A Restful Reservoir and a Monastic Monument
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Terra incognita for the leader (at least until the pre-walk survey) who'll be straying far from his usual stamping ground to visit the East Sussex-Kent border. Here we'll see the romantic ruins of a religious retreat, a wealth of Wealden weatherboard, plenty of plutocrats' picturesque piles and the land's largest lake (recently replenished by rain). The 'restful reservoir' is Bewl Water, around which we'll walk and upon which we could go pedalo; the 'monastic monument' is Bayham Abbey, around which we'll marvel at the scale and the detailing; and the 'comely community' not mentioned in the title due to lack of space is Wadhurst, around which we'll stroll and drop in on the church.
The sights:
Wadhurst: A very pretty main street with typical weatherboarded and tile-hung cottages and large houses of all dates. St Peter and St Paul's Church is Grade II-listed and dates from the 12th-century. The monuments are noteworthy, especially the thirty 17th and 18th-century cast-iron tomb slabs (the highest number in the country), a product of the Wealden iron industry, such as the one illustrated. A bed of sand would have the name, details and insignia of the deceased imprinted into it, then molten iron poured over. A memorial window of 1899 was made by William Morris and designed by Edward Burne-Jones. The River Bewl flows nearby, which was dammed to create Bewl Water. The village is situated on a ridge overlooking The Weald and ascending it twice makes up most of our climbing for the walk.
Bewl Water: The highly indented shoreline of this vast lake is fringed with beautiful mixed woodland. The website states 'Bewl Water is the largest stretch of open water in the South East. The 800 acre site is set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in the heart of the High Weald...The reservoir can hold more than 31,000,000,000 litres of water – enough to provide for nearly 200 million people!' We will stop here for lunch, either a packed lunch on the grass overlooking the water or lunch at the visitor centre cafe, and during the lunch break guys could use the pedalos or rowing boats. If there are blooms of toxic blue-green algae in the water any dogs present will need to go on leads.
Lamberhurst: We'll see the vineyards for which this area is famous and have a drink at The Vineyard pub which is just outside Lamberhurst at The Down.
Bayham Abbey: The most extensive monastic remains in Sussex. The English Heritage website states: 'the impressive ruins, built from golden local sandstone, include much of the 13th to 15th-century church, the chapter house, and a picturesque 14th-century gatehouse. Bayham Abbey is now set in grounds designed by famous landscape gardener Humphry Repton...Rooms in the 'Georgian Gothic' dower house are open for visitors to experience.' English Heritage have confirmed that the Abbey will be open.
The route:
The first half: Leaving Wadhurst Station and heading southeast on the pavement along the B2099, we'll pass through Durgates and reach Wadhurst village itself. We'll then turn northeast and, having seen Wadhurst Church, walk along footpaths to pass Little Pell Farm and eventually reach the western tip of Bewl Water. A zigzagging lakeside path (the Sussex Border Path) will take us to the visitor centre cafe for a drink and an optional stint boating on the water at about 12:00. We'll leave at about 12:30 and head northwest along a footpath and then northeast along the potentially busy B2100 to the hamlet of The Down outside Lamberhurst. Where we can have lunch on the Green and a drink at The Vineyard at 13:00. This stop will be exactly halfway round.
The second half: At about 14:00 we'll leave Lamberhurst and walk west along footpaths towards Owls Castle Farm to reach the hamlet of Hook Green. Then, a crossing of the B2169 will take us to the entrance gate for Bayham Abbey where we'll have half an hour to explore after walking along its long drive. Leaving the abbey at around 16:00 and retracing our steps a little way to avoid a busy main road, we'll use a number of lanes including Free Heath Road heading south and Bartley Mill Road heading west before taking a footpath to Great Shoesmith's Farm and a bridleway to Swatland Farm. We'll then be at Rockrobin and Wadhurst Station will be close by to finish the walk at 18:00.
(All images are from Google Image Search and are labelled 'Free to use and share'.)
What to bring
Sturdy, well-fitting walking boots (not trainers or shoes) and thick walking socks to prevent blisters will be essential. Bring blister plasters too if you're likely to need them. Although much of the route will be in shade, take precautions against the sun if it is forecast, with a high-factor sun cream and perhaps a sunhat. If rain is forecast, wet-weather gear should be brought.
Food & drink
Bring plenty to drink, but either bring a packed lunch or buy lunch at Bewl Water cafe. We'll have a drink at The Vineyard pub outside Lamberhurst. If you need any supplies for the walk, there are shops in Wadhurst.