Forest Way
Encyclopedia
The Forest Way is a linear Country park
providing walking
, cycling
, horse riding
and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. It runs for around 16 km from East Grinstead
to Groombridge
.
The Forest Way lies within the High Weald
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
in the heart of the picturesque East Sussex
countryside with the Ashdown Forest
lying to the south. It takes the route of a disused railway line and now provides an important habitat for wildlife forming a ‘green corridor’ through the upper valley of the River Medway
. The route runs from East Grinstead, via Forest Row
, Hartfield
, and Withyham
to Groombridge.
.
There are a number of circular trails leading from the Forest Way. These vary in length and difficulty. East Sussex County Council provides leaflets giving information on "Forest Way Country Park and circular walks" and "Forest Row walk".
Along the route trees have regenerated naturally on the embankments and cuttings providing an excellent habitat for swallow
s, badger
s, deer
and fox
es, in the fields and woodlands.
Forest Way provides access to Weir Wood
Reservoir with its plentiful bird life and sailing and to Standen
country house designed by Philip Webb
which contains fine examples of William Morris
designs.
, opened from East Grinstead through to Tunbridge Wells - an extension of the line from Three Bridges. In 1966 it was closed under the Beeching axe
despite being a busy commuter line. Ironically, Dr Richard Beeching
lived at East Grinstead and regularly travelled up to London on the line when he was Chairman of British Rail
. The disused railway line was bought by East Sussex County Council in 1971 and designated as a Country Park in 1974.
Major improvements to the track surface in 2002 led to its inclusion in the Sustrans
National Cycle Network
. To the west of East Grinstead, the cycle route continues as the Worth Way along the disused section of line to Three Bridges. In addition, there are as yet unrealised plans to link the Forest Way from Groombridge with the Cuckoo Trail
, another trail following the route of a disused railway line, which runs from Heathfield
to Hampden Park
near Eastbourne
.
Country park
A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
providing walking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, horse riding
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. It runs for around 16 km from East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
to Groombridge
Groombridge
thumb|right|A house in GroombridgeGroombridge is a village of about 1,600 people. It straddles the border between Kent and East Sussex, in England. The nearest large town is Tunbridge Wells, about away by road....
.
The Forest Way lies within the High Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
in the heart of the picturesque East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
countryside with the Ashdown Forest
Ashdown Forest
Ashdown Forest is an ancient area of tranquil open heathland occupying the highest sandy ridge-top of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is situated some south of London in the county of East Sussex, England...
lying to the south. It takes the route of a disused railway line and now provides an important habitat for wildlife forming a ‘green corridor’ through the upper valley of the River Medway
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
. The route runs from East Grinstead, via Forest Row
Forest Row
Forest Row is a village and relatively large civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles south-east of East Grinstead.-History:...
, Hartfield
Hartfield
Hartfield is a civil parish in East Sussex, England. Settlements within the parish include the village of Hartfield, Colemans Hatch, Hammerwood and Holtye, all lying on the northern edge of Ashdown Forest.-Geography:...
, and Withyham
Withyham
Withyham is a village and large civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The village is situated 10 miles south west of Tunbridge Wells and 3.5 miles from Crowborough; the parish covers approximately .-Geography:Withyham parish lies on the edge of Weald, in the...
to Groombridge.
Walking, cycling and accessibility
A flat, surfaced track runs along the entire length of the Forest Way providing easy access for disabled users and an ideal place for children to learn to cycle away from traffic. There are toilet facilities at Forest Row. The western end of the Forest Way links up, at East Grinstead, with the Worth Way which extends as far as Three BridgesThree Bridges
Three Bridges is a neighbourhood within the town of Crawley, in the county of West Sussex in England.-History:Three Bridges was a tiny hamlet, which first began to grow with the coming of the London and Brighton Railway in 1841...
.
There are a number of circular trails leading from the Forest Way. These vary in length and difficulty. East Sussex County Council provides leaflets giving information on "Forest Way Country Park and circular walks" and "Forest Row walk".
Along the route trees have regenerated naturally on the embankments and cuttings providing an excellent habitat for swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
s, badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
s, deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, in the fields and woodlands.
Forest Way provides access to Weir Wood
Weir Wood
Weir Wood Reservoir is a long stretch of water, situated close to Forest Row, East Sussex, England, on the north-western margins of Ashdown Forest. It has a full water capacity of , covering a site of . The reservoir was built over the period 1951-54, a process which involved damming the valley of...
Reservoir with its plentiful bird life and sailing and to Standen
Standen
Standen is an Arts and Crafts house located near East Grinstead, West Sussex, England. The house and its surrounding gardens belong to the National Trust and are open to the public.-The house:...
country house designed by Philip Webb
Philip Webb
Another Philip Webb — Philip Edward Webb was the architect son of leading architect Sir Aston Webb. Along with his brother, Maurice, he assisted his father towards the end of his career....
which contains fine examples of William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
designs.
History
In 1866, a railway line, the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central LineThree Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line
The Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line was a railway line running from Three Bridges in West Sussex to Tunbridge Wells Central in Kent via East Grinstead in East Sussex, a distance of . Opened in 1855, the main section of the line was a casualty of the Beeching Axe the last train ran on...
, opened from East Grinstead through to Tunbridge Wells - an extension of the line from Three Bridges. In 1966 it was closed under the Beeching axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
despite being a busy commuter line. Ironically, Dr Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
lived at East Grinstead and regularly travelled up to London on the line when he was Chairman of British Rail
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
. The disused railway line was bought by East Sussex County Council in 1971 and designated as a Country Park in 1974.
Major improvements to the track surface in 2002 led to its inclusion in the Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
. To the west of East Grinstead, the cycle route continues as the Worth Way along the disused section of line to Three Bridges. In addition, there are as yet unrealised plans to link the Forest Way from Groombridge with the Cuckoo Trail
Cuckoo Trail
The Cuckoo Trail is an footpath and cycleway which runs from Hampden Park to Heathfield in East Sussex. It passes through the towns of Polegate and Hailsham, as well as the villages of Hellingly and Horam.- History :...
, another trail following the route of a disused railway line, which runs from Heathfield
Heathfield, East Sussex
Heathfield is a small market town, and the principal settlement in the civil parish of Heathfield and Waldron in the Wealden District of East Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, England.-Location:...
to Hampden Park
Hampden Park, East Sussex
Hampden Park is a suburb of Eastbourne. It is notable for its unique railway station, where local trains on the East Coastway Line stop twice, and is thought to be the busiest level crossing in the country. This station, now known as Hampden Park station, was once named 'Willingdon...
near Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
.