Filmed in late August, on the brink of blackberry season, this route begins just a 10-minute walk from Haywards Heath station on the London to Brighton mainline and takes in some of the peaceful Sussex countryside North of the town, as well as the highlight of the Ouse Valley Viaduct and River’s Wood Pine plantation. It passes through the outskirts of Ardingly and Balcombe and back along the main road through the village of Cuckfield. There are plenty of alternative route options along the way, for fellow OS map-lovers.
Beginning on the railway bridge of Old Wickham Lane, a leafy, private road, we take a left through a gate and cut across the fields flanking the railway line. This is technically farmland and if we are being well-behaved, the footpath through adjacent woodland is just a little further up the road on the left. However, it gets very boggy in the wetter months as it’s steep and wooded and I’ve only seen sheep in these fields once in the last 30 years so…. anyway. Do what you will, we’ll rejoin the footpath shortly.
There’s a small brook to cross (beware the crumbling bridge) where Runviewer spent a childhood building dams and larking about with siblings, and a boggy meadow on the other side, which has become quite overgrown. This marks the parish boundary. Onwards through the hedgerow is a gentle ascent across more farmland – to our left are Wickham Woods. At the top of this field we join the aforementioned footpath to cross Haywards Heath golf course and respectfully avoid disturbing some very serious golfers.
The footpath concludes at Wickham Woods, with a winding descent Northwest towards Copyhold Lane. Do take care crossing here as the road is narrow and some drivers tend to embrace their rural freedom by driving like nutters along this route. There are lots of deer around here, by the way.
Following the footpath down into the valley we pass through the mighty, overhanging ferns to reach a cattle gate. There are often cattle in the next two fields so go with care! On this particular day they were quite a bit further North so we don’t bump into them in this video. Instead, as we begin to move uphill we pass the farmhouse and cross a railway bridge over the old branch line. This track is an old branch line from Haywards Heath through to Ardingly station (Northeast) all the way to Horsted Keynes. At the bridge, we are standing above a still active piece of track which terminates at the yard of the former Ardingly station (to the right), which is now a Hanson Aggregates Depot (they use some of the former station buildings as their offices). Ardingly station itself opened in 1883 and closed in 1963. The line between Ardingly and Horsted Keynes was severed at the end of the second world war though there are dreams of repairing this. For now, you can visit the active steam railway, operated by the Bluebell Railway, at Horsted Keynes, Sheffield Park and East Grinstead.
Anyway, train history aside, we pass from the farm through the footpath of River’s Wood. This pine plantation is harvested for commercial timber but offers peaceful respite from both rain and shine. We continue in a straight line until the hill crests and descends. The path can be muddy here but plenty of walkers have found their way around it and every other summer there are glorious foxgloves flanking the path, which is alive with butterflies. We take a shortcut to our right, roughly West, to reach one of the new gates at the bottom. Then instead of proceeding North to the reservoir we follow the river Ouse along the Balcombe-Ardingly parish boundary to arrive at a farm on our right, and the magnificent Ouse Valley viaduct before us.
The 37 arches of this wonderful structure preside over the beautiful valley. Built in 1841, it supports the line which ushers hundreds of commuters to and from their daily grind, perhaps easing the souls of weary travelers with the heart-stopping view across the Ouse Valley, be it shrouded in wintry mists or alive with summer colour. It can be see from miles away, depending on where you’re standing of course! Be very careful crossing the road here, as cars race downhill from Balcombe or overdo the tummy-twisting bridge to your left. A few minutes of quiet contemplation staring down the arches will do you a world of good, and provide some excellent photographs too. We’ve slowed down the footage here so you can observe some of the 11 million bricks that went into making this. As much as we have tried to do this justice with the video, you just have to go there!
With a quick backwards glance, we plunge onwards, loop around the Ryelands Farm buildings and join the footpath to take us back down into the valley. The footpath joins the road at another farm – Great Bentley – a crop farm and campsite. You might spot the wealth of pheasants we startled upon the road, which we follow now to rejoin the busy London road, which runs between Cuckfield and Balcombe villages.
For anti-fracking fans, we are just South of the Cuadrilla site which became the focus of envionmental protests and national news coverage in 2014. This isn’t a pleasant road to run or walk along as there are no pavements and people drive like maniacs, making full use of the national speed limit here. Indeed, if you continue straight across it to Cherry Tree Lane you can join the much pleasanter Sussex Ouse Valley Way. This is marked on ordnance survey maps and takes you on a lovely route into Cuckfield via the golf course and Whitemans Green from which you can enjoy views of the South Downs.
In this video, however, we continue up London Road until it becomes Brook Street and a footpath appears, much to one’s relief. Another opt-out to our left is opposite Sparks Lane (right). This footpath will take you all the way through various plantations to Borde Hill gardens in Haywards Heath.
Sticking with Brook Street, we emerge in Cuckfield Village opposite the Co-Op (until recently The Ship Pub), Wealden Stores and petrol station. The bus stop on the left hand side of the road, opposite the stores is served by the 37 to Haywards Heath and the 271 to Brighton. Here also is a footpath we will join shortly, after a little bit of ’round the houses’ action.
For those not traumatised by the London Road, our journey continues to another small roundabout. If you follow the road straight here, you’ll pass the Rose and Crown pub on your left and further still puts you in the heart of Cuckfield village where there are further pubs, cafes, shops and amenities. However, our video takes a left at the mini-roundabout down Ardingly Road to swoop round past the new developments, use the pelican crossing and leave the road at the footpath behind Longacre Crescent. Behind here we find the fields yet untouched by the swathe of new housing that is slowly, indomitably throwing over objection after objection in the area. The horses still remain in these fields and we stop for a hello before following the path in a straight line West. There are options to opt out here and enjoy Blunts Wood (on your right), see this video but after six miles you might be wanting to head home
We emerge from the woodlands and turn immediately right to skirt a towering field of corn. It is here that our video comes to a close, but if you follow our trajectory to the end of the field you’ll rejoin the footpath and woodland which concludes at the entrance to Harlands Primary School, as noted on the map here. You’re then just ten minutes walk from Haywards Heath station, and twenty minutes from the town.
AMENITIES
Haywards Heath station is just 10 minutes walk from the start and end point of this route and is a well-served commuter station on the London to Brighton line. Just make sure you check for rail replacement services at the weekend and on holidays as a coach service often operates between here and Three Bridges.
Haywards Heath town centre is a 20 minute walk from the start and end point with the usual chain restaurants and cafes, a shopping centre and independent businesses too.
The Dolphin Leisure Centre is just a few minutes from the station in Pasture Hill Road and a shower costs £1.90. Details can be found here
Cuckfield village is served by The Sussex Bus service 40 which runs to Brighton via Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Hassocks. Service 37 links between Haywards Heath and Crawley via Cuckfield, Whiteman’s Green, Balcombe and Three Bridges.