Section 12 Out
Robertsbridge to Etchingham
Walk Details
| Map | OS Explorer 136 The Weald |
|---|---|
| Distance | 4 miles/ 2 hours |
| Start | The Seven Stars pub in Robertsbridge centre. Local parking. |
| Comment | A pleasant short walk in low lying land which can be marshy in places. Etchingham has lost its pub but there is a village shop with hot drinks and provisions. |
Walk Instructions
With the Seven Stars pub behind, cross the main road and go down the road opposite towards the railway station. Pass a car park on the left, then a village store and finally cross a bridge. In a few paces turn right through double fieldgates by a cricket bat business into a concrete entrance road to a small industrial estate.
Walk along past works and car parking on the left. At the end, by a sawmill, bear right onto a footpath with a wall on the right. Follow the obvious path through a kissing gate and under an old railway bridge. Keep forward across a field. At a Y-fork, bear left away from the river and follow along by power lines. The path actually veers away to the left to go close by the railway embankment on the left to reach a footbridge at the far end of the field (after heavy rain the footbridge was surrounded by water and only accessible by wellington boots).
Walk along the footbridge which turns a corner to a bridge under the railway. Go through to a stile at the far side. Cross and go forward straight up the field between hedges and ditches. Where these end, turn right steeply up the field with a hedge on the right, to a stile. Cross this and bear right across to the top of the pasture, to a stile in the righthand fence.
Cross this and walk forward down the field (ignore a path going off left) to the far bottom left corner. Here cross a bridge over the railway and go on down the field to a footbridge. Cross and turn left along a river bank to a metal fieldgate in a fence. Here turn right and walk along by the fence to a wooden fieldgate into the field beyond.
Go on down this field with a hedge over on the left towards distant hills. In the bottom left corner, turn left over a stile, and follow the path by the stream on the right for 1 mile. Pass an old brick bridge with a stile midway and keep on along the stream. Eventually cross a stile and keep forward by power lines and the railway on the left.
Halfway down this narrow pasture look for a stile and railway crossing on the left. Cross the lines with care and at the far side turn sharp right in the field to follow the railway line on the right. Eventually the field edge veers away from the railway at a marshy patch. Keep with the field edge and on passing the marshy area bear left across the field to wooden fieldgates by trees below a farm. Cross a stile and turn sharp right a few paces to cross another stile.
Bear left uphill following the fence on the left to skirt around the trees. Go on up the field towards farm buildings on the left. Do not enter the farmyard but keep in the field to pass old oak trees around a pond. Etchingham Church comes into view. Head just left of this to a stile in the fence at the far side of the field. Cross onto a drive and go over to a second stile into a field. Go down the field towards wooden fieldgates. Go through the righthand gate and go across towards the village. Leave the field by a concrete bridge and a low metal kissing gate onto a road. Cross over to Etchingham Church and the end of the section. (The pub here is now closed. There is a village shop opposite the church selling hot drinks, also a green by the church with seats.
