A moderate- to Fast-paced Linear walk to Uckfield Station over undulating terrain. Route: Robertsbridge – Scadlands – Fullers Arms (long closed) Oxley’s Green – The Tower – Mausoleum of Jack Fuller, Brightling. – The Rotunda Temple, Brightling Park – The Sugar Loaf – Woods Corner – Glaziers Forge – Watkins Down – Jack Cade’s Monument, Old Heathfield – All Saints’ Church, Old Heathfield - Heathfield (drop-out point after 12 miles - 51 bus to Tunbridge Wells). Then a further 9 miles to Uckfield Station via Waldron and Blackboys. Lunch at ‘The Swan Inn’, Woods Corner, Heathfield, TN21 9LB (Tel: 01424 838242) after 7 miles, or picnic nearby. Joint walk with Hammersmith, Fulham & Wandsworth Group. Map: E124/123, L199/198.
See separate entry for first part of Stage 1, ending at Heathfield after 12 miles.
Check trains the day before. Buy a single from London to Robertsbridge (8.80) and a single from Uckfield to London .
NOTE: This is the 1st stage (of 5) of a walk from Robertsbridge to South Harting, inspired by Hilaire Belloc's walk undertaken in 1902, and detailed in his book The Four Men: A Farrago. Sections of the route taken in 1902 were along "cart tracks" which are now roads. Consequently the route we will take will vary slightly from the 1902 route, but importantly we will pass by sights and villages and pubs detailed in the book.
The full first section is from Robertsbridge to Uckfield, although there is a convenient drop out point at Heathfield.
Thursday 30th October 1902: Belloc set off from The George Inn, Robertsbridge to the Fullers Arms for breakfast, then onto the Oberlisk and onto Heathfield. Journeyed onto BlackBoys and then onto Uckfield and took a cart towards Fletching spending the night in a hut in the forest.