by Chris Best

Part one - Lindfield to Horsted Keynes (Approx 5.5 miles)

Start in Lindfield High Street by The Stand Up Inn and walk up the High Street towards the church, All Saints. Continue past and out of the village heading north. Take the first left, Spring Lane, and continue to the end, which has some barns and the farmhouse, Fullingmill Farm. The path goes through the farmhouse back garden so keep to the right-hand side and go through the gate into the field. Head straight across to the concrete bridge over the River Ouse and cross over to the trees.

The path winds its way through the trees passing a footpath sign on the left. Go into the field and keep to the right. The path eventually bears right off the field and comes out onto a lane with Buxshalls on the right. This now has some new houses built there. There is a three-way footpath sign on the other side of the lane. Turn left and follow the lane to nearly the end having just past Bursteye Farm on the left. There is a three-way footpath sign here, turn left going downhill to Stonebarn Cottages. Continue in front of the cottages with a field on the left and then a row of trees on the right. The path veers left at a waymark sign. There is a deep gulley in the trees to the right. Go past a two-way footpath sign and at the end of the gulley and go left, waymarked. You can see the spire of All Saints Church over to the left. The path turns sharp right; signposted, and drops suddenly after about 100 metres with some steps by a three-way footpath sign. Go straight ahead up the short climb that is the beginning of a permissive path.

Continue downhill with some large oak trees on the left. The path goes into a wood and crosses a stream via a wooden bridge before climbing up and onto the old Horsted Keynes-to-Haywards Heath railway line. Turn right and continue till the path goes left off the old railway line and down some steps. Continue through the wood coming out into a field, continue straight ahead on the left-hand side. When the line of trees on the left stop, bear right along a slight ridge in the land and turn left when you reach the wood which will then be on the right.

About halfway across the field there is a four-way footpath sign on the right, turn right and go over the stile, (picture 1). The path stays close to the wood on the right before going into a wood via a stile, signposted. Going through the wood, go over a two-plank bridge before dropping down and going over another two-plank bridge crossing a stream. This section can get overgrown. The path then rises round to the right before coming out into a field, waymarked. Keep to the left of the field heading towards a wooden shed and go to its left, waymarked. This goes right next to the house that will be on the right before coming out onto a concrete drive to Great Lywood farm and a couple of other properties. Walk to the end of the drive and cross over Lindfield Road which is the Lindfield to Ardingly road.

Go down the tarmac driveway on the other side of the road, which is to the right of the last house, signposted. The path goes off to the right, waymarked, and winds its way through the wood eventually coming out with a field of Christmas trees. Go through the wooden gate into the field and drop downhill going slightly left. Go down a couple of steps into a grass field, pass a waymark sign, (picture 2) and go through a metal gate into a field of Christmas trees belonging to Goddenwick Farm. There is a waymark sign pointing left and keep to the left of the field until you reach a wooden gate with a three-way footpath sign. The third arrow has broken off and should point across the middle of the Christmas trees.

Go left through the gate into some trees and follow the path round to the right, crossing over a stream via a wooden bridge. Bear left after this and go across a field, past a wooden gate, waymarked. The path goes uphill to a metal gate with a three-way footpath sign. Keep straight ahead with a wood on the left before going over the Bluebell Railway line and through a metal gate.

Follow the mud track between two fields, go past a metal gate and a stile. Keep to the left track and pass a barn on the left. At the next three-way footpath sign, turn right through a metal gate, then bear left and then right between a house and a barn. There is a footpath sign on the left attached to a wooden pole with a power cable attached. This is Little Oddynes Farm. Continue down the track and go left at the footpath sign through the small metal gate before going across and downhill over the field in the direction of the footpath arrow to a stile with a footpath sign. The path joins a lane from Horsted Keynes.

Turn right onto this for a short distance and then turn left down a tarmac track on the left, signposted. There is a wood on the left. Continue until the junction with a path, which crosses you and has a four-way footpath sign with a lake straight ahead. Turn right going through the trees passing a pond on the left before coming out between two fields. Just after going through a wooden gate, you join a lane, Church Lane, no signage. Go right along the lane and bear left just before a metal bench. Continue along Church Lane until the end where it joins Station Road, no signage, which is the centre of Horsted Keynes.

If this is a long enough walk for you, turn right and cross the road. Continue along Lewes Road to the bus stop where you can then catch the 270 back to Lindfield High Street.

Part two - Horsted Keynes to Lindfield (Approx 4.2 miles)

Cross the road and follow the signpost to the right of The Crown pub. Go right as soon as you enter the playing field and go through the gap in the hedge, (picture 3). This comes out onto Chapel Lane that has a footpath sign on the left as you join the lane, no signage. Go left to the end and keep straight ahead crossing Bonfire Lane onto Wyatts Lane. Go pass a three-way footpath sign on the left then a two-way footpath sign onto a gravel lane. Go past another three-way footpath sign before reaching the end of Wyatts Lane. There is a three-way footpath sign, just past a house on the right, go straight ahead into the wood.

Continue through the wood and take the second footpath to the right, signposted. Cross over a two-plank bridge and go through a metal gate into a field. Head over the field keeping near the wood on the right and cross another two-plank bridge before following the wood round to the right, signposted. At the end of the field go through a metal gate into the wood. Follow the path going uphill to the left through the wood, signposted and go through a metal gate into a field next to an oak tree. The footpath sign is to the right of the metal gate. Bear left when in the field and keep to its edge. Follow the field all the way to some houses which will be on the left. As you walk along the field there is the old workings of a clay pit which is now a lake on the left.

As you pass the houses there is a gravel driveway. Turn right, waymarked until nearly the end and then turn left just after a telegraph pole, keeping to the right of the field, signposted. Go past the footpath sign on the left and take the next right, signposted going down a short bank onto Treemans Road. Cross over to the path opposite, go through a wooden gate, signposted and into a small wood. This comes out into a field waymarked to where you go over a stile on a railing fence, waymarked. There are often horses in this field and the next few. Go to a gateway with a stile next to it and go through or over, whichever is required. The path goes left to a wooden gate, signposted and then right afterwards passing various horse jumps. There are waymark and footpath signs to guide you across to the right where there is a stile, then a two-plank bridge before another stile. Climb some steps onto the Bluebell railway line. Ensure there is no train coming before crossing over and going down the bank the other side.

Go over a wooden bridge and follow the path through the trees coming out onto a field via a wooden gate. Head towards a metal gate and then go over a concrete bridge. Head up the hill across the field to the gateway which is waymarked. Go over the stile, waymarked and shortly afterwards there is a three-way footpath sign by a track, go left to the end where it joins, Monteswood Lane, no signage, having just gone through a wooden/metal gate. Go right and cross over going down a track on the left by a corner of the road. This goes past a wooden lodge on the right and then a barn before going through a metal gate into a field. Head across the field to the wooden gate. The field in July is full of blue flowers. Follow the wood chip path, currently not so easy to see and then the fence to a metal gate at the end, waymarked.

Go into the wood and the path joins East Mascalls Lane, no signage. Go left and follow the road past the entrance to Lindfield golf course and East Mascalls Farm. Be careful on this stretch of road. Just after crossing the River Ouse go right through a metal gate, signposted and follow the river. Lindfield golf course becomes visible further on, on the opposite side of the river. Just after a waymark the path turns left across the field which is clearly visible. Go over a concrete bridge into another field and go across, keeping to the right-hand side. At the end of the field, there is a farm on the right and a concrete road going left with a three-way footpath sign. Keep straight ahead between two fields. The one on the right is Hangman’s Acre.

When the path splits, go left, signposted with Wilderness Field on the right. Passing a three-way footpath sign keep straight ahead to join Barncroft Drive, no signage. Bear right and walk to the end of the estate, The Limes and turn right onto Newton Road, no signage. Cross over and keep straight ahead going off the end of the road down a tarmac footpath to Lindfield High Street opposite The Stand Up Inn.

(Total Walk Approx 9.7 miles)