Paul S's West Hoathly The Yellow Brick Road

This Post Easter Holiday walk starts at Finche Field carpark, heading North to Top Road and through Sharpthorne along the bright side of the road, before going headlong down a path passing Sharpthorne Tunnel Ventilation Shaft and into the back streets. We pass the site of the former West Hoathly station and take the long and Winding Road through the William Robinson’s Gravetye Estate called “The Yellow Brick Road.” After a walk on the wild side through the woods past a thousand trees, we say goodbye yellow brick road, and ramble on through this wild world (Is it in my head or only in my dreams ?) joining the High Weald Landscape Trail which  we faithfully follow towards Gravetye Manor which was one of the first Country house hotels. We pass the entrance gates to the hotel (which is unlikely to have any empty rooms) which l believe has had a number of changes in recent years, but don’t stop, heading along the trail until we can stand back and see the garden and this old house. Leaving the High Weald Landscape Trail we walk beside the lower lake, where there should be wildflowers everywhere, might hear a songbird, see silver springs which are a trick of the light, and reach a viewpoint so close to the edge at the northern end. This is the time for those who are brave, in need of strenuous physical exercise so end up running up that hill in front of us in the heat of the moment, well we were born to run. For those out of touch, who do not feel they can take it on the run, they can take it easy until we get back to West Hoathly and on the road again back together again. Taking the walk of life along North Lane before heading west to Chiddinglye Farm, hoping for some dry land, then down south to Philpot’s farm, where rejoin the High Weald Landscape Trail. Since we are not under pressure, we will take it easy, as if nothing else matters since we have all the time in the world, until we are back on the road again heading homeward bound on rocky ground after an amazing journey, as we return to West Hoathly. We pass St Margaret's Church, West Hoathly, which the South door of the church has six semi-globular indentations, which the story is that they were musket ball holes made by parliamentarian soldiers in the English Civil War, firing as royalist soldiers retreated into the church. It is a short walk back to Finche Field carpark.

Lunch at the end of the walk, which could either be Picnic which could include Rock lobster, Oysters, Gazpacho, American pie, or in one of the two pubs.

You can either go your own way or come for a drink whether it’s a beer, black coffee, red, red wine, Tequila Sunrise, Raspberry Beret, or whiskey in the jar, and relax with good company in one of the two pubs, and say goodbye before going home.

Those who have got this far will realise there are numerous song titles hidden in the above. For what it’s worth there are over forty songs. The weather will always be in the lap of the gods. How many songs have you got? only time will tell if anybody gets them all. Thats all for now