Haywards Heath IX

 

Regularly enjoying walks - even in rain and snow - through the water gardens at Wakehurst Place where, for a price, you can be guaranteed foot hold on flat solid paths. An early 20th century creation, including woodland and wetland conservation areas, the extensive gardens are owned by the National Trust but managed by Kew who run Wakehurst’s Millennium Seed Bank (2000). The Bank collects and conserves seeds from all of the UK's native flora and much of the world's flora to save species from extinction in the wild. The gardens, among the largest in the UK at 490 acres, thankfully continue to welcome visitors taking the exercise allowed in lockdown.

 

A short drive or bus journey from Haywards Heath, Wakehurst Place contains exciting items like this Australian ‘dinosaur tree’ alias Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) seen in 200 million year old fossils but believed to be extinct. In 1994 a ranger came across the pine abseiling 600 metres down into a gorge in Australia’s Wollemi National Park. Seeds are now stored at Wakehurst and some have been planted with effect as you can see. During the 2020 Australian fires specialist firefighters were sent to protect this iconic species and the trees survived with some charring. Wakehurst’s living collection of Wollemi pines insures against future threats with live material to help recovery in the wild right across the world.

I miss the frost in some ways and especially frozen mud as here in West Wood. It's one of my favourite walks, from Haywards Heath towards Ditchling down Slugwash Lane and Eastern Road to West Wood. I think it's one of the longest walks through a wood in Mid Sussex and it is a trail within Ditchling Common Country Park. Sometimes I go through it, there and back, from Wivelsfield Green. Heading south you can catch that rare breed, a bus back from Ditchling or heading west, a less inspiring walk, one of the more plentiful buses from Burgess Hill back to Haywards Heath. It doesn’t look like I’ll be back in West Wood for some months unless we have another freeze.

Amazed by the shallow roots of this tree which recently fell over. Its by the stream you cross walking from Haywards Heath golf course down through Rivers Wood as you ascend again towards Ardingly Reservoir. I walked this route which took almost twice as long as normal because of mud and obstacles like the tree.  As we’re in lockdown we have time to take more in from our natural surroundings which in Sussex can be quite astounding. My family are still on the case with ‘Fifty Walks from Haywards Heath’ with schematic illustrations which should be out before Easter as a welcome resource.

Taking exercises down the road from Haywards Heath at Wakehurst Place I was taken by this tree grabbing the rock. It's a powerful symbol of the resilience of nature in which the vegetable kingdom builds from the mineral kingdom. The tree reaches down to sustaining water around the rocks which are such a feature of Wakehurst. As the tree gains stability from the rock I in turn, associated with the animal kingdom, gain encouragement to lay hold of the spiritual values that help me stand upright in a deeper sense. Mineral, vegetable, animal, spiritual - a wonderful sequence!

A useless artefact? Is this new stile off Slugwash Lane linked to a plan to fence the wood? Otherwise it is ritual replacement for ritual climbing up and down as in the gym! I am missing that ritual less having got used to tramping the countryside instead, even though the gym is more waterproof than Haywards Heath countryside. At least the track behind the steps looks drier than it was a fortnight ago. It leads to Abbots Leigh House (1892) built by an aide of Queen Victoria, a hidden treasure of our town with facade visible only from this footpath encircling the estate.

Seen at the jewel in their crown on the Sussex Ouse this weir and pool at East Mascalls