Dunnock in this area). area). this in Dunnock
are poisonous. are
other species (mainly (mainly species other
which go bright orange-red in the autumn and and autumn the in orange-red bright go which
in the nests of birds of of birds of nests the in
black then produces a cluster of green berries, berries, green of cluster a produces then black
to June. Lays its eggs eggs its Lays June. to
flower starts white, turns turns white, starts flower
distinctive call from April April from call distinctive
shaped and glossy. The The glossy. and shaped
visitor. Listen for the the for Listen visitor.
The leaves are arrow- are leaves The
A summer summer A Cuckoo
the year in shaded areas. areas. shaded in year the
Can be seen for most of of most for seen be Can
On the trail you might see the following: following: the see might you trail the On
known as Cuckoo Pint. Pint. Cuckoo as known
Shawpits Bridge at Hellingly. at Bridge Shawpits Also Also Ladies and Lords
welcome to picnic where you like en route. en like you where picnic to welcome Look for the wildlife information boards under under boards information wildlife the for Look
Cuckoo Flower. Cuckoo located at intervals along the Trail, and you are are you and Trail, the along intervals at located
caterpillars of the Orange Tip feed mainly on the the on mainly feed Tip Orange the of caterpillars craftsmen. Picnic tables and bike racks are are racks bike and tables Picnic craftsmen.
orange tip to the cream wings. The green green The wings. cream the to tip orange
many carved from fallen trees by local local by trees fallen from carved many
Wildlife and nature along the Trail the along nature and Wildlife
male butterfly has an an has butterfly male Benches have been erected along the Trail, Trail, the along erected been have Benches
same plant. Only the the Only plant. same
assume that they can see or hear you. hear or see can they that assume from laying eggs on the the on eggs laying from
the 1960s, as part of the “Beeching” cuts. “Beeching” the of part as 1960s, the hard of hearing or visually impaired. Don’t just just Don’t impaired. visually or hearing of hard deters other Orange Tips Tips Orange other deters
became more popular, and the line was shut in in shut was line the and popular, more became or call out, remembering that some people are are people some that remembering out, call or a bright orange egg. This This egg. orange bright a
Heathfield Fair. Transporting of goods by road road by goods of Transporting Fair. Heathfield Don’t surprise people - ring your bell bell your ring - people surprise Don’t Cyclists: Tip butterfly starts life as as life starts butterfly Tip
cuckoo of spring was always heard at the the at heard always was spring of cuckoo
The Orange Orange The Tip Orange
each end. each
Cuckoo Line after the tradition that the first first the that tradition the after Line Cuckoo
bypass, where a mounting block is provided at at provided is block mounting a where bypass,
appear in spring. spring. in appear
Opened in 1880, the railway was named the the named was railway the 1880, in Opened
over a bridge, which crosses the A27 Polegate Polegate A27 the crosses which bridge, a over
flowers with four petals petals four with flowers
Polegate.
Polegate. This latter section involves going going involves section latter This Polegate.
Trail. The pale mauve mauve pale The Trail.
district’s larger towns: Heathfield, Hailsham and and Hailsham Heathfield, towns: larger district’s
Summerhill Lane south of Hailsham and and Hailsham of south Lane Summerhill
in damp places along the the along places damp in
route of the old railway linking three of the the of three linking railway old the of route
and the south of Heathfield and between between and Heathfield of south the and
Flower. Commonly found found Commonly Flower.
