Our original plan for Robertsbridge was therefore postponed and the 3 of us drove to Battle to set the coordinates towards Seddlescombe village. Once there we parked and invested our savings with the local council obliging to 'Pay & Display' as the sign suggested.
The slate grey skies looked heavy with rain as we commenced our ritual of doning waterproof trousers and raincoats in the car park. The nearby twitten beckoned our adventure to start and were soon heading down the first lane, preparing to encounter a few rain soaked paths. Little did we know just how the state of the footpaths would turn out.
The walk passed under the main Hastings to London railway line and absorbed the damp air within it. The aromatic senses were swiftly tested as we passed alongside the sewage works then toward a field containing unharvested sweetcorn with a double rainbow arching its colours across the darkened skyline.
Crossing Marley Lane, the walk then went across the bottom of numerous gardens. Rain showers were becoming regular but not so bad as to deter our attention from the evidence of wildlife alongside an adjacent stream. Horses were ready to greet us on the final field thinking we may be able to liberate them at the gate. In the distance, a heron was taking flight and as we caught sight of the traffic on the A21, sheep were running around in an attempt to avoid our closer attention.
They succeeded and the final stile was climbed over before the final muddy path into Seddlescombe.
We sat at the shelter in the central green. Locals were going about their business. The bins were efficiently emptied by our side. (not certain why it took 2 council workers to undertake such a task).
Rested after 15 minutes, we re-traced our steps back towards the lane we entered the village, but then turned left and crossed the A21 about half a mile south from where we'd crossed it before.
It was time to ready ourselves for the more muddy trek through the Great Wood after walking through a narrow wooded gully where more evidence of badgers could be seen. Our sticks held tightly and with map in hand we navigated our way along the formal trackways which, due to the recent heavy rainfall and even heavier machinery that had been maneuvering felled trees, challenged every step with mud splattering in numerous directions. Stamina was our only saving grace and we kept the pace going through sections of the wood which we later discovered had been closed for public access.
Back out onto Marley Lane and we explored the interesting variety of houses. The level crossing remained open as the climb up towards the centre of Battle came into sight. Like Pilgrims walking through the well dressed residents of Battle who nodded in respectful acknowledgement of what could have been a walk that had taken 3 days, not 3 hours. The walk was actually 6.2 miles by the way.
Arriving back in the car park, we disrobed and drove out of Battle to stop off for a liquid lunch at the Bull in Boreham Street.
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