Wealdway facts for kids
The Wealdway is a super long walking path in Kent and East Sussex, England. It stretches for about 134 kilometers (that's 83 miles!) from Gravesend, a town right by the River Thames, all the way down to Eastbourne, near the famous Beachy Head cliffs. It's a great way to explore the beautiful countryside.
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Connecting with Other Great Paths
The Wealdway is special because it's the only path that goes from north to south in this part of England, connecting the Thames Estuary to the south coast. It crosses different types of land, like the North Downs hills and the Weald area.
When you start in Gravesend, you can even take a ferry across the Thames to Tilbury and find more paths there. At the other end, in Eastbourne, the Wealdway connects to the famous South Downs Way. This means you can keep exploring even more of England's amazing walking routes!
The Wealdway's Story
The idea for the Wealdway started way back in 1970. Members of a group called the Ramblers' Association wanted to create this long path.
The first maps and descriptions of the route came out in the mid-1970s. But it took until 1981 to publish the full guide because some parts of the path between Uckfield and Eastbourne needed a lot of work. Also, new motorways and a flood barrier near Tonbridge meant the path had to change its route a few times.
Exploring the Wealdway Route
The Wealdway takes you on an amazing journey through different landscapes.
Starting from the Thames Estuary
Your adventure begins in Gravesend. From there, the path heads south, crossing a main road called the A2. You'll walk through small villages like Sole Street and Luddesdown.
Then, the path climbs up to meet the North Downs Way near Trottiscliffe and Vigo Village. After that, you'll go down the steep side of the North Downs, crossing the M20 and A20 motorways.
The path continues through places like Platt and Mereworth Woods. You'll get great views of the River Medway valley before heading down to West Peckham. The path then follows the Medway River upstream for about 6 miles (10 km), passing through Tonbridge to Hayesden.
After Tonbridge, the path goes south again, under a railway and a bypass. It climbs up to a ridge at Bidborough and then through to Southborough. Finally, it follows a mix of paths and roads to the A264 road at Stone Cross.
Journeying Through Kent and Sussex
As you continue, the Wealdway crosses into Sussex. It follows the hills and then drops down into the upper Medway valley, winding its way to Withyham.
One of the most exciting parts is when the path leads you to Five Hundred Acre Wood. This is the famous wood that inspired A. A. Milne's stories about Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin! The path through this wood became an official public right of way in 1970.
The path then climbs to Greenwood Gate Clump, which is at the top of Ashdown Forest, about 720 feet (220 meters) above sea level. You'll continue on high ground to Camp Hill and then to Browns Brook Cottage.
The route goes on to Buxted Park and then Uckfield. You'll walk around Blackboys, where there's a Youth Hostel. The path then goes through East Hoathly and Chiddingly.
You'll walk up Gun Hill, passing through farmland and pasture with small woods called coppice. The path then goes down into the Cuckmere valley at Hellingly, crossing the A22 road south of Horsebridge.
Next, you'll pass through Upper Dicker and cross the River Cuckmere again to reach Arlington. You'll also pass Wilmington, where you can see the amazing Long Man, a huge chalk figure carved into the hillside that's 226 feet (69 meters) tall!
The path climbs and falls again towards Jevington. Finally, it climbs to Willingdon Hill, which is 659 feet (201 meters) high. From there, it's about 2 miles (3 km) downhill to the Eastbourne Youth Hostel on the A259 road. You can then choose to continue walking along the path right into the resort town of Eastbourne itself!
