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Regional Development Fund) Fund) Development Regional made of the information contained herein. contained information the of made European Union (European Union European Part financed by the the by financed Part Seas Programme Authority is not liable for any use that may be be may that use any for liable not is Authority Programme Seas 2007-2013 2007-2013 2007-2013 programme Cooperation programme programme Cooperation Cooperation Crossborder This document reflects the author’s views. The Interreg IVA 2 2 IVA Interreg The views. author’s the reflects document This Interreg IVA 2 Seas Crossborder Crossborder Seas 2 IVA Interreg future” your in “Investing ref number DP144115.02.12 number ref 443126 or [email protected] quoting quoting [email protected] or 443126 4hrs (68 miles) (68 4hrs Wealden District Council on 01323 01323 on Council District Wealden Newhaven/Dieppe or in another language please contact contact please language another in or TO FRANCE TO SEAFORD EASTBOURNE document in large print, Braille, tape/CD; tape/CD; Braille, print, large in document A259 NEWHAVEN PARK like the information contained in this this in contained information the like HAMPDEN POLEGATE A26 If you, or somebody you know, would would know, you somebody or you, If A27 HAILSHAM LEWES A259 A26 8 www.wealden.gov.uk EAST SUSSEX EAST A271 @ email: [email protected] email: A27 UCKFIELD East Sussex BN27 2AX 2AX BN27 Sussex East HEATHFIELD A272 Hailsham, Hailsham, A265 Vicarage Lane, Lane, Vicarage A267 A26 Wealden District Council, District Wealden * A267 A22 01323 443126 01323 on Council District Wealden contact Or CROWBOROUGH 8 www.eastsussex.gov.uk A21 A264 Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1UE. BN7 Sussex East Lewes, GRINSTEAD WELLS County Hall, St Annes Crescent, Crescent, Annes St Hall, County EAST TUNBRIDGE Countryside Management Service, Service, Management Countryside East Sussex County Council, Council, County Sussex East * 01273 481637 01273 Contact the Cuckoo Trail Ranger on on Ranger Trail Cuckoo the Contact ramp. A mounting block is provided. provided. is block mounting A ramp. car park, where the Trail is accessed via an easily graded graded easily an via accessed is Trail the where park, car Council. Council. Horsebox: Horsebox space is provided at the Hellingly Hellingly the at provided is space Horsebox East Sussex County Council and Wealden District District Wealden and Council County Sussex East The Cuckoo Trail is managed as a partnership between between partnership a as managed is Trail Cuckoo The and Hampden Park. Hampden and Hellingly and Hailsham and on-street parking at Polegate Polegate at parking on-street and Hailsham and Hellingly Car: There are free car parks at Heathfield, Horam, Horam, Heathfield, at parks car free are There taking you through the beautiful East Sussex countryside Sussex East beautiful the through you taking Contact us / more information more / us Contact A 14 mile trail for walkers, cyclists and horseriders, and cyclists walkers, for trail mile 14 A 22 33. 22 Heathfield. For information on timetables contact 08712 00 00 08712 contact timetables on information For Heathfield. Stagecoach links Polegate, Hailsham, Hellingly, Horam and and Horam Hellingly, Hailsham, Polegate, links Stagecoach same sources. same Bus: Service 51, 52, 53 operated by Eastbourne Buses/ Eastbourne by operated 53 52, 51, Service Information on local events can be obtained from the the from obtained be can events local on Information 01892 602884 01892 or or restrictions during peak hours. peak during restrictions [email protected] at e-mail can be carried free of charge though there are some some are there though charge of free carried be can www.enjoysussex.info Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50. At the time of writing, bikes bikes writing, of time the At 50. 49 48 08457 on Enquiries Park. For information on timetables contact National Rail Rail National contact timetables on information For Park. Cuckoo Trail can be obtained from: from: obtained be can Trail Cuckoo Train: There are stations at Polegate and Hampden Hampden and Polegate at stations are There Details of a wide variety of accommodation near the the near accommodation of variety wide a of Details trail the How to get to the Cuckoo Trail Cuckoo the to get to How Local accommodation Local Since 1990, the Cuckoo Trail has been a leisure route used by walkers, cyclists and horseriders. It passes Cuckoo Trail users Wildlife and nature along the Trail through some beautiful countryside and is extremely popular with some 250,000 visitors annually. Being mainly off-road it is suitable and safe for people of Walkers: Can use all of the Cuckoo Trail. The Cuckoo Trail provides a wildlife corridor through a all ages and abilities. The slight gradients and sloped Cyclists: Can use all of the Cuckoo Trail but should rich and varied landscape, from the High Weald down accesses make the Trail available to most mobility dismount where signed. the Cuckmere Valley and into the fringes of the Pevensey scooters and wheelchairs. Horseriders: Can ride between Hellingly and the south Levels. Conservation of wildlife is one of the aims of the of Heathfield and between Summerhill Lane south of Cuckoo Trail. Hailsham and Polegate. This latter section involves going over a bridge, which crosses the A27 Polegate bypass, Cuckoo A summer visitor. Listen for the distinctive call where a mounting block is provided at each end. from April to June. Lays its eggs in the nests of birds of The history of the Cuckoo Trail other species (mainly Dunnock in this area). The young cuckoo ejects the hosts’ own eggs and demands all the food from the unwitting parents. It is grey with a long tail, usually solitary and flying with shallow wing beats. The Cuckoo Trail is now owned by Wealden District Cuckoo Trail users code Council and East Sussex County Council but was not Dunnock Similar to a sparrow, commonly seen hopping originally built as a leisure facility. about on or near the ground along the Trail. Grey-brown Please with darker stripes on its back and a narrow beak. The Opened in 1880, the Cuckoo Line was the Polegate to • Do not leave litter Dunnock sings a rolling, warbling song from an exposed Eridge railway built by the London Brighton and South • Respect neighbours of the Trail perch. It nests in dense cover such as thorn bushes and Coast Railway to prevent its rival, the South Eastern • Keep to the Trail and do not trespass on any adjacent may unwittingly play host to a Cuckoo. Railway, accessing the Eastbourne traffic. It was named land the Cuckoo Line after the tradition that the first cuckoo of • Motor vehicles and motorcycles are prohibited Lady’s Smock also known as Cuckoo Flower. spring was always heard at the Heathfield Fair. In time it • Shooting, firearms and fireworks are prohibited Commonly found in damp places along the Trail. The settled down to become a country railway carrying milk, • Clear up your dog’s mess, using the bins provided pale mauve flowers with four petals appear in spring. coal, livestock and timber as well as passengers. Walkers please Orange Tip The Orange Tip butterfly starts life as a bright orange egg. This deters other Orange Tips from From the 1950s onwards, rail passengers and goods were • Do not obstruct cyclists or horses • Keep dogs under control laying eggs on the same plant. Only the male butterfly lost to the more convenient buses and lorries serving the has an orange tip to the cream wings. The green area. Facing mounting financial losses, the line was closed Cyclists please caterpillars of the Orange Tip feed mainly on the Cuckoo by British Rail under the “Beeching cuts”. Passenger trains Flower. north of Hailsham and goods trains north of Heathfield • Carry a bell. Don’t surprise people - ring your bell or call out, remembering that many people are hard of hearing were withdrawn in 1965. Three years later all remaining Lords and Ladies Also known as Cuckoo Pint. Can be services were curtailed and the track was torn up. or visually impaired. Don’t just assume that they can see seen for most of the year in shaded areas. The leaves are or hear you arrow-shaped and glossy. The flower starts white, turns • Don’t expect to cycle at high speeds; be prepared to The Cuckoo Trail now runs for 11 miles along the route black then produces a cluster of green berries, which go slow down and stop if necessary of the railway, linking three of the District’s larger towns; bright orange-red in the autumn and are poisonous. • Give way and leave plenty of room for walkers, horses Heathfield, Hailsham and Polegate. It also passes through and people with disabilities the villages of Horam and Hellingly. An extension south of • Slow down at junctions and bends Polegate takes the Trail onto Eastbourne. • Dismount where requested Benches have been erected along the Trail, many carved Horseriders please from fallen trees by local craftsmen. Picnic tables and bike • Give way to cyclists and walkers racks are located at intervals along the Trail, but you are • Use the separate path where provided welcome to picnic where you like on route. • Do not use the town sections of the Trail in Hailsham and Heathfield Sculpted gateways to the Trail are provided at the access points between Hailsham and Polegate, whilst a Wildlife Sculpture Trail is laid out for a mile north of Hellingly. Regional Development Fund) Fund) Development Regional made of the information contained herein. contained information the of made European Union (European Union European Part financed by the the by financed Part Seas Programme Authority is not liable for any use that may be be may that use any for liable not is Authority Programme Seas 2007-2013 2007-2013 2007-2013 programme Cooperation programme programme Cooperation Cooperation Crossborder This document reflects the author’s views.

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