The boots and backpacks were checked and with map in hand we ventured across the road and were soon exploring across a field of sheep after stumbling over our encounter with the first stile of the day.
We walked in the direction of the Church which was quietly keeping company alongside a ruin of a substantial manor house built in the 13th century. We walked to the right of the remaining wall and into a field whose footpath followed the powdermill stream for approximately half a mile.
The pace was bordering on somewhere between a stroll and an amble as we spotted the occasional mushroom and encountered scampering sheep. There was no rush as we followed the directions on the sheet printed from E Sussex County Council.
We had decided to extend the walk as the circular walk was only 3.5miles and considered our levels of fitness and desire to go 'off piste' outweighed the need to rush around. We'd already parked further away than the directions had suggested (Crowhurst Railway Station), and the weather was brightening up with glimpses of blue sky and sunshine.
More pheasants were appearing and close inspection on the numerous feeders we saw, suggested that they were being fattened up for the shooting season. Soon these paths would be full of gun-shots and dogs retrieving the same birds.
We waved graciously at the driver of a pick up van as it drove near us along the track. We had orientated ourselves back towards the Woods into which were aiming for.
Fore Wood is an RSPB nature reserve and signs suggested that Woodpeckers inhabited the area, although confessed to seeing very little bird life.
We realised how close we were to the railway line as 2 trains were heard only a couple hundred yards from the woods and observed Hastings to London commuters. We descended next to a steep deep ghyll and eventually exited the woods into a field within sight of the path we had walked about an hour previously.
The final section of the walk directed us back towards the church and as we walked next top the church found the large and very old Yew tree. The information suggested that the tree was somewhere between 1000 and 3000 years old. The twisted sculptured branches were going in every direction and the sun captured the different colours of the bark throughout its height.
We finally retraced our steps across the field we initially walked at the start of our walk. With the extended diversion we had completed 4.5 miles as we entered the car park.
