Section 15
Cousley Wood to Wadhurst
Walk Details
Walk Instructions
Robust Ramble – Kent Triangle - Faversham – Wadhurst – New Romney – Faversham
Section 15 Out
Cousley Wood to Wadhurst
OS Map: Explorer 136 Royal Tunbridge Wells
Total Circular Distance: 5.5 miles/3 hours
Start: The Old Vine pub and restaurant at Cousley Wood, parking at pub if using facilities.
Comment: This is a shorter circular walk than usual and on a long summer’s day might be added to the adjoining sections, however the terrain often makes for slow going and plenty of time and daylight should be allowed for. This outward route is a pleasant country walk. There is a long drop down to Bewl Water and a long climb back up to Wadhurst church but worth it for the views. Only one stile and only 100 metres of roadwalking. Plenty of refreshment opportunities in Wadhurst.
With the front entrance of The Old Vine pub behind, turn right, down the entrance slope, to the main road. Immediately turn right on a private road going down the side of houses.
Where this soon swings left, keep forward, uphill, on a rough track. At the top of the hill, bear slightly left, still on the track, soon dropping downhill.
A little way down, go through a wide gap in a hedge. IMMEDIATELY TURN SHARP RIGHT and go down the field edge with a hedge on your right (this part of the Sussex Border Path).
At a dip in the field edge, turn right through a gap in the hedge and over a broken stile. Wind downhill through scrub on a feint path.
At the bottom, pass gates over on your right, and keep down to a stile into woods. Over this turn immediately left.
Soon reach a T-junction with a cycle track around Bewl Water. Here leave the Sussex Border Path and turn right for just 10 metres. Look for a stile over on the right into a field.
Go up the field edge to a stile and gate, then continue on a wide path through trees. Keep on for some way.
Near the top, cross a stile by a metal fieldgate (notice the Hop Garden on the left), and continue uphill.
Eventually, pass through farm buildings and another stile by a metal fieldgate. Keep on past Little Pell Farmhouse and out to a road.
Turn right, steeply uphill for 150 metres, then left onto a narrow concrete footpath – still upwards.
Finally enter Wadhurst churchyard. Turn left, down the side of the church to a road. Bear left down to the little square. The Greyhound pub and end of section is opposite.
Robust Ramble – Kent Triangle - Faversham – Wadhurst – New Romney – Faversham
Section 15 Return
Wadhurst to Cousley Wood
OS Map: Explorer 136 Royal Tunbridge Wells
Total Circular Distance: 5.5 miles/3 hours
Start: The Greyhound, Wadhurst. Public Car Park at rear of pub.
Comment: Much of this return is on roads. However they are quiet country lanes through former neighbouring hamlets of Wadhurst. The way is undulating and varied with good views. Most of the housing is of detached villas from Victorian times to the present. The styles are interesting and there are some stunning gardens. Of course take the usual care when road walking. The footpaths that start and finish the walk are particularly pleasant although the final short stretch into Cousley Wood is a bit of an adventure. There are stiles and some sharp climbs. Please visit Wadhurst church – architecture and history.
With The Greyhound pub behind, cross the main road to the little square opposite. Turn left on the narrow backroad.
Keep bearing right to soon enter the churchyard. There is a choice of paths. Bear left on the path leading up to the main door of the church. Continue on, passing the church on your right, to reach an iron gate at the top of the churchyard. Enter a path enclosed by trees.
At the far end pass a seat and descend a flight of steps to a narrow road. Turn left.
At a Y-fork, bear left up Primmers Green Lane. After views, reach the top end at a main road. Cross to the road opposite, Turners Green Lane.
At a Y-fork bear right, still on Turners Green Lane. At a junction, keep forward, downhill. Arriving at a crossroads, go straight over towards Woods Green.
At the next Y-fork, stay on the main road keeping downhill. After an impressive garden on your right reach the buildings of Gill House Farm. Turn right into the entrance on a gravel track (joining the Sussex Border Path again).
Pass through farm buildings and a metal fieldgate, then on, up a grassy way beneath overhanging trees. Go through a wooden kissing gate at the top and continue by a wire fence on your left.
Cross a chunky stile onto a wetter path and continue to a further stile into a wooded area. Here there is a junction of ways, several gates and unfriendly signs.
Bear right up the broad, grassy way. This soon exits onto a main road at the top. Turn left along the pavement.
Shortly, turn left down Monks lane. Take care as the visibility is not so good on the bends. In 150 metres, pass a pond on your right at the bottom of the hill.
Immediately turn right over an old stile, a footbridge and a second stile onto a gravel drive. Cross the drive and bear right across a grassy area to a footbridge and stile into holly bushes.
Emerge into a rough meadow. Go forward up the edge, no more than 10 metres, looking for a feint path and gap in the hedge on your right. Find a footbridge and stile hidden in the bushes.
Cross into a rising field. Turn left along the bottom edge to a barn in the corner ahead. Here turn right, still up the field edge. Keep as close as you can to the hedge on your left as the vegetation becomes denser. There is a stile by a wooden fieldgate in the top left corner.
Cross and follow the track out to the main road. Cross over to The Old Vine pub and the start of the section.
