Crawley Down

Highlights

• A true family walk
• Woodland and farmland
• The Bluebell Railway

These walks are named after the popular film, "The Railway Children", which was filmed on and around the Bluebell Railway. It takes in beautiful Sussex countryside and remains close to the railway, so that scenes are often enhanced by the passing steam trains.
Crawley Down was the site of Grange Road station on the Three Bridges-East Grinstead line.

The Route

Leaving Crawley Down shops behind you, cross into Burleigh Way (signposted Worth Way) with the Royal Oak public house on your left (OS ref: 346375). Turn into the second road on the right, Woodland Drive (signed Worth Way), and then take the first left, Hazel Way (also signposted Worth Way). Where Hazel Way eventually curves to the left, continue forward into Cobb Close (opposite number 67 Hazel Way and signposted Worth Way), dropping downhill for a short distance and then continue forward on cycle track 21. Keeping the pond on your left, walk up the incline and re-join the line of the dismantled railway line.

In a little over a mile, at a crossing footpath (OS ref: 365382), turn right through a galvanised kissing gate into a field - signed West Sussex Border Path. (Before turning right, there is the option to turn left for a short distance to view Gullege Farm, a fine Jacobean house.)

Having gone through the kissing gate into the field, follow the right side of the field for a short distance, until the field edge turns to the right. Keep forward on a cross-field path, sign-posted Sussex Border Path. At the far side of the field, continue forward into the next field, on the same line on a cross-field path (signposted Sussex Border Path), passing a small mid-field pond on your left. At the far side, continue forward on a track that crosses the next field. At the end of this field, pass through the gateway and turn right on a crossing footpath - signed West Sussex Border Path. In a few metres, cross a stile and continue forward on a cross-field path to a gap in the hedge. Pass through the gap and continue forward on a cross-field path.

When the path reaches the field edge (signposted Sussex Border Path) continue along right side of field. At field corner cross stile and continue on same line. In about fifty metres, cross stile and footbridge and continue forward on cross-field path (signed Sussex Border Path). Cross stile and continue on left side of field. Pass pond on left, go though gateway, and continue with fence on your left. Go over the stile by the gate and continue ahead for fifty metres to gate leading to the road, by a mobile phone mast. Join the road, and continue forward (signed West Sussex Border Path). This unsurfaced road (Burleigh Lane) leads to a surfaced road, Sandhill Lane, which continues to Grange Road, Crawley Down and the completion of the walk.

This circular route was walked and checked in April 2004.
If you found any ambiguity or inaccuracy in this route description, please let us know at mandrhoran@supanet.com

Safety

This is a family walk with few difficulties.

Notes

BUS ROUTES
Check services and times with Metrobus at 01293 449191 or www.metrobus.co.uk

No.82 Crawley Down/Crawley/Three Bridges/Haywards Heath.
No.84 East Grinstead/Sharpthorne/Crawley Down/Three Bridges Crawley (no Sunday service).
Other buses to and from Crawley Down include the No.624 Horley and East Grinstead, No.684 East Grinstead/Crawley Down/Crawley, 291 East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells, and the 391, 692, and 693 Crawley buses.
There is limited public transport at Kingscote - the 473 goes to and from East Grinstead.

Car Parking

Crawley Down was the site of Grange Road station on the Three Bridges-East Grinstead line.