Pealew two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Pealew here.

This was a wonderful walk, starting from a bus stop in Peacehaven but very quickly reaching open land. The secluded and very quiet valley where this route differs from PeaLew 1 adds variety. At that time many of the fields were flooded (not the route though) extending the wetlands up stream. At the end I met the River Ouse, recently designated an independent legal entity, and followed it to just outside Lewes. A sign explained the Egret Way hasn't been fully surfaced yet, but the final work was due to start in Spring 2024?! I was lucky to find signs of mink feeding and stopped to watch short eared owls hunting in part of the extensive marsh and wet fields visible from the embankment. A happy accident which meant I approached Lewes as the sun was low in the sky glowing through the reedbeds, dramatically shading the folds of Firling Beacon and Mount Caburn and highlighting what looks like a relict ridge and furrow farming system.

The route is let down a little by the GPS file linking sparse points which is a bit more involved if you are navigating with a GPS watch or an app. Snap To Fit functionality might, or might not, automatically resolve this. Presumably this also explains why it goes along an unusable alley in Peacehaven. Also, as David notes, it leads you through the local dump by the Lewes waterworks instead of the encircling wooded pathway, although for me that was after hours, and so empty bar a dog walker, there were no significant physical barriers either. As navigation of PeaLew 3 is easier and clearly avoids the dump I've given that route 5 stars and this only 4 and a maybe. I'd probably have given 5 otherwise.

I walked from Peacehaven to Lewes in early March 2025 following a few dry weeks but a very wet winter. There were stiles and gates and a fairly steep hill dropping into the small valley and shortly before the hill was a narrow wet and muddy stretch between brambles, enough to splatter up onto my hastily applied gaiters. Nowhere else was significantly wet except puddles on the Egrets Way, below the embankment which I chose for better views, and one short muddy bit of embankment, easily stepped across. The embankment paths was occasionally rutted. The only facilities are at Southease, turn east at the iron bridge for Southease station and a few minutes further for the YHA with an all day café and water refills or turn west for the bus stop in Southease village. Apparently there's a lovely display of snowdrops in the churchyard. Photos have not uploaded in quite the right order.

Walked from Peacehaven to Lewes. On arrival in Lewes, the route takes you off the footpath and on to a track which leads to a locked gate at water works. Sadly a failure. I will post a corrected version as I was able to complete the walk.

Walked from Lewes to Peacehaven. An absolutely glorious and peaceful walk along the west bank of the River Ouse to Piddinghoe, then up over the Downs past Halcombe Farm to Peacehaven.

The route is easy to follow, there are no stiles and just a couple of kissing gates to negotiate. There are no shops, pubs or facilities along the way.

I walked at the end of May, after a period of dry weather, consequently the lower path beside the river was dry. I do know that this path floods after periods of heavy rain and high tide (the river here is tidal). This leaves the path wet and muddy. The upper path along the levee bank is more overgrown.

A new cycle path called the Egrets Way has been laid below the levee bank for part of the route. This provides an easier surface to walk on.

Route follows the river Ouse for the majority and then follows a tarmacked bridleway over the hill into Peacehaven.
Was a bit muddy in places and probably vulnerable to flooding at high tide.

The start/end point in Peacehaven is probably in the wrong place too, suggest it needs to be a bit further west at the Meridian Centre.

There is a project to establish a surfaced cycle route between Lewes and Newhaven.. Pealew (and Lewnew) would be best following this if/when it ever gets finished!.

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