Paul S - Forest Row, This Other Eden

We start this 11 miles and 25 chains walk in the  Hartfield Road Carpark in Forest Row.

Forest Row draws its name from its proximity to the Ashdown Forest, a royal hunting park first enclosed in the 13th century.  The Brambletye hotel, in the centre of the village andoriginally built as a large private hunting lodge features in the Sherlock Holmes short story The Adventure of Black Peter. 

We head out of Forest Row along Priory Road, before heading, part Kidbrooke and South Park Farms, climbing steadly, where we first glimpse Weirwood Reservoir. Beyond Mudbrooks House  there are fine views of Weirwood Reservoir, Standen, St Swithun’s Church and East Grinstead.

Standen is an Arts and Crafts movement House designed by Philip Webb for the Beale Family, now owned by the National Trust.

St Swithun's has the largest peal of bells in the whole of Sussex. There are thirteen bells in total - a full peal of twelve plus an extra 'sharp second'. They were recast between 1982 and 1985 thanks to the hard work of the local ringers at the time, who raised the money.

We head southwards  still climbing into Ashdown Forest  -  Hemisphere Hopping as our path crosses the Greenwich Meridian to Goat Crossroads. Close by is Plaw Hatch Farm is a 200-acre biodynamic and  community-owned farm, where as well as herds of sheep and dairy cattle it produces forty-five different types of vegetables, fruits and herbs from seed including tomatoes, cucumbers, salad crops, onions, potatoes, and root crops.

We head South East crossing Twyford Lane heading out of the Forest through Press Ridge Warren, and reach Lizards Cricket Club, which is just North of Birch Grove House where former Prime Minister Harold McMillan once lived.

We re-enter the Forest  which in this area is heathland,which is ideal habitat for Dartford Warblers, Night Jars, Common Lizards and Adders, passing the Isle of Thorns, and the Old Air Strip, built in the early 1940s by the Canadian army for use in World War II. 

After crossing the A22, we pass Half Moon Copse and enter the grounds of Ashdown Forest Hotel with fine views across the estate to the South, to reach The Ashdown Forest visitor Centre where we will have our Picnic Lunch.

After Lunch we head along the ridge in the direction of Colemans Hatch, for about a mile with uninterrupted views to the North. Ashdown House can be seen with is an early work of the Architect Benjamin Latrobe who emigrated to the United States and designed the front and rear porticos to The White house.

We join the Vanguard Trail which takes us downhill back to Forest Row via the Royal Ashdown Golf Club and Chapel Lane where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once lived.

Optional pint of beer (or other beverage), in one of the local pubs.

There is  well known writer and currently Rebel Leader living in Forest Row who co -wrote a comedy series which the title and episodes are hidden within the above, and I will be asking those who attend if they have worked out: -

1. Who is the writer 
2. Name of Comedy Series.
3. Name of the Episodes.