately beyond pond. Bear half right (due east) across next field and cross stile in far corner by junction of 2 power lines. Follow track south-eastwards to reach road through metal field gate by bungalow (GR 853240).
Turn left along road and in 170 yards, just beyond Beckley Village Hall, turn left over stile. Follow left edge of orchard at first, soon with streamlet on left and, subsequently, after crossing culvert and going through metal field gate, on right. After crossing back to the other bank of the stream once more, follow enclosed path to left of sewage works. At upper end of works perimeter fence bear half right (just north of east) for 100 yards to stile. Go ahead, parallel to drive from sewage works on right, to reach A268 road at GR 855247.
Turn right along road and, in about 60 yards, go left through metal field gate. Follow right field edge. Near top corner, go over stile on right, cross field corner to second stile and head across next field, using solitary tree as marker. Go through narrow belt of trees at GR 859249. Continue across narrow field and go over stile by corner of woodland. Follow right edge of next field with woodland on right to reach summit of Swallowtail Hill. Where wood ends, go straight on, keeping to left of cottage garden, joining road at GR 865249.
Turn right along road and, in about 200 yards, just beyond cottage on left and opposite 3 converted oasts a little way away to right, turn left through metal field gate and follow left edge of field. At end of field, go ahead through gate and keep round edge of second field. In far right corner, go over stile into wood. Proceed eastwards through wood (several paths) to second stile and maintain direction across field to stile into thinner woodland. Beyond trees, bear slightly left. Route now follows line of tree stumps in hedge. Right of way is to right of hedge but is obstructed. Until path is restored, use gate to get through hedge and turn right keeping hedge on your right. Where hedge/fence turns away right, go straight ahead across next field (ENE) aiming for far right corner. Go through field gate a little to left of corner, turn right and cross stream by brick bridge (GR 876250). About 50 yards beyond bridge go through gate and turn left along fence. Where fence turns away left, keep straight on across open field (NE). Go through gate and cross narrow strip of pasture to reach right end of line of trees. Go over wooden railings (not through gate) immediately to right of right most tree into corner of field. Continue NE across this field over low summit. Keep immediately to right of shallow depression in ground, cross another unstiled fence line, and keep to right of bigger pit overgrown with scrub. Continue in north-easterly direction for 200 yards to join road by group of planted trees (GR 884254).
Follow the OS map to Rye. Path mainly follows river bank.
Map of Sussex.
Each letter represents a section of The Sussex Border Path. Click on a Letter for information on this section of the walk.
Walking The Sussex Border Path
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