Danehill - 6 miles

From All Saints Church, continue along Church Lane and enjoy brief glimpses of a variety of large houses along the way.  After the last house you will pass between a couple of national speed limit signs (black stripe on a white background). Now take a private track on your right to Mount Noddy Cottage.  Go left through the gate for Mount Noddy Cottage and proceed along the drive. As you reach a garage outbuilding at the entrance to the cottage take the footpath on the left.

The second gate past the cottage takes you into a field. On a good day you can see the South Downs in the distance as you descend along the left-hand side of the field. Proceed into the second and then the third field.  In about 100 yards, another footpath crosses your way. Continue straight on into the next field.

 Continue along the left-hand side of this field until the path takes you into a stretch of woodland.  After a while the path heads out of the woods and you will have a field on your left. Shortly you will see Northland Farm on the right. Keep going straight ahead, and walk along the concrete track until you meet a road.

 Cross the road and take the footpath ahead into Kings Wood. In the woods, ignore any other tracks crossing your path and keep going forward until you enter a field.  Follow the path across the middle of the field towards a clump of trees hiding a pond. After passing passing to the right of the trees/pond proceed downhill across the field, then through a large gap in a hedge and into the next field.

Walk downhill along the right-hand edge of this field until the path turns to the right. You can see the railway here and perhaps catch sight of a train. When you are ready to move on, proceed downhill and pass under Oakham Bridge. Continue along the footpath until you reach a small concrete bridge in the hedge on your right.   Go through the gate on the bridge and cross the middle of the field heading towards Freshfield Mill Farm. A small double planked bridge takes you over a ditch in the middle of the field and onwards to another, more substantial double-gated wooden bridge at the farm. On the right, at the top of the hill, you should be able to see Town Place Bridge. You will be passing over that soon.

At the other side of the next field, cross the stile and pass to the right of a collection of farm buildings. Go through a gate in the fence on the left in the corner of the field and out onto the drive leading to Freshfield Mill Farm. Then you will have only a few feet before you find yourself at the end of the drive where it meets a road.

If you are ready for refreshments now you could take a short excursion to the Sloop Inn across the bridge on the left. Otherwise, turn right and continue walking along the road.  As the road bends to the left take the footpath on the right. In a few yards, cross a stile and head left, uphill, across the middle of the field towards the very top of the hill. As you reach the brow of the hill you will see Town Place Bridge and the railway track. Cross the bridge or perhaps wait here to see a train.

After the bridge, continue ahead along the path until you find a wooden bridge over a small stream which takes you into the next field. Head diagonally upwards across the middle of the field and continue until you find a kissing gate. Here you will join a lane with Town Place on your right. Turn right onto the lane, pass Town Place, and take the footpath through a gate on your left. Proceed along this footpath with the vines of Bluebell Vineyard Estates on your right.

After two kissing gates, the path takes you into a fine stand of Hornbeam trees. Proceed through the woods, then into a field, after which you will meet a tarmac farm track.

Turn right onto the track and proceed towards Kidborough Farm. At the entrance to Kidborough Farm keep left, passing to the left of a garage/outbuilding and continue on the footpath between a number of other outbuildings. Follow the footpath down to a wooden bridge, then up over a stile into a field.

 Cross the field, perhaps taking time to admire the cottage on the left.  Climb the next stile and head into the next field. Follow the footpath along the right-hand side of the field until you reach the corner. You might recognise this spot as you have been here before! Go straight ahead now on a wide path with trees on either side.

As the woodland ends, the path emerges into a field where views open up to the South Downs again. Head downhill, following the path all the way down (and then up again) to Heaven Farm. This is where you might find a second opportunity to have an ice cream, a cup of coffee or something more substantial.

Pass through Heaven Farm and cross the road, following the footpath straight ahead on the other side of the road. Be careful as you cross the road as the traffic can be quite fast.  When you reach another, quieter road, turn left and walk along the road until you encounter a footpath crossing the road.  Turn left along the footpath, a short section of sunken lane, and eventually you will pass Danewood Cottage. Walk away from the cottage along their drive to the main road.

Cross the road and turn right, now walking uphill along Church Lane. At the top of the hill, retrace your steps back to the car, revisiting the large houses and the church which may look different now from a different direction and time of day.

Waypoint Arrival Times

(1) Go to the Bluebell Railway Timetable and look up the nearest departure times from Sheffield Park 

(2) Add the extra time for the trains to arrive at your waypoint from the table below

(3) Repeat for the trains from East Grinstead