Lindfield Primary School
High Weald Welly Walk
Walk Facts
High Weald Heroes is a primary school programme that encourages children to do the following actions:
• PleaseusewithanOrdnanceSurveyExplorerMap.• Wearsturdyfootwearorwellingtons,beingawareofunevengroundandfallentrees,especiallynearwaterandinwetweather.
•Longtrousersareadvised.• Checktheweather-waterproofsorhatsandsuncreammightbeneeded.
•Takingadrinkwithyouisadvisable.• Consideradequateadulttochildsupervisionratiosaspathsarenarrow,thegroupwillspreadoutandthereareroadsandstilestocross.
• Plantssuchasnettlesandbramblescanstingandscratch;berriesfromplantscancausestomachupsetsifeaten.
• WhilsttherearetoiletfacilitiesinLindfieldvillage,we recommend that toilet paper and hand wipes aretakenasaprecaution.
• Everyonemustcleantheirhandsbeforeeating.•Rememberthatalargegroupofpeoplecanbeintimidating,especiallytoanimals.Footpaths and rights of way are subject to change. The •walk should always be checked for new risks before venturing out, especially when planning to take groups of children.Remember to follow the Countryside Code.•
Lindfield
Be a High Weald Hero - you can make a difference
Find out aboutthehabitatsyouwalkthrough-discoverthestorybehindthelandscape.Tofindoutmore go to the learning zone on www.highweald.org
yourselfandhavefunoutdoorswhatevertheweather.
yourlocalenvironmentasyouwalk.RemembertofollowtheCountrysideCode.Formoreinformation,visitwww.naturalengland.org.uk
Enjoy!
Explore
Take Care of
yourcountryside.Tellotherpeopleaboutthespeciallandscapearoundyourschool-evenbetter,takethemonyourschool’sWellyWalkandshow them!
the local countryside around your school-there’snowhereelsequitelikeit.
Be proud of
Produced by the High Weald AONB Unit with support from:
RISK ASSESSMENT - Points to consider
Distance: 2.6miles/4.2km.
Time: 1.5hours(dependingonconditionsandnumbersandexcludingstops).
Description: A short circular walkthroughfields,woodsandthehistoricvillageofLindfield.Pathscangetverymuddyandthereissomeroadwalkingandbusierroadstocross.
TheHighWealdAreaofOutstandingNaturalBeauty(AONB)isoneofEngland’sFinestLandscapes,protectedfor its historic character of: rolling hills draped with small irregularfields;abundantwoodsandhedges;scatteredfarmsteads;andsunkenlanes.Itcoverspartsof4counties:EastSussex,WestSussex,KentandSurreyandhasanareaof1,457squarekilometres(570squaremiles).
www.highweald.org
Photo guide and route descriptionFromtheSchoolcarpark,turnlefttoreachtheendofSchoolLane.CrossBackwoodsLaneandwalkontoLindfieldCommon.FromthecarparkontheCommon,walktowardsthehousesoppositeyou,straightacrossthegrass.WhenyoureachWestView,crossoverandwalkuptothemainroad,tobeoppositeNoah’sArkLane.TurnrightalongthemainroadandwalkalongLewesRoad.Walkalongthepavement,crossingScraseStreamandGravelyeLane.Keepgoing,intoWalsteadandupScampsHill.FindasafeplacetocrossbeforeyoureachEastMascallsLanewhichwillbeonyourleft.Turndownhere,followingsignstoGreatWalsteadSchoolandtheGolfClub.
Walkalongthisroad,passingtheburialgroundonyourleft.Wherethepavementrunsout,carefullycrosstheroadandwalkalongthegrassyverge(takecareasthevergeisquitenarrow).Beawareofunevengroundanddrainageholes!Keepgoinguntilyouseeapublicfootpathonyourleft.Crossoverandfollowthetrackdown SnowflakesLane.WhenyoureachWalsteadForge,takethenarrowfootpaththroughthetreesandcontinuestraightover2bridges.Keepgoinguntiltheendofthepathandturnrightalongthepavedtrack.
For guidance only; actual conditions may be different from those shown, depending on the weather and time of year.
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Keepgoing,straightonpastthemetalbarrier,overthebridgeandfollowingthepathuphill–openfieldstoyourleftandright.Youshouldbeabletoseethechurchtowerovertoyourleft.
Continueuntilyoureachafarmyardgate.Turnlefthereand,afterapproximately300metres,bearrightatthejunctionoffootpaths.Followthepath,asitbecomesmoreenclosedwithafencedowntheleftside,untilyoureachastile.Crossoverthestileandbearright,towardsthechurch.Turnleftintothechurchyardandbearlefttocomeoutonthemainroad.TurnleftandwalkallthewaydowntheHighStreet.Findasafeplacetocrossoversothatyoucancontinuewalkingonthepavementupto,andaround,thepond.FollowthepavementallthewayuntilyouareoppositeSchoolLane.Crossover,walkdownSchoolLaneandyouwillsoonbebackatLindfieldPrimarySchool.
