The High Weald National Landscape, formerly known as the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is an 1,461 square kilometre area in south east England.
It spreads across parts of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. A National Landscape (formerly known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)) is a legally protected countryside area, protected to conserve and enhance its natural beauty. There are 46 National Landscapes across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
What makes a National Landscape?
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- Landscape Quality: The area must have a high physical attributes score, meaning it retains excellent photographic harmony and a high level of intactness, with few modern visual intrusions.
- Scenic Quality: The landscape must possess striking visual appeal, whether through dramatic landforms, distinct architectural styles, or striking color contrasts.
- Relative Wildness: While these are working landscapes, they must offer a strong sense of remoteness, tranquility, and isolation from major urban developments.
- Natural Heritage: The region must feature unique geological formations, landforms, and high-value wildlife habitats that are characteristic of the local environment.
- Cultural Heritage: The area is defined by its human history, including archaeological remains, historical land-use patterns, vernacular building materials, and associations with art or literature.”
Where is the High Weald?
You can download a map of High Weald here: map
However, it runs from Hastings to Herstmonceux, just south of Heathfield and across to Cuckfield and Horsham. From Horsham the boundary runs to East Grinstead and across to Groombridge, Cranbrook and down to Rye. It includes 17 market towns and larger villages, and 30 manor houses, castles and gardens. Perhaps most importantly it is home to 3,720 species of plants and animals.
The High Weald Landscape
The High Weald is on a sandstone area known from Saxon times as the Weald. It is an area of ancient Medieval countryside made up of small mixed farms and woodlands, thought to be a typical English landscapes and one of the best preserved Medieval landscapes in North West Europe.
Exploring the High Weald
There are dozens of ways to discover the High Weald. The area is criss-crossed with footpaths, ancient droveways and bridleways including the High Weald Landscape Trail which runs from Horsham to Rye. It also includes Ashdown Forest.
Interesting towns within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty include Battle, Mayfield, Winchelsea, Forest Row and Ardingly. Crowborough is surrounded by it and Cuckfield, Rye and East Grinstead sit on the boundary.
You’ll also find plenty of vineyards within the High Weald such as Fox and Fox and Oastbrook Estate Vineyard as well as places of interest to visit like Bodiam Castle, Herstmonceux Castle, Great Dixter House and Gardens, Wakehurst Gardens, Nymans, Bateman’s, Standen House and the Jack Fuller Follies. And of course, there are reservoirs at Ardingly, Bewl Water and Darwell if you wish to take to the water and hundreds of interesting and historic churches.
Recommended itinerary
We recommend a four centre itinerary that starts in Horsham and ends in Rye, via Ashdown Forest and Mayfield.
- From Horsham: explore St Leonard’s Forest, Ardingly Reservoir and Wakehurst.
- From Ashdown Forest: base your explorations from Ashdown Park Hotel and explore the forest, Standen House and East Grinstead.
- From Mayfield: cycle the Cuckoo Trail, explore local vineyards and visit Bewl Water.
- From Rye: visit Winchelsea, Great Dixter and Battle.
However, you choose to explore, you are bound to want to come back and re visit.
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