This is a very varied route with paths across Ashdown Forest, through woodland and pasture with many good views to the north across Weir Wood Reservoir and East Grinstead and southwards across the Weald to the South Downs. Late May is a particularly pleasant time in the rhododendron woods. There is a good car park at the Goat Cross Roads.

As you enter the car park you will see a good wide track off to the left between silver birch trees. Keep forward to a wider track (which comes from the crossroads), and bear right and again bear right onto another path which narrows through gorse and emerges onto a tarmac lane.

Turn right along tarmac track for a good quarter of a mile until you reach a field gate into Lavender Platt on your right. About 30 yards after the field gate turn left between holly bushes on to another track and after a few yards join a wider track and turn right. Keep straight forward (north) ignoring cross paths until you reach a T-junction. There is a gully just here. Turn right here for about 70 yards to a stone footpath sign where you go left to a stile.

The path is marked, it passes between brambles, downhill to a footbridge which is slightly to the right. Cross this footbridge and a stile, and go straight on, uphill to a stile, and again straight on to pass through a field gate or stile, and straight on to another gate and stile beneath trees with a large pool on the left.

From this stile look straight ahead across the field to a group of trees slightly to the left. Go forward and bear left. The footpath goes to the left of these trees.

There are magnificent views from here across Weir Wood Reservoir and the National Trust property at Standen to the left and East Grinstead Church in the background.

Keep on bearing left to the field gate with footpath sign ahead, and still following a track straight on to another gate and so into a lane.

If time permits turn right to Weir Wood Reservoir. This will increase the walk to five miles. If not turn left to follow this lane through rough woodland and out into a field via an iron kissing-gate. Over to the right at the top of this field is a pair of cottages. Walk towards them and out onto a minor road to the left of the cottages. Before turning left have a rest and enjoy the magnificient views north.

Walk up the road for about a quarter of a mile to pass Legsheath Farm on your left and just beyond on the right is an entrance leading into woodland at a stone footpath marker on the embankment. This wood is particularly lovely in early summer as there are many rhododendrons growing here.

Your way is along a well defined path straight ahead until turning right at a Y-fork and a half-hidden footpath sign on a tree. You will eventually drop down to a footbridge and then bearing left climbing gradually through a field to cross a stile on your left opposite a footpath sign.

Your next stile is half right across the field and again keeping in the same direction across another stile and so onto a track by Dodges Farm.

Turn right for a few yards then left into the farm drive and so out to the Goat-to-Sharpthorne road. Turn left on this extremely dangerous road keeping to where the traffic has the earliest sight of you, and you of it, normally the outside of bends.

Walk for nearly half a mile (ignore the first footpath sign on the right, Tyes Barn) and continue to pass a pair of cottages on the right, then take the second of the two tracks on right (with stone footpath sign under a tree) just past the entrance to Dalingridge Farm.

Bear slightly left and go forward with garages on your right and through what appears to be the rear gardens of “Garden House Cottages” on the right, onto a path, through a gate behind conifer trees which runs parallel with the farm drive. Go onto this path and continue in your original direction to pass a large stone and brick shed and round a sharp left and right bend to a stile. Go ahead and bear slightly left across a piece of rough downhill ground into woodland.

Go downhill to cross a brook at the bottom and straight on and out onto the forest. Bear left along a narrow path through the over-grown heather. When almost at the top of the rising ground you come to a crossing track.
Go left a little way to look for another track off to your right which will lead you out onto the tarmac drive from Cripps Manor to the Wych Cross road.

Here you have an alternative. The easiest walk back to the car park is to turn left and follow the drive to the Wych Cross road and then turn left to the crossroads for the car park. (Just below the car park to the right is a seat and a view of East Grinstead church.)

Alternatively, cross over the tarmac drive to a narrow way through gorse bushes onto a bridleway which runs parallel with the drive. Turn left. The track may be muddy in places, but it is pleasant to walk across the heathland and to look back at the splendid views southwards to the Downs beyond the Weald.

At the top of the slope you meet a wide cross path. Turn left to meet the road, crossing to join a footpath which bears left to the car park.
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Walk route: "Printable map"