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It’s been over two months since my last cross-countryramble, and to say I was getting itchy feet would be an understatement.Incessant rain and waterlogged fields, both of which would have madecross-country walking perhaps not quite impossible, but certainly down rightmiserable, finally came to an end as the calendar changed into April. So lastFriday, after a week and a half of dry weather, it was finally time to dust offmy trusty walking boots, wrap up warm and head off out, back on the trail.
The trail concerned is the Tunbridge Wells Circular Walk (TWCW), a 26-milefootpath encompassing this attractive Kenish town, that I’ve been trying tocomplete for over a year. It’s a trail I’d been keen on walking ever since Ifirst heard about it from a friend, but just over two years ago, whilstenjoying a quiet pint at Larkin’s Ale House, in Cranbrook, I came across aguidebook to this circular walk. Liking what I saw, I purchased a copy with theintention of completing this walk, but not before finishing the North Downs Way.
That’s a story for another day, although to set the recordstraight, I finished that particular Long-Distance Footpath in October 2022. Itwasn’t long after, that the weather changed for the worse, following the onsetof winter. This meant postponing my attempt at the TWCW until February 2023,when I walked slightly under half of the Southborough to Pembury section of thetrail. Between then, and now I completed the latter section, followed byPembury to Frant, and then Frant to Eridge.
That latter walk took place 10 weeks ago, but further progresswas stalled by two months of persistent rain which meant February and March werecomplete washouts. Last Friday, I picked up, from where I left off back at thestart of February, by taking the No. 29 bus to Eridge Green, crossing busy A26road, before passing the churchyard and continuing along a track to EridgeRocks. My aim was to walk the three and a half odd miles from Eridge toGroombridge, passing on the way the impressive rocky outcrops that make upHarrison’s Rocks. Despite a much-needed dry spell at the start of April, the weatheragain took a turn for the worse, with several heavy downpours, mid-afternoon.
The rain occurred at the worst possible time imaginable,with the heavens opening whilst I was a third of the way across a rather large,and very open field, with nothing at all in the way of shelter. I could see therain saturated clouds blowing across the unprotected field in waves, but withno shelter I had to just keep going. The new hat which Mrs PBT’s bought for me,kept the rain off my head, whilst the three-quarter length coat, meant most ofmy upper body remained dry.
I crossed the stream at bottom of field, and then continueduphill, before reaching a metalled road which took me past some ratherattractive looking properties. The track then veered away to the left anddownhill past the intriguingly named Pinstraw Farm, before emerging through thetrees at nearby Forge Farm, into an open meadow with the Spa Valley Railway Line to theleft, and the start of the ridge formed by Harrison’s Rocks to the right. Thesetall, impressive sandstone outcrops extend a long way following the line of thevalley and are surprisingly high in places. They are popular with both novice rockscramblers, and more experienced mountaineers, including well-known climbers,such as Chris Bonningon.
The path followed the lien of the railway for some distance,before veering of to the right and into Birchden Wood. I hadn’t seen a singlesoul until I reached the nearby car park and toilet area, so after making useof the facilities there I headed off on the final stage of that part of thewalk. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the muddiest stretch of the entirewalk, as it followed a narrow path, hemmed in by a field of horses on one side,plus a row of back gardens on the other. By the time I reached the end, wherethe path crossed over a railway junction, my boots were caked in mud, which wasespecially annoying, seeing as I’d managed to avoid any mud up until that partof the walk.
Away to my right I could see Groombridge station, whilst tomy left was Birchden Junction, where the line towards London once deviated awayfrom the tracks down towards Eridge, Lewes and the south coast. It was sheerfolly closing these rail-lines, particularly as they provided usefuldiversionary routes away from the London-Brighton mainline, but this country isinfamous for poor choices and short-term decisions that made little sense at thetime, and even less looking back.
I’d reached Groombridge by this point and discovered that it’sa much larger village than I realised. My plan had been t call in for a quick andwell-earned pint at the Junction Inn, one of two pubs in a village which isdivided unequally between Kent and Sussex. For the record, the smallest, andoldest part of Groombridge is located on the Kent side of the river Grom, andthe picturesque, 16th Century, Crown Inn, overlooking the green, isthe better-known pub.
The 19th Century Junction Inn, on the Sussex side,is more functional, anddown to earth, and as it is many years since my last visit there, I was keen topop inside and take a look. Unfortunately, I took a wrong turning and foundmyself heading down towards the busy B2110 Tunbridge Wells-East Grinstead road.So, with a bus due in 15 minutes, and with an hour’s wait until the next one, Iheaded for the nearby bus shelter to await the arrival of the 291 bus. Arrivingback in Tunbridge Wells, at the top of the town, I dived into Fuggles where Ienjoyed a very tasty and well-deserved pint of Gadd’s HPA. I exchanged a few pleasantries with Fuggles owner, Alex Grieg, before spotting Clive and Martin, two friends from CAMRA. I joined them for a pint plus a catch-up chat,that was inevitably about walking, but whilst I was tempted to stay for another,I thought it was time to be getting home, and grab a bite to eat as well.
There isnow just one section of the TWCW left to do, and that is the six mile stretch betweenGroombridge and Southborough. Weather and other commitments permitting, I aimto knock this section on the head, sooner rather than later. To be continued……………………..

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