The Pevensey Levels are a quiet and historic corner of Sussex and if you’re looking for Pevensey Levels walks, you have a couple of great options to choose from.
A bit about the Pevensey Levels
The Pevensey Levels are a large area between Bexhill, Pevensey, Eastbourne, Hailsham and Herstmonceux. In Roman times, the area was a bay and so mainly underwater and it wasn’t until well after the Norman invasion, that the land was reclaimed from the sea. These days, some of the area is a nature reserve which does not have public access and the area also includes a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Ramsar site and a Special Area of Conservation. As you’d expect, it’s home to lots of wildlife including rare species.
Pevensey Levels walks
If you’re driving east, along the A27, once you’ve past Eastbourne, the landscape changes. With Stone Cross and Westham to your right, and the wind farm to your left, the land flattens and grassy reeds start to wave gently at you, hinting at the wetlands beyond. You can tell you’re not far from the sea and there is that inevitable sense of history that comes with Romans, Normans and lost villages (oh, and the fact that you have just passed a sign that says welcome to 1066 Country). In short, the area begs to be explored by foot.
A word of warning, when planning a walk, try and avoid any road walking. The roads across the levels look like sleepy lanes on the map, but in particular, Wartling Road that goes from Pevensey to Wartling and joins the A271 seems to attract traffic that drives really fast and there are lots of sections where there is no verge for pedestrians.
There are also not many (or any) short, circular walks.
Walk 1. Pevensey to Herstmonceux, linear 10 km approx.
You can walk from Pevensey village to the Science Centre at Herstmonceux Castle (9.5 km) and catch the bus back from there, or just walk to Herstmonceux village (11 km) and catch a bus back.
From castle to castle
There is parking next to Pevensey Castle which is £3 for up to 4 hours and £4.50 all day. There is also a tea shop and a couple of pubs in Pevensey.
Pevensey
If you’re walking to Herstmonceux Castle and the Science Centre, you will be on the 1066 Country Walk which you can follow all the way to Rye. There is a series of sculptures on route and the first one is at Pevensey Castle gate. The sculptures are inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry and created by local artist Keith Pettit.
From the first sculpture, the route is well signed but during the course of our walk, we met only one person despite it being a sunny Saturday.
From Pevensey, you soon cross the A27 (someone please build a bridge) and then you’re straight onto the levels. You follow the banks of the Pevensey Haven for a bit, walk through what was once the island of Chilley and then cut across the flatland to the tiny hamlet of Rickney before following the banks of the Yotham and Hurst Haven.
The walking is flat grassland, but in spring there is plenty of waterside blossom and tall riverside reeds. You might spot a heron, lapwings or birds of prey and you’ll probably meet a few sheep. Once you cross the narrow lane at Rickney, you will start to see Herstmonceux church spire ahead. Behind is the ridge of the South Downs. You’ll have been walking for about 7.5 km when it is time to leave the levels. The demarcation is very clear, as clear as if you were stepping out of the watery bay on to firmer ground. The path starts to climb and you head towards the church.
Herstmonceux Church
Do stop and look back as you approach the church. The views are very special. Parts of the church date back to the 12th century and inside there is a 16th century “Dacre Monument” which is quite remarkable. It is a memorial to the eighth Lord Dacre who lived at the castle and who died in 1534, and to his son who died in 1528. The effigies are actually recycled and were originally of two half brothers from Hooe, and they were moved to Herstmonceux from Battle Abbey.
The memorial is bold and dramatic while the graveyard outside is an absolute image of tranquillity and calm. If you’re walking to Herstmonceux village, you head on up Church Road from the church and it’s just over 3 km to the village.
If you have decided to walk to Herstmonceux Castle and the bus stop, it’s about 1 km. You pass a trig point, the second 1066 County Walk sculpture (Isti Mirant Stella – “They wonder at the stars”), the castle and the Science Centre, walking along narrow, leafy tracks very unlike the Pevensey Levels.
Once in Herstmonceux, reward yourself with cake at Geo’s Cafe. The cakes are locally made and you deserve it.
Walk 2. Norman’s Bay 21 km circular walk
For the ambitious or if you want a really long walk, you can walk from Norman’s Bay, up to Wartling, across to just south of Herstmonceux Castle and church, down to Rickney, back to Pevensey and then along either the inland footpath or the beach back to Normans’s Bay.
If you’ve enjoyed this post about the Pevensey Levels walks, you may also like:
