Hasrye two

Verified Slow Way

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This route has been on my to do list for some time. Yesterday on a gloriously sunny day it didn't disappoint. I walked from Hastings to Rye, and with a couple of sightseeing diversions and a lunch stop, it took me about five hours. I did the hard part first, with the climb up East Hill followed by the the steep declines and inclines into and out of the clifftop glens. These are in my view the best parts of the walk and you should not be tempted to bypass them. They were very reminiscent of the North Devon coast path. They are however steep and at the end of April still quite muddy. Steps and handrails have been provided in some places to make the descents and ascents a little easier. Although one is walking along the cliffs, the paths are well away from the edge and screened off with bushes so those with vertigo should be OK. These paths are not suitable for wheels however. At Fairlight, just up the lane from the radar station, there is a Country Park Visitor Centre with toilets and a small cafe.

The second half of the walk across the Pett Levels to Rye is by contrast at sea level and completely flat. The path follows the Royal Military Canal and the River Brede the whole way. Pretty straight and easy to follow. Several fields were home to large flocks of ewes with their very pretty lambs. Towards the end the one can see Henry VIII's Camber Castle, built to defend the coastline against invasion from France, but soon stranded 1 mile inland by the shifting of the beach due to long shore drift. An alternative path goes right upto the Castle which is another diversion I didn't do yesterday.

I did however visit the dripping well at the head of Fairlight Glen and walked down the path from the small waterfall back to the route. I also went to visit Fairlight Church which has a tall tower which is open to visitors at the weekends. Both worthwhile diversions.

I really enjoyed walking this route! It's super varied and beautiful. I started in Hastings and ended in Rye. As mentioned below, it's worth paying attention to the incline, there are a lot of steps in the stretch from Fairlight to Hastings. It's also very muddy in autumn/ winter so be sure to wear good sturdy waterproof shoes. It's worth having a wander down Mermaid Street once you get to Rye. It's such a cobbled pretty street! I met a prist along the way, close to Winchelsea. He'd walked the camino and said you just put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Good advice!.

A lovely varied route that until recently was unsafe due to coastal landslips. Those areas in Hastings Country Park have been repaired and now you can enjoy the whole of this route with ease. We walked this last weekend with friends and even in mizzle and low cloud it was dramatic and worthwhile.

There's a new cafe at Pett Level where the beach ends, and that neatly provides a breather around the midway distance point of the walk, if not the midway effort point.

If you have painful joints you might want to pay attention to the elevation profile as there are several descents and climbs (usually using steps instead of slippery slopes) in the nicest part of the Country Park which could potentially be demoralising, but you can skip the coast in a few places, if necessary, and take the alternative long track down Barley Lane into Hastings.

This is a path of two halves. The first is gentle, open and flat; the second hilly, and covered, with glimpses of the sea. The path from Rye to the coast follows the Brede River, starting by the Brede Sluice where the green grass path runs alongside the river. After walking through a large wooden gate and through a private parking area, the path opens up. The river to the right and grass fields of the Castle Water Reserve to your left. The path moves away from the river across the open space. Soon you reach a kissing gate crossing the path. The sloway route actually runs to the right of the gate, staying on top of the dike and via the sewage works. Yet we couldn't resist walking the slight deviation past the ruin of Camber Castle after crossing the kissing gate and walking through the open fields. We then rejoined the sloway route after crossing the farms and just before the path moves to the road that follows the river. The next few hundred metres are on the road, past private gardens. The pavement is safe and soon, before the road reaches Winchelsea the footpath is signed posted on the lefthand side of the road, running to the left of the Royal Military Canal. This is now part of the Saxon Shore Way and runs along flat ground until you reach the coast near Cliff End. This section was quite pleasant and perfect to enjoy listening to and catching the sight of reed warblers, linnets, lapwings and swans. As you reach the coast the sloway veers right running parallel to the coast and the road and although on the map it shows running onto the right of the Canal, this path is definitely no longer there as the gardens back onto the water. Therefore, stay always on the path, with the canal on your right until you reach the road at Cliff End. Just at this spot there are public toilets which are just perfect before the path changes and the second half of the route starts to climb. There are about 50 meters to walk along the road, so stay on the righthand side till you reach the small junction where the new footpath is signed posted on the lefthand side of the road, climbing up under the trees and the back of well kept gardens. As the path levels up you finally discover the sea, visible between the trees, with fine views of the beach at Cliff End and across Rye Bay the point of Dungeness. The path continues on top of the cliff and sea views a little longer, until you reach Fairlight Cove. Coastal erosion has taken its toll and as a result the route through Fairlight Cove has to move inland one block, turning right away from Smugglers way into Bramble Way, before rejoining Channel Way a further block away to avoid the area which has fallen into the sea. The path continues along the road, looking to the sea, climbing gently along until it enters the Fire Hills and the Hastings Country Park. The path now climbs and descends sharply 3 times as you cross three glens: Warren, Fairlight and Ecclesbourne. At times you walk under trees, in cool, humid conditions and as you reach the top you can enjoy the views of the cliffs and trees ahead. This path was a bit more unkept and rough and would be surely muddy under different weather conditions (we walked it in June after a number of dry and warm days), so make sure to wear sturdy waterproof shoes if walking in rainy weather. The path is harder but enjoyable and delivers you after all those climbs and descents to the top of East Hill Park, where you can enjoy some great views across to Hastings and if you are lucky the cliffs of Beachy Head beyond. The rest of the way is along the seafront before taking the road up to the station.

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