If you’re in the north corner of the Sussex High Weald, you might be lucky enough to hear the toot toot of a steam train or see a great plume of steam through the trees. This will be one of the romantically named Spa Valley Railway heritage trains chugging back and forth between Eridge, Groombridge, High Rocks and Tunbridge Wells. The railway adds a real sense of atmosphere to a stunning and quiet corner of Sussex and is well worth a visit.
The Spa Valley Railway
The Spa Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway. It’s about 8 km and runs along the route of the old Wealden Line that ran from Tunbridge Wells to Lewes with links on to Hastings. This section (Tunbridge Wells to Eridge) was established in 1866 and was only finally closed as recently as 1985. Another section of the Wealden Line is now operating as the Lavender Line at Isfield.
Volunteers started work on reopening the line as a heritage railway as early as 1987 but faced a number of challenges. The Spa Valley Railway finally partially opened in 1996, after which it was gradually extended with the final extension to Eridge opening in 2011. It’s run by volunteers and has a number of steam and diesel engines. Royal Tunbridge Wells is, of course, a historic spa town known for its 17th-century mineral spring, hence the name of the railway.
The Spa Valley Railway prides itself on having a “destination at every station”. Eridge station is a wonderful mix, with old and vintage on one side of the tracks and new (or at least newer) on the other side. Nearby, there are the incredible Eridge Rocks and Nature Reserve, a local vineyard, a local pub and some great local walks.
From Groombridge station, you can walk or cycle to Harrison’s Rocks, grab a bite at the pub or head over to the Forest Way and cycle to Forest Row. And at the station, look out for the miniature railway display, the suitcases and milk churn, buy a book from the vintage WHSmith store and grab a coffee and a bite to eat. On a busy day, trains chug back and forth through this station fairly regularly and it is quietly busy.
Over the border in Kent, the first station is within the gardens of the High Rocks Inn and of course, there is much to do at the last stop at Tunbridge Wells, including a visit to The Pantiles and the Chalybeate Spring.
Create an itinerary
All of this means you can build a visit to the Spa Valley Railway into a wider itinerary, perhaps as you visit local vineyards (these include Sanden, Wildwood and Birchden), go climbing at Harrison’s Rocks or cycle from Crawley via the Worth Way and Forest Way and then on to Eastbourne and Pevensey. Or perhaps, walk from Eridge to Groombridge (or the other way round) a distance of about 4 km and then get the train back.
What a way to travel
This is a great way to explore this corner of Sussex. You can start at either end of the line, or hop on a train in one of the intermediate stations. You are within easy access of the Sussex Border Path, the High Weald Landscape Trail, the Tunbridge Wells Circular Walk, Forest Way and the Wealdway. National Cycle Route 21 passes close to Groombridge. The Eridge station uses the same station as the main railway from London and onto Crowborough and Uckfield.
The Spa Valley Railway run a fantastic programme of year around events that include a Polar Express, Murder Mystery Events, a Gin Train, a Cheese Train, wine tasting, dining and even a beer and cider festival. It’s also dog friendly and wheelchair accessible, with super friendly volunteers on hand to talk about rolling stock, stations and more.
There is something special about heritage railways
This corner of Sussex feels sleepy and relatively undiscovered. There is plenty of walking to be had at Birchden Wood or nearby Broadwater Nature Reserve, there are quiet and narrow lanes, undiscovered valleys and the fact that you might hear or see the train, makes it feel hopelessly romantic and very much like you’ve taken a step back in time.
If you’re looking for an atmospheric and slightly different way to discover East Sussex, this is a great place to start.
There is free but limited parking at Eridge station. There is no parking at Groombridge but there is paid parking at Tunbridge Wells, and some free parking at High Rocks. Alternatively, just catch a train to Tunbridge Wells.
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