The Wealdway, Kent and East Sussex, is a public footpath that runs for 83 miles / 134 km from Gravesend, Kent on the Thames estuary, to the A259 at Eastbourne, 3 km north of Beachy Head.[The Wealdway 80 miles long distance footpath, 1981, pub Wealdway Steering Group.]
Interrelation with other long-distance routes
This is the only north-south route from the
Thames Estuary east of London and west of the
Medway Towns. It crosses the
North Downs, Higher and Lower, Kentish and Sussex
Weald (see Kent long distance walks here) and starts at Gravesend. Here there is a regular ferry link to
Tilbury and routes north of the Thames. At the south is Eastbourne the start of the South Downs Way overlooking the south coast. The route provides access to coast routes: a return circuit for users of the Saxon Shore Way.
History
long-distance footpaths.]]The Wealdway was conceived in 1970 by members of the Ramblers' Association. The first route descriptions were published in the mid seventies, but the poor state of the rights of way between
Uckfield and
Eastbourne delayed publication until 1981. Motorway Construction work and the building of the Tonbridge Flood Relief Barrier forced many changes to the original route.
Route
From the Thames Estuary
The route goes through Gravesend; crosses the A2 at
Tollgate; goes southward through
Sole Street and
Luddesdown; climbs to the North Downs Way at
Trottiscliffe/Vigo Village; descends the scarp slope of the
North Downs; crosses the M20 and A20; goes through Platt and Mereworth Woods to Gover Hill, where the
River Medway comes into view; goes down to
West Peckham, Barnes Street and thus to the Medway; takes the riverside path upstream for a full , through
Tonbridge to Hayesden; heads due south, under the railway and under the Tonbridge bypass; climbs to the ridge at
Bidborough through to Modest Corner, Southborough; and follows a mixture of paths and roads to the A264, at Stone Cross.
From the Kent borders
The route crosses into Sussex, following the medium height contours; drops down into the upper Medway valley wending its way to
Withyham; follows a metalled drive, with good views to the north and south, leading to Five Hundred Acre Wood, the inspiration for A. A. Milne's, Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh books – the wood was first enclosed in 1693 and the path dedicated as a right of way by the owner in 1970; rises to Greenwood Gate Clump, at the top of the
Ashdown Forest above mean sea level; continues on high ground to Camp Hill and on to Browns Brook Cottage; progresses to Buxted Park,
Uckfield; rounds
Blackboys, with its
Youth Hostel; traverses
East Hoathly and
Chiddingly; negotiates Gun Hill walking through
arable land and
pasture interspersed with
coppice; descends into the
Cuckmere valley at
Hellingly through to the A22 south of Horsebridge; passes through
Upper Dicker; crosses the
River Cuckmere to get to Arlington; passes Wilmington and its high
chalk figure, the Long Man; climbs then falls towards
Jevington; climbs to Willingdon Hill, ; journeys downhill to the
Eastbourne Youth Hostel on the A259 and optionally continues along the footway to the resort itself.
External links