Wildflower Grassland
This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. ©Crown Copyright . Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. West Sussex County Council - 1000 18485, 2012.
Rolling Hills
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Ancient WoodlandTreesandwoodlandcoveroverone-thirdoftheHighWealdandareakeylandscapefeature.
ThewoodsoftheHighWealdwererelativelyslowtobeclearedbecausetheywereavaluableresource:providingtimberforbuilding,fuelforheatingandcharcoalforironsmelting,aswellasanimalfeed-acornsandbeechmastforpigs.EvenwhenagriculturalclearancedidbeginintheHighWeald,muchwoodlandwasretainedandcontinuedtoprovidevaluableresources,particularlyfortheironindustry.
Today,70%oftheHighWeald’swoodlandsareclassedasancient-havingexistedcontinuouslysinceatleast1600AD.Theyhavebeenmaintainedforcenturiesbyskilledworkersusingarotationalcoppicingsystem.
Coppicingiswhentreesarecutdownlowtothegroundinsuchawaythatthestemsgrowbackafterwards.Thetreesarecutonceevery10-15years.Theharvestedwoodisusedtomakeproductssuchasfencingstakes,charcoal,hurdlesandtrugs.Buyinglocalwoodproductshelpstoensurethecontinuationoftraditionalmanagement.
Whenthetreesarecoppiced,thelight can reach right down to thegroundasthebranchesandleavesarenolongershadingthefloor.Thismeanslotsofwildplants can grow including bluebells,woodanemonesandwildgarlic.Theseplantsattractinsectstofeedonthenectar,andbirdsandsmallmammalseatthefruitsandseeds.
Often,rarerspeciesarenowonlyfoundinworkingcoppice.
High Weald PondsTheWealdhasoneofthehighestconcentrationofpondsinSouthEastEngland.
AsyouwalkpasttheVillagePondonthisWellyWalk,thinkaboutwhyitmighthavebeencreated.Manypondshavedevelopedbecauseofhumanactivity,e.g.quarrying,whileotherswerecreatedasdrinkingpondsforfarmanimals.
IntheHighWeald,somelarge‘hammerponds’canalsobefound.Thesewerecreatedtopowerthebellowsandhammersoftheironindustry.
Historic BuildingsThetraditionalbuildingmaterials and styles oftheHighWealdarean essential part of the landscape’sdistinctivecharacter.Thebuildingmaterialshavecome,infact,fromthatverylandscape-soitishardly surprising that theyblendinsowell.
Linkswiththearea’swoodedpastareevidentinthenumberoftimber-framedandweather-boardedbuildings,whilstthewidespreaduseofsandstone,bricksandtilesistestimonytotheHighWeald’sunderlyinggeologyofsandstoneandclay.
Youcanseeexamplesofsometraditional-stylebuildingsasyouwalkdowntheHighStreetfrompoint 12 .
A Medieval Landscape Bythe14thcentury,theHighWealdwassettledandlookedmuchthesameasitdoestoday.ThelandscapeoftheHighWealdisessentiallymedieval:thiscanbesaidoffewotherplacesinthecountry.
Withtheirheavyclaysoilsandsteepslopes,manyHighWealdfieldshaveneverbeenplougheduptogrowcropsandhavetraditionallybeenusedforrearingcattleandsheep.ComparedtomanyareasofBritain,theHighWealdstillhasarelativelylargenumberofancient,wildflower-richhaymeadowsandpastures.
These‘unimproved’grasslandsaresomeofourmostimportanthabitatsforconservationandyoucanenjoyseeingexamplesofthemonthisWellyWalk.
The Story of the High Weald’s Fields OneofthedistinctivelandscapefeaturesoftheHighWealdisitspatternofsmall,irregularfields.AftertheAnglo-Saxonperiod,settlersbeganmovingintotheHighWealdinincreasingnumbers.
Theseearlyfarmersbeganclearing the surrounding woodsandscrubtomakefieldsforcropsandlivestock.Theseclearancesweredoneinanunplannedwaybytheindividualfarmers.
ThisiswhytheHighWeald’sfieldsarerelativelysmallandirregularinshape.
LookcloselyatthemapinthisWellyWalkleaflettoseewhatshapesthefieldsareinandaroundLindfield.
Watch the ‘Jacob’ video at www.highweald.org to learn more about coppicing.
Think about the different habitats that you walk through on this Welly Walk - can you spot any creatures that live in the ponds, trees or fields?
What local building materials can you spot on the buildings that you pass?
Valerie Alford, ESCC Landscape Group
Did you know...?The name ‘Lindfield’ means ‘open land with lime
trees’. How many lime trees can you count as you walk down the High Street?
