10
Cowden to Boarshead - 9½ miles (Start point TQ465404)
Roadside parking in Cowden and on the Old Road at Boarshead at
TQ536331
At road junction, turn left and, just short of church, turn right along metalled
drive beside churchyard wall.
After 60 yards, fork right.
Cross drive, follow enclosed path to stile, then pass to left of golf course green
to cross footbridge over Kent Water on county boundary.
Go forward past 15th tee for 60 yards to reach waypost where, turn left
across golf course.
At second waypost, go straight ahead to find stile in crossing hedge.
Maintain direction across two more fields, join drive and, ignoring footbridge
ahead.
Turn left across wide bridge over Kent Water and bear half right across
meadow, converging on and following left edge to stile in corner.
Continue in same direction across next field, with Kent Water nearby on right,
to join B 2026 at TQ474404.
Turn right back over county boundary and, after 30 yards go left over stile,
through private parking area and on through area churned up by horses,
crossing three more stiles.
After fourth stile, bear left over footbridge, re-crossing Kent Water, and turn
right along right edge of three successive fields with stream on right.
Cross substantial footbridge and, disregarding second, similar, bridge on left,
go ahead over stile and along left field edge, back in Sussex.
In field corner go ahead along path with fence on right and stream on left.
Where enclosed path ends after two more footbridges, go ahead across
meadow to another footbridge in far left corner.
Follow left edge of next field until you can go left beneath railway and head
half right across field beyond, joining and following left edge of this and next
field with stream now on left again.
A few yards into third field, turn left over new footbridge and immediately
right along valley, never far from stream, through several fields to join lane at
TQ501405.
Turn right for 10 yards then left along valley, once more near stream, passing
through fields and crossing a finger of golf course.
Soon after passing beneath power lines, cross footbridge and turn right along
right field edge.
After 70 yards, go right over footbridge and climb across field heading for
farm on skyline (field may be ploughed and planted).
Follow track straight ahead between buildings at Willett’s Farm (home-made
ice cream available from farm shop).
About 100 yards beyond last building, turn sharply left off drive across field.
Pass to left of pond and, at far end of field, go through wide gap and
forward to join River Medway on left.
Path squeezes between river on left and small wood on right and continues
along river bank.
Pass with river beneath railway bridge and continue along left field edge to
join A264 at TQ505389.
Turn left beside road, over Medway and back under railway.
Take second turning on right, signed to Ashurst Station.
Pass station on right and follow access drive ahead, signed as ‘No Through
Road‘.
At T-junction turn left along hedged path and, at second junction, go right
along tree-lined track and subsequent left edge of two fields.
At solid oak waypost, turn right for 150 yards to gate and bridge under
railway, now using path shared by SBP and Wealdway.
Beyond railway, bear half left across field to footbridge, then half right across
next field.
On other side of field, turn left along unfenced grass track, following it past
house and garden at Ham Farm on left, to reach road (TQ515370).
Turn left and after 250 yards, go right over stile and cross field corner to
second stile and steps leading up to Forest Way on old railway.
Cross railway track bed to follow path opposite down more steps, over stile
and left along valley, walking parallel to stream on right.
Join B2188 via squeeze stile and turn left.
After 100 yards, go right over stile and veer slightly left across meadow.
After 250 yards, go over stile in left field boundary and bear right along hardsurfaced path, under railway bridge and on to join road and turn right.
After 100 yards, go right over stile, across meadow, over stream and under
railway.
Bear half left up across field, passing 40 yards to left of old pill box.
Go over stile a few yards to left of far field corner, down slope to second stile
and on along valley within wide grassy strip, bordered by woods.
At far end, enter wood through gate and shortly, ignore right fork, keeping to
lower path.
Join lane at Mott’s Mill (TQ523354).
Turn right along lane for about a quarter of a mile.
About 100 yards after passing cottage called ‘Meadowside’ on right, go left
over stile.
Descend steeply to cross stream and climb, keeping to left edge of field with
woodland on left.
In top left corner of field, go over stile and head ESE across field with cottage
about 100 yards to left.
Cross farm track and stile to follow minor power line across two fields and
along left edge of third field, passing ‘Bullfinches Farm’, with oast house, on
left.
Beyond farm, maintain direction (SE) downhill across field, joining and
following left edge of copse.
Towards bottom of hill, bear slightly left, away from copse edge and, at
bottom, go over stile and plank bridge, cross farm track and go ahead
(TQ531344).
Climb along left edge of woodland.
Go slightly right (almost due S) across field, passing to left of clump of trees
surrounding shallow pit.
Go through gap in hedge and ahead across field to gap in another hedge.
Drop downhill across middle of next field to stile in bottom right corner.
Turn left along farm track which crosses stream and climbs as partly
concreted track between banks.
At T-junction, turn right on grassy track alongside of valley, soon climbing
gently. This becomes hollow way leading up to join driveway.
Turn right along drive and follow it out to A26 road at TQ536331.
Cross A26 using ramped paths provided.