Walks from Balcombe
MapBeautiful walks starting or ending at Balcombe Station.
Alternatively, view walks you can reach directly from Balcombe by train.
Balcombe Circular via Nymans
Recommended: Many worthy historic sights along this route — Nymans itself, the village of Slaugham, and two beautiful medieval churches. The first half of the walk is through idyllic rolling woodland. The second half is marred by mostly following (very quiet) roads and lanes rather than footpaths. Mostly secluded.
Woodland: half under tree cover.
Footbridge and Lake Overflow at Nymans Woodland (National Trust; 1h15 in)
Bench With View of the Lake, High Weald National Landscape (National Trust; 1h15 in)
Nymans: "An extensive yet intimate garden set around a romantic house and ruins" (1h45 in).
St Mary's Church (2h15 in)
Slaugham: Very small, but picturesque (2h15 in).
The Ruins of Slaugham Place: The remains of a fine Tudor mansion (2h30 in).
St Mark's Church, Staplefield (3h in)
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
3 lunch spots: Handcross (1h45 in) — Nymans café, JO.CO cafe, or the Red Lion
1 end-of-walk reward: the Victory
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Balcombe Circular via Ardingly Reservoir
Recommended
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
1 lunch spot: Ardingly Reservoir Activity Centre Café (1h45 in)
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Balcombe to East Grinstead
Gentle wooded hills, muddy farm tracks, landscaped gardens, reservoir shoreline, open fields and woodland paths.
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be very muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Haywards Heath to Balcombe
Undulating High Weald farmland, woodland, golf course, reservoir dam wall, fields and a private school grounds.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Haywards Heath to Balcombe
Rolling High Weald hills, woodland, farmland, river valley, golf course, level crossing and quiet lanes.
Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Haywards Heath to Balcombe
High Weald farmland and woodland on the Sussex Ouse Valley Way, past the spectacular 37-arch Ouse Valley Viaduct.
The Ouse Valley Viaduct: An ornate 1841 brick railway viaduct of 37 arches carrying the London-Brighton line over the Ouse.
Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Possible mud near the golf club.
Walk details: Travelog Lewes (tips, photos, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Balcombe Circular via Wakehurst
Undulating High Weald countryside, wooded hillsides, farm fields, covered footbridge over reservoir valley, permissive parkland paths and botanic gardens.
Wakehurst (National Trust)
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Balcombe to Horsham
Wealden woods, farmland fields, streams, ponds, riverside nature reserve and old market town.
Time: 8h30 (7h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be very overgrown.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Balcombe Circular via Ardingly
Undulating High Weald farmland, woodland, reservoir perimeter path, fields and estate grounds.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Source: A variant of Haywards Heath to Balcombe via Ardingly (Saturday Walkers Club).
Balcombe Circular via Wakehurst & St Peter, Ardingly
Reservoir perimeter path, scrubland, farm fields, church lane, showground perimeter, permissive parkland paths and botanic gardens.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Source: A shorter variant of Balcombe Circular via Wakehurst (Saturday Walkers Club).