Fans of Sussex’s most famous residents, Rudyard Kipling, will enjoy Puck’s Walk through the estate at the poet’s former home Bateman’s, Burwash.
The stroll is inspired by Puck of Pook’s Hill, one of the author’s most famous stories, published in 1906. He wrote it for his children following a re-enactment of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by Kipling and his children one summer in the early 1900s.
This magical walk takes in the estate’s small fields, hedgerows, old trees, abandoned iron ore pits, hidden ponds and deserted tracks.
The walk takes in some stunning views, and it is easy to see how the rolling hills, woods and Dudwell river inspired Kipling's writing. Warm up at the Mulberry tea-room.
The Walk
Rudyard Kipling was 36 and already one of the most famous writers in the world by the time he came to Bateman’s. The Sussex countryside around Bateman's has hardly changed since the Kiplings lived here, and it provided the inspiration for many of the author’s famous characters.
The route from the National Trust house’s Visitor Reception takes you out to Park Mill, through woods and over hills towards Burwash Weald, before looping back to cross the river and return to the Mill Pond.
Some parts of the routes can be muddy, so don’t forget your wellies. There is a map available to follow when you arrive at Bateman’s or you can download it beforehand. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/batemans/walking-at-batemans
COMPASS POINTS
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2½ miles
Duration: 1½ hours
Dog Friendly: Yes but keep them under control as traditional French Limousin cattle graze on the estate. keep your dog on a short lead throughout the garden and meadows.
When there is no livestock grazing on the estate, dogs can be let off the lead when walking through the wider estate, if kept under close supervision.