The Cuckoo Trail runs for 11 miles along the the along miles 11 for runs Trail Cuckoo The
Can ride between Hellingly Hellingly between ride Can Horseriders: known as Cuckoo Cuckoo as known
also also Smock Lady’s
l
Use lights at night at lights Use l unwittingly play host to a Cuckoo. a to host play unwittingly
The history of the Cuckoo Trail Cuckoo the of history The
l dense cover such as thorn bushes and may may and bushes thorn as such cover dense Don’t block the path the block Don’t l
warbling song from an exposed perch. It nests in in nests It perch. exposed an from song warbling
l Do not leave litter leave not Do
l
narrow beak. The Dunnock sings a rolling, rolling, a sings Dunnock The beak. narrow
l Clear up after your dog your after up Clear
l stripes on its back and a a and back its on stripes
l Look and listen listen and Look l Grey-brown with darker darker with Grey-brown
l ground along the Trail. Trail. the along ground Keep to a safe speed safe a to Keep l
about on or near the the near or on about
l Keep left, pass on the right the on pass left, Keep
l
Commonly seen hopping hopping seen Commonly
but not a sparrow! sparrow! a not but all other users: other all
Like a sparrow sparrow a Like Dunnock horse, please share the path respectfully with with respectfully path the share please horse,
Whether you are traveling on foot, by bike, or or bike, by foot, on traveling are you Whether
beats.
tail, usually solitary and flying with shallow wing wing shallow with flying and solitary usually tail,
and demands all the food. It is grey with a long long a with grey is It food. the all demands and
Share with Care with Share The history of the Cuckoo Trail Cuckoo the of history The The young cuckoo ejects the hosts’ own eggs eggs own hosts’ the ejects cuckoo young The
Join the Cuckoo How to get to the Cuckoo Trail the Challenge trail
Join the challenge Train: There are stations at Polegate and and look for the Cuckoo Hampden Park. For information on timetables: Challenge discs on the wooden www.nationalrail.co.uk mile posts. Download the Cuckoo challenge Bikes can be carried free of charge though there from: www.healthywealden.co.uk are some restrictions during peak hours. A 14 mile trail for walkers, cyclists and horseriders, taking you through the beautiful East Sussex countryside Complete 100 miles – and receive your Bus: Service 251, 252, and 54 operated by own Cuckoo Challenge Certificate. Eastbourne Buses/Stagecoach links Polegate, Hailsham, Hellingly, Horam and Heathfield. For information: www.bustimes.org.uk Calculate your distance and the Car: There are free car parks at Heathfield, calories you have burnt today! Horam, Hellingly and Hailsham and on-street parking at Polegate and Hampden Park. What an average adult 100 will burn for each Horsebox: Horsebox space is provided at the = Kcal mile they walk of the Hellingly car park, where the Trail is accessed Cuckoo Trail. via an easily graded ramp. A mounting block is provided. What an average adult 50 = Kcal will burn for each mile they cycle along the Cuckoo Trail. EAST TUNBRIDGE GRINSTEAD WELLS Runners and joggers can burn even A264 more calories each mile – but this A21 depends on your speed and weight. CROWBOROUGH
A22 A267
For more information about staying healthy and A26 A272 walking in Wealden look at the websites: A265 www.healthywealden.co.uk A272 HEATHFIELD www.wealdendosussexwalks.co.uk UCKFIELD A22
EAST SUSSEX A271 the
A26 A27 LEWES A259 trail Physical Activity guidelines: HAILSHAM
Adults should aim, if possible, to take part in at A27 least 150 minutes each week of moderate A26 POLEGATE HAMPDEN Helping people to choose active travel intensity physical activity, in bouts of 10 minutes NEWHAVEN PARK or more. A259 EASTBOURNE TO FRANCE SEAFORD Children and young people should be Newhaven/Dieppe 4hrs by ferry Ashford/Calais 1hr by train encouraged to be physically active, if able, for at (Euro Tunnel) least 60 minutes every day.
Dunnock in this area). area). this in Dunnock
are poisonous. are
other species (mainly (mainly species other
which go bright orange-red in the autumn and and autumn the in orange-red bright go which
in the nests of birds of of birds of nests the in
black then produces a cluster of green berries, berries, green of cluster a produces then black
to June. Lays its eggs eggs its Lays June. to
flower starts white, turns turns white, starts flower
distinctive call from April April from call distinctive
shaped and glossy. The The glossy. and shaped
visitor. Listen for the the for Listen visitor.
