St Leonards to Crowhurst via a nature reserve and the beach
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Unlike most other coastal town and cities in Sussex, Hastings is not backed by chalk downland. There is a high hill, the Ridge, immediately to the north of the town, but beyond that and to both sides of the town there is some fabulous and not over-exploited countryside as well as, nearby, some lovely beaches.
Between St. Leonards and Bexhill, or more specifically between Filsham and Pebsham, lies the River Valley of Coombe Haven and beyond that, the wetlands of the Filsham Reedbed Nature Reserve. Our walk will take us through this and pass uphill to the west to join the Bexhill link of the 1066 Country walk, which is theoretically the route taken by William the Conqueror on his way to Battle.
Descending to cross the Haven, we then journey inland a little to the edge of the little village of Crowhurst where hopefully we will be able to stop for a drink outside in glorious sunshine!
Turning south through more mixed countryside, we rejoin the 1066 route again, then pass through the suburbs of Bexhill to reach a rail underpass to the beach.
From there we walk eastwards to the viewpoint of Galley Hill. Both this hill and the view towards St. Leonards are shown in the photographs. From there, depending on the tides, it will be a mostly beach ramble back to where we started.
What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch, water and drinks to keep yourself hydrated even at this time of the year and snacks as required.