Blackboys to High Hurstwood

Blackboys to High Hurstwood loop - 10.6 miles

We moved the Monday Walk to Tuesday because the weather forecast was so different between the days. Monday was low cloud and drizzly rain and Tuesday was cold brilliant sun and an ideal winter walk day.

We drove to the village of Blackboys. Now some might consider this a bit racist to call a village this name but it has been called this since the 1300's and its believed its name derives from the making of Charcoal in the area, "bois" being French (the local feudal language then) for wood and so the literal meaning was "Black Wood" and not as we might think now, a coloured gentleman from Africa. We wondered if the village had ever been called Noirbois!

Anyway, off we set in the sunshine through a terrific mix of wood, open countryside and wonderful Autumn views. Buxted Hose, set in Buxted park looked magnificent and we learnt that the path actually took us through the site of the medieval village of Buxted although there is nothing left of it to see. Apparently in the early 1800's the then Prime Minister Lord Liverpool decided that his view from the house was marred by the village and so he got it moved to the back of the big house! Those villagers knew who was boss in those days.

Meandering our way through the Sussex countryside we were aiming for a pub at High Hurstwood and it didn't disappoint. Imaginatively named "The Hurstwood" we enjoyed good ale and posh-nosh for dinner (It was classed as a "Gastro-Pub" and we looked a bit out of place in our muddy walking boots and tops!).

Refreshed and with only a few hills to negotiate on the 4.5 mile return journey we continued to enjoy the afternoon sun and the way it bought out the colours in the trees.