The detailed route follows this descriptive narrative.

25 July 1999

Explorer 135

Groombridge has a lovely old pub, "The Crown," which has a reputation for good food, beer and even wines. It is popular with walkers too, being at the confluence of several long distance paths.

The pub is set overlooking the triangular village green sloping away from it.

We thought it would be a good idea to eat there and make up our minds about walking later.

The temperature was pretty fierce and the humidity intimidating.

We had ham with salad and in a baguette, plus a bowl of chips. It was all very good. The chips were thick cut and lightly crisp, none of your droopy burger chips here.

A group of Morris dancers came in for a pint, all with their faces blackened, which is a little unusual. It transpired that they were the world famous "Ashdown Mummers." The pub often has Morris dancing outside and the Mummers put on a performance for a while too. Mummers traditionally put on masked plays, hence the blackened faces, token masks.

                           The Ashdown Mummers performing outside the Crown Pub.    

As we left the pub, we saw a demoiselle (agrion splendens) in it's metallic electric blue splendour, perched on it's wall.

The heat outside was quite solid and we nearly abandoned the walk, but we gradually came to terms with it and elected to carry on.

After passing along a path hemmed in by 2.14m (7ft) ferns we could see the building of Fernchase Manor off to the right less than 1km away. Bush Vetch (vicia sepium) twined through grassy paths soon after we entered the welcome shade of Newpark wood. The pretty flowers of Common Centaury (centaurium erythraea) grow freely along the path edge here.

Features of this walk are the gentle downland and water meadows. The land is easy to walk, and though the stiles are many, they are generally good. Some of the paths and fields are a little overgrown, but are more appealing for all that. One such field was full of singing crickets in the afternoon heat.

The viewpoint looking down to Jessup's farm and looming above it, Lodgefield farm, is timeless.

  Down the fern path to Jessup's Farm

The tiny village of Ashurst has a railway station, which I presume is there to serve the rural commuting population around it as well. The pub "The Bald faced Stag" is a timepiece with 1950's décor and a sleepy atmosphere and landlord to match. Asking for a soda and lime was a mistake, I might as well have asked for a Bajan flying fish with ice and bitters. To be fair, he did mix a mean one, once he'd worked it out, but it was the most expensive we'd ever bought and the longest in coming. An American couple at the bar seemed very happy at the bargain meal they had. It looked a nice salad.

Beyond Ashurst, the walk follows the Medway and meanders through some lovely country. The banks of the river are especially beautiful at this time of the year, covered in Himalayan Balsam (impatiens glandulifera) and some golden Fleabane (pulicaria dysenterica) ,Cow Parsley (anthriscus sylvestris) and Pignut (conopodium majus). With a backdrop of contented cattle, what more could you want?

The Medway beyond Ashurst                

As you walk along the banks, small clouds of damselflies lift up before you, rather like craneflies.

In the river and other streams we saw more demoiselles than ever before. One surprise was a tall thick-stemmed Giant Hogweed (heracleum mantegazzianum) growing in the bank.

There are also pheasants and butterflies in abundance, like the Skippers (thymelicus lineola) and Small Heath (coenonympha pamphilus).

All over this walk, you will see WW2 concrete pill boxes close to the water courses.

The path below Blackham Court is full of Lesser Burdock (arctium minus) waiting to ambush walkers and other animals later in the year with their hooked burrs. The young leaves and roots are edible.

Just before Hale Court farm, we disturbed a deer in a field of broad beans. He went like the wind.

The Medway seems to have tributaries all over this walk, and they can be treasures in miniature.

Medway tributary, The Ridge.                 Medway tributary, Alkesford Farm

The Route

Turn left as you leave the Crown Inn and walk up the left side of the B2110. As you pass a large oak tree to your left, a footpath, also on the left, goes up wooden steps through woodland.

At the end of the copse, cross a stile and turn right. You soon join a concrete track and continue in the same direction. There are farm buildings and workshops on the right.

Next the path enters a field. Keep to the left hand boundary, maintaining direction through a gap in a hedge to the next field. You pass through an enclosed section between two high hedges before meeting a broad, grassy, crossing track. Turn left here and follow the fern bordered track.

The track passes through Newpark Wood marked by yellow arrows.

This track enters a lane by Newpark Farm. Cross straight over through a metal gate with a sign proclaiming "No horse riding in the Burrswood Estate." Follow the metalled path beyond it.

When you reach green metal gates, turn right in the lane, heading downhill. Just past some traffic and security camera signs take some wooden steps on your right and cross a stile into a slightly overgrown woodland path.

At the end of this path cross over a stile into a field. A definite path takes you to the opposite corner of the field heading just south of west.

Over another stile, maintain direction downhill through a copse, cross a huge stone pipe over a stream and a stile into a field and continue ahead through a rough meadow dotted with immature poplars.

Through a gap in the opposite hedge, cross a stile into a triangular field and head half right (NE).

Ignore the stile on your right and continue to the end of the field, joining the West Sussex Border Path.

The path goes a little uphill past a drying pond and beneath some sparsely laden cob nut trees.

You also pass some derelict brick barns on your right, some possibly Victorian.

The field narrows and the track goes through a wooden gate. Cross via an excellent stile built by volunteers and Kent County Council and continue along the track. About 50 metres after you pass gates on opposite sides of the track, a broad track goes left downhill. At the bottom, go through the solid wooden gate beside a metal gate and turn right before a cottage in Jessup's farm.

Pass a lovely red brick medieval house on your left called Linkhorns, with it's tall leaning chimney and pretty brick garden arch.

About 50metres further on the track curves down to the left. Leave it here to follow a right of way straight ahead through a garden, keeping to the right border. This takes you to a wooden gate leading onto a copse path which soon emerges via another gate to a field. Keep to the right border of the field.

Cross the stile into a footpath which goes behind the brick walls of some houses. Another wooden gate takes you past the Old Post Office to a drive which leads onto the A264 at Ashurst. Turn left along the road and head downhill past, or into the "Bald faced Stag."

Just before the railway viaduct, there is a narrow footpath on the left. You can take this to cross a weir over the Medway, but as it is rather overgrown, you may prefer to pass under the viaduct, over the road bridge and take another footpath immediately on the left. This follows the right bank of the Medway past the weirpool.

The river meanders through a mixture of arable crops and rough pasture and the path meets a metal gate. Cross the stile to it's left and and head in a SW direction or roughly ahead, away from the river.

At a gap in the hedge before you, take the fairly overgrown footpath to the left and follow the field boundary in a half loop to the right. At the junction of paths, with Blackham Court farm buildings to your right, take the path on the left through a hedge gap, crossing a wood bridge and follow the signs to the right of a large oak tree in the opposite hedge.

Cross over another stile and plank bridge into the next field and maintain direction keeping to the left hedge until you meet a concrete drive. Turn left and follow the track until you reach Hale Court farm.

Just before the farm gates, follow the marked footpath to the right, keeping to the left of the field.

Cross a stile in a hedge gap to the left. Soon after, cross another stile on your left into an enclosed path and over a bridge. Cross a wooden bridge at the end of the path, turn left and take the right hand track heading west with a yellow brick church in the background. Continue over a concrete bridge on the Medway and soon cross over another concrete bridge and carry straight on, ignoring the Wealdway to the left.

You pass to the right of Ham Farm with it's attractive buildings and join the drive ahead which leads to the B2110. Turn left here and cross to the right side to follow the verge past some cottages to a bend.

On the bend, you will see a stile to your right. Go over it and head half right to the middle of the right fence. There you will find a stile, which you cross and go over the disused railway embankment, descending via another stile opposite to a sloping meadow and a stream. Wander along the left bank of the stream until you reach the B2188.

Cross over and walk a few metres to the left, where you will find yet another stile to cross into another meadow. Head for a large oak tree in the middle of the field. When you each it, head half left towards a post below the embankment. Cross under a railway viaduct and turn right heading for a tannery with water bubbling over a tank. Cross stile into an overgrown enclosed path on the left of the Tannery.

This path leads to a lane by the Tan Yard. Turn left and head up to Groombridge.

The lane curves to the right, passing an Oast House and a Victorian postbox in the wall of "The Stables," also on the right. Next the lane bends to the left and passes the church of St Thomas the Apostle. At the end of the lane, by the Post Office, turn left and follow the road to the roundabout by the dilapidated "Victoria" pub.

Turn right, passing Groombridge Place on your right and continue up the hill to the triangular green below "The Crown."