Cuckoo Trail & Low Weald Circular

Home , Alciston, Chiddingly, Cuckoo Trail, Hailsham, Hellingly, Herstmonceux

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Cycling in East Sussex: Avenue Verte Route Guide Cuckoo Trail & Low Weald circular As an alternative to the roller coaster with fine views of the South Downs. roads of the High Weald, try this The land is a mixture of lush pasture delightful ride. It follows the flatter and arable fields, surrounded by lanes to the west of the Cuckoo Trail hedgerows and verges filled with wild and the toughest climb is only 55 flowers. Lovely old houses can be metres – a small challenge compared glimpsed at every turn of the road. to some of the other rides. Golden Cross – Polegate Polegate – Arlington Reservoir Take care crossing the busy A22 at Make your way from Polegate north- Golden Cross and rejoin the network west towards Abbot’s Wood and of quiet lanes through Chiddingly follow the bridleway on a mixture of with the impressive Chiddingly Place surfaces – at times it is a wonderful at the far end of the hamlet. Through smooth, stone-based track and at Stonehill, the route leads back to others it can be muddy after wet Horam on the A267. A gentle descent weather. Before long you are on the on the wonderful Cuckoo Trail south lane network which leads into the of Horam under a canopy of trees, village of Arlington. Shortly after takes you through Hailsham back crossing the Cuckmere River, keep to Polegate and the starting point. an eye out for the bridleway to the right that takes you past Arlington Places of Interest → Reservoir and onto Station Road, Cuckoo Trail: Wildlife Art Trail Lying to north of Berwick. the south of Hellingly bridge for 1/2 Short Cut to Hailsham mile, there are a series of carved oak panels created by the Bentley Wildlife Instead of continuing to Ripe and Carvers depicting animals, birds Chalvington, continue on Station and plants that can be found on the Road through Wick Street turning Cuckoo Trail. right at The Dicker fork when you reach St Bede’s School. Continue Abbot’s Wood A total of 360 acres of past Michelham Priory, founded in mixed woodland gifted by Henry I to 1229 and boasting England’s longest Battle Abbey and once overseen by medieval water-filled moat, and take the abbot (hence its name). Ancient the rough track about 800m on the ditches and banks can still be seen. left past the junction for Arlington. Arlington The church dates from This becomes Hempstead Lane before Saxon times with the remains of you cross the A22 to reach Hailsham. a Roman building in the walls. Arlington Reservoir – Golden Cross Excavated items are on display inside. Turn right from the reservoir onto Chiddingly Rumours persist of a Station Road and take the next left secret tunnel from Chiddingly Place at Lower Wick Street, leaving the to the church, which is supposed traffic behind as you head west to to emerge either in front of the the villages of Ripe and Chalvington monument or at the base of the tower.

2 Starting point Refreshments Polegate Horam, Hailsham, Arlington, Distance Ripe, Chalvington, Golden Cross, Chiddingly 24 miles / 39 kilometres Tourist Information Centres Off road/rough sections Eastbourne Tourist 1. The Cuckoo Trail, a well-surfaced, Information Office: 0871 6630031 traffic-free railway path between Horam and Polegate (calls charged at 10p per min from BT land lines) 2. A bridleway is used along the south edge of Abbot’s Wood Cycle Hire and Shops Grade Cuckmere Cycle Company: 01323 870310 Easy Eastbourne: Major climbs Phoenix Cycles: 01323 729060 The only climb worth mentioning (55 Polegate: metres) takes you up from Chiddingly Kontour Cycles: 01323 482368 to Horam

3 Cycling in East Sussex

Cuckoo Trail & Low Weald circular Avenue Verte

B © Crown copyright and database rights 2012 Ordnance Survey 100019601 2 2 0 3 0 1 2 Miles Horam

0 1 2 3 Kilometres Summersbrook 2 9 7 1 Wood 6 2 2 B A

100 80 E A22 N 60 A L LY Metres 40 G IN D 20 ID H C 0 East A v Hoathly e ILL n NEH STO u e V Polegate Arlington Ripe Horam Hailsham Polegate e r t e Stonehill Farm

A Circular Route (on road) 2 67

S M IT H L Traffic-free route A L A N N D E S

m National Cycle Network (on road) a r A22 o H Chiddingly

A259 Upper Vert A Road Wood Six Bells

B2244 l B Road i a r Muddles T o Green o k Minor Road c u

C Lower Vert Chiddingly Wood LC Railway (with level crossing)

E N A L Polegate B2124 L Railway Station (with name) IL H H G R U B Golden Cross Church Golden Cross Inn A22 Other site of interest Hellingly 67 A2

Pub B 210

4 Deanland Lower House of Interest Wood Lower Dicker Horsebridge

Car Parking A 22 A27 1 1 A27 Take Care!

Herstmonceux Follow Road Sign as marked

Start of route re e m k c t u u C c t B r r 2 e o 1 v h 0 Upper Dicker i 4 R S Ripe E N A L s Hailsham s D o A E r Yew Tree E Lamb C T N n St Bede’s School S A Inn e Inn St Bede’s School P L ld L o EM IL G H M Chalvington k c a 5 Michelham tr 29 h A S Priory g h u o o r R t L c A d u A N a t 2 G o 2 TY R E y LA s N u E B

t L u O c W rt E o R h Se S lm W es IC to K n S

T B Wilmington 2 1

0 Wood 4

Arlington Arlington Reservoir N a Abbot’s rr The Old Loom A2 o Yew Tree 7 w Wood Mill (cafe) (T) Inn B l b Selmeston A i r Y L a i A L d E r N Y l T ew E ’S a o y o Berwick k B c rte 21 Ve u 04 C Easy To Miss e 2 nu 2 Right Turn ve R A Arlington A ou gh tra ck

h e t c r n e a V Alciston M e a l u e n d e r v A2 u 7(T) A o T

B 22 ) 4

T 7

(

7 A2 2 7(T) A Berwick Polegate

e Zoo r B2 e A2 247 m 7(T) k c u Polegate C r e iv R Wilmington A 2 2 7 0