The leaves are arrow- are leaves The
A summer summer A Cuckoo
the year in shaded areas. areas. shaded in year the
Can be seen for most of of most for seen be Can
On the trail you might see the following: following: the see might you trail the On
known as Cuckoo Pint. Pint. Cuckoo as known
Shawpits Bridge at Hellingly. at Bridge Shawpits Also Also Ladies and Lords
welcome to picnic where you like en route. en like you where picnic to welcome Look for the wildlife information boards under under boards information wildlife the for Look
Cuckoo Flower. Cuckoo located at intervals along the Trail, and you are are you and Trail, the along intervals at located
caterpillars of the Orange Tip feed mainly on the the on mainly feed Tip Orange the of caterpillars craftsmen. Picnic tables and bike racks are are racks bike and tables Picnic craftsmen.
orange tip to the cream wings. The green green The wings. cream the to tip orange
many carved from fallen trees by local local by trees fallen from carved many
Wildlife and nature along the Trail the along nature and Wildlife
male butterfly has an an has butterfly male Benches have been erected along the Trail, Trail, the along erected been have Benches
same plant. Only the the Only plant. same
assume that they can see or hear you. hear or see can they that assume from laying eggs on the the on eggs laying from
the 1960s, as part of the “Beeching” cuts. “Beeching” the of part as 1960s, the hard of hearing or visually impaired. Don’t just just Don’t impaired. visually or hearing of hard deters other Orange Tips Tips Orange other deters
became more popular, and the line was shut in in shut was line the and popular, more became or call out, remembering that some people are are people some that remembering out, call or a bright orange egg. This This egg. orange bright a
Heathfield Fair. Transporting of goods by road road by goods of Transporting Fair. Heathfield Don’t surprise people - ring your bell bell your ring - people surprise Don’t Cyclists: Tip butterfly starts life as as life starts butterfly Tip
cuckoo of spring was always heard at the the at heard always was spring of cuckoo
The Orange Orange The Tip Orange
each end. each
Cuckoo Line after the tradition that the first first the that tradition the after Line Cuckoo
bypass, where a mounting block is provided at at provided is block mounting a where bypass,
appear in spring. spring. in appear
Opened in 1880, the railway was named the the named was railway the 1880, in Opened
over a bridge, which crosses the A27 Polegate Polegate A27 the crosses which bridge, a over
flowers with four petals petals four with flowers
Polegate.
Polegate. This latter section involves going going involves section latter This Polegate.
Trail. The pale mauve mauve pale The Trail.
district’s larger towns: Heathfield, Hailsham and and Hailsham Heathfield, towns: larger district’s
Summerhill Lane south of Hailsham and and Hailsham of south Lane Summerhill
in damp places along the the along places damp in
route of the old railway linking three of the the of three linking railway old the of route
and the south of Heathfield and between between and Heathfield of south the and
Flower. Commonly found found Commonly Flower.
The Cuckoo Trail runs for 11 miles along the the along miles 11 for runs Trail Cuckoo The
Can ride between Hellingly Hellingly between ride Can Horseriders: known as Cuckoo Cuckoo as known
also also Smock Lady’s
l
Use lights at night at lights Use l unwittingly play host to a Cuckoo. a to host play unwittingly
The history of the Cuckoo Trail Cuckoo the of history The
l dense cover such as thorn bushes and may may and bushes thorn as such cover dense Don’t block the path the block Don’t l
warbling song from an exposed perch. It nests in in nests It perch. exposed an from song warbling
l Do not leave litter leave not Do
l
narrow beak. The Dunnock sings a rolling, rolling, a sings Dunnock The beak. narrow
l Clear up after your dog your after up Clear
l stripes on its back and a a and back its on stripes
l Look and listen listen and Look l Grey-brown with darker darker with Grey-brown
l ground along the Trail. Trail. the along ground Keep to a safe speed safe a to Keep l
about on or near the the near or on about
l Keep left, pass on the right the on pass left, Keep
l
Commonly seen hopping hopping seen Commonly
but not a sparrow! sparrow! a not but all other users: other all
Like a sparrow sparrow a Like Dunnock horse, please share the path respectfully with with respectfully path the share please horse,
Whether you are traveling on foot, by bike, or or bike, by foot, on traveling are you Whether
beats.
tail, usually solitary and flying with shallow wing wing shallow with flying and solitary usually tail,
and demands all the food. It is grey with a long long a with grey is It food. the all demands and
Share with Care with Share The history of the Cuckoo Trail Cuckoo the of history The The young cuckoo ejects the hosts’ own eggs eggs own hosts’ the ejects cuckoo young The
Join the Cuckoo How to get to the Cuckoo Trail the Challenge trail
Join the challenge Train: There are stations at Polegate and and look for the Cuckoo Hampden Park. For information on timetables: Challenge discs on the wooden www.nationalrail.co.uk mile posts. Download the Cuckoo challenge Bikes can be carried free of charge though there from: www.healthywealden.co.uk are some restrictions during peak hours. A 14 mile trail for walkers, cyclists and horseriders, taking you through the beautiful East Sussex countryside Complete 100 miles – and receive your Bus: Service 251, 252, and 54 operated by own Cuckoo Challenge Certificate. Eastbourne Buses/Stagecoach links Polegate, Hailsham, Hellingly, Horam and Heathfield. For information: www.bustimes.org.uk Calculate your distance and the Car: There are free car parks at Heathfield, calories you have burnt today! Horam, Hellingly and Hailsham and on-street parking at Polegate and Hampden Park. What an average adult 100 will burn for each Horsebox: Horsebox space is provided at the = Kcal mile they walk of the Hellingly car park, where the Trail is accessed Cuckoo Trail. via an easily graded ramp. A mounting block is provided. What an average adult 50 = Kcal will burn for each mile they cycle along the Cuckoo Trail. EAST TUNBRIDGE GRINSTEAD WELLS Runners and joggers can burn even A264 more calories each mile – but this A21 depends on your speed and weight. CROWBOROUGH
A22 A267
For more information about staying healthy and A26 A272 walking in Wealden look at the websites: A265 www.healthywealden.co.uk A272 HEATHFIELD www.wealdendosussexwalks.co.uk UCKFIELD A22
EAST SUSSEX A271 the
A26 A27 LEWES A259 trail Physical Activity guidelines: HAILSHAM
Adults should aim, if possible, to take part in at A27 least 150 minutes each week of moderate A26 POLEGATE HAMPDEN Helping people to choose active travel intensity physical activity, in bouts of 10 minutes NEWHAVEN PARK or more. A259 EASTBOURNE TO FRANCE SEAFORD Children and young people should be Newhaven/Dieppe 4hrs by ferry Ashford/Calais 1hr by train encouraged to be physically active, if able, for at (Euro Tunnel) least 60 minutes every day. Places/attractions along the Trail TO TUNBRIDGE WELLS A265 A267 TO BATTLE AND HASTINGS TUNNEL & MILLENNIUM HEATHFIELD Heathfield GREEN The market town of Heathfield stands on one 5 26 HEATHFIELD A of the main ridges of the High Weald Area of ET RE 0 MILES ST H Outstanding Natural Beauty, giving magnificent HIG
views south towards the South Downs. D
A S
O N
R R S D TA O NEWHAM A E Heathfield gained its market charter in 1316. H T R WAY ION O T
O R
N M RD O This charter included the right to hold a fair, S M L R A I A 2 D T H 6 L 7 S 03 A which was traditionally held on 15 April. An old L 2 L W I I T HILLSIDE B2 A T H L lady would appear to release the first cuckoo E DRIVE Y L V A O IN O G N E R A H W S D S S Y of spring from her basket, giving rise to the D CRO 3 HARLEY O L S L 0 N E LANE 2 R N 2 R O I “Cuckoo Fair” name. B D A A A267 D
W
S DOWNLINE CUCKOO CLOSE Horam 67 TRAIL
HORAM 2 PARKING
A B2023 N
E
Horam was originally a small hamlet, which grew W
G
ROAD H up around the station, which was supposed to Y N
L R
L G
HO R HAM R serve the village of Waldron, some two miles E O S BE E A IL CH LD’S D A L HORAM A ANE away. A small fragment of the platform and the H B O 2 MILES E H station nameboard survive alongside the Trail T today. Horam was the main depot for Express Dairies in the 1930s. Hellingly
D A HELLINGLY H O The old station, by the side of the line, is EM R P S 95 STEAD LANE 2 WK A now a private house. Look out for the ornate HA
D A plasterwork, mock-Tudor chimneys, canopy O ST R A E TIO L P N L T RD fretwork and stained glass windows. The water T O A N B D mill in Mill Lane is said to be the oldest mill in O N R O England. A A267 D
A
2
2 S
D UM
B A
Y M O
- E R Hailsham P R
A
K S H
N
R S E
O H A I A
R G Hailsham is an historic town, first granted its T H P T H H S
R T market charter in 1252 by King Henry III so that D S . T
. UPPER HOR SEBRID GE R 271 DIP GE ST. D A it could hold its own cattle market. LO EOR CK G S
S W T
A A LI The town was formerly famous for its rope T Y N I O D N D F making, the largest such industry in Sussex and A IEL O R R O D A H D D a statue in the town centre commemorates this. T CUCKOO R. U O TRAIL S PARKING HELLINGLY 5 TO BEXHILL 9 2 A Polegate B2104 6.5 MILES FRESHFIELD Polegate’s importance dates back to the arrival of HAILSHAM CLOSE A22 A271 the railways in Sussex, in the 1840s. Originally a TO UCKFIELD wayside station on the 1846 line from Brighton to Hastings, it swiftly became a junction for lines to Eastbourne and Hailsham; the latter now forming the Cuckoo Trail. Unsurprisingly, a settlement POLEGATE grew up around the station. A295 D A B O A Y R T D R N O E A T E L H OURT LANE Hampden Park L ER AM C HAILSHAM A Y N A Along this part of the Trail, look out for birds and E S 8 MILES A27 BYPASS waterfowl which are attracted to Shinewater D A O R D Park. Herons, cormorants and other wildfowl N A RL YE may be seen all year round, while in summer SA O A K L
there are also reed and sedge warblers, house E A A22 H F A D I R martins and swallows. LS IVE H A M
A R O 2 A
2 D
ST AT IO N Accommodation and attractions RO AD P near the Cuckoo Trail CUCKOO B2104 TRAIL PARKING A27 POLEGATE STATION NCR2 For details of a wide variety of accommodation To Bexhill and local attractions near the Cuckoo Trail: www.wealdendo-sussex.co.uk A27 CUCKOO TRAIL A27 TO PEVENSEY TO BRIGHTON Contact us / more information CUCKOO TRAIL LINK AND LEWES ON QUIET ROAD POLEGATE CUCKOO TRAIL HORSE 11 MILES A2104 The Cuckoo Trail is managed as a partnership ROUTE between East Sussex County Council and Wealden District Council. DISABLED ACCESS POINTS A22
A2270 For more information see: ACCESS POINTS www.wealden.gov.uk and www.eastsussex.gov.uk MAJOR ROADS
BRIDLEWAYS AND OTHER Contact the ranger: TO EASTBOURNE HAMPDEN PARK [email protected] LINKING ROUTES OPEN TO 14 MILES HORSES AND CYCLISTS A2280 For the national cycling network: SHINEWATER MINOR ROADS www.sustrans.org.uk PARK A22 FOOTPATHS
BRODRICK Rd
CYCLE RACKS THE HYDNEYE PORT Rd
If you, or somebody you know, would ASHINGTON Rd P like the information contained in this PARKING BRASSEY Ave LOTTBRIDGE DROVE
document in large print, Braille, audio WILLINGDON DROVE
or in another language, please contact A22 To find out about community Wealden District Council on 01323 Community Toilet Scheme toilets along the route, please 0 1 Miles 443322 or [email protected] quoting in partnership with see www.wealden.gov.uk HAMPDEN ref number DP.16906.02.18 PARK 0 1 2 Kilometres