Etchingham - Robertsbridge - Salehurst - Etchingham

Graham Hooker

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The undulating hills which steer the River Rother south of Tunbridge Wells are abundant in woodland of mature beech and oak. Well-trodden paths contour the hillsides to provide ever-changing views of the glorious and unspoiled countryside which is the High Weald. Starting from the railway station at Etchingham near to its (once moated) church, the walk heads south to reach the village of Robertsbridge with its attractive main street containing many timber-framed Wealden Hall houses and older dwellings. Then turning north-east, a quiet lane leads into Salehurst, an old Saxon village mentioned in the Domesday book. The Salehurst Halt, its unspoiled pub, was originally a steam railway stop on the Guinness hop-picking line. It boasts locally sourced ales and food and makes an ideal refreshment stop. The return route to Etchingham first contours more wooded hillsides offering good views over the river valley, before dropping down to cross the railway and the valley flood-plain to rejoin the outward route shortly before Etchingham Church.

England - South England - East Sussex - Countryside

Features

Ancient Monument, Birds, Butterflies, Cafe, Church, Flowers, Food Shop, Gift Shop, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Museum, Pub, Public Transport, Restaurant, River, Wildlife, Woodland

12/31/2017 - Rachel Frost

I did this walk with a friend in the dead of Winter. There are some lovely houses and great views to be had. As we expected it was very muddy which made the going quite tough and it felt longer than the mileage stated. We started this walk at Robertsbridge station ( halfway through) and stopped for a packed lunch at the churchyard in Etchingham ( you will find benches to sit on) before continuing the walk back to Robertsbridge. There were only two places where we got a bit lost. There was no sign of the plank bridge at point No 8 which confused us a little. We continued to the right uphill through the woods and came eventually to the broken wooden gate ( Point No 9) At Point No 12 - After walking past the oast/barn and the house/garden head straight on into a field. There is a gap in the hedge to your left and its this you need to walk through to follow the hedge on your right downhill to the bottom of the field. At the end of the walk we went for a cup of tea in the delightful corner deli cafe in Robertsbridge (Point No 19).

10/3/2015 - Frank Lee

My wife and I can thoroughly recommend this walk. As per the details, there are nice houses, villages and great views to be had. I would class it as a moderate grading due to the hilly sections. The instructions were precise and easy to follow however, with the passage of time, quite a few of the stiles are either missing or have been replaced with metal foot gates. This did not confuse the instructions. We stopped at the Ostrich pub by Robertsbridge station which was just about O.K. but we wouldn't return. We both wished we had hung on until the pub at Salehurst Halt but hey ho. Thanks to Graham for taking the time to introduce us to this lovely walk. We live locally and discovered a lot about the area that you don't see when driving.

8/10/2011 - Walkingworld Administrator

Our thanks to Graham Hooker for his update for this walk. August 2011. Adrian (Admin)

6/4/2011 - simon spence

We did this walk on 4 June, in fantastic weather, and it was a real treat. We found the instructions clear. The views at this time of year are stunning and the terrain is friendly. Salehurst church and Robertsbridge are great. A lovely walk.

10/21/2010 - Walkingworld Administrator

This walk was updated in October 2010. Many thanks to the combined efforts of Graham Hooker and Morley Sewell for this. Adrian (Admin)

5/30/2009 - David Dixon

Many thanks to the contributor, very clear instructions for this walk which was a delight.

4/14/2008 - Catherine Block

This is a scenic walk through a gently undulating patchwork of fields and woodland. I particularly enjoyed the section at waymark 29 with beautiful bluebell woods on one side and soft green hills of the Wealden landscape on the other. Great views from the garden at the Salehurst Halt pub too. Recommended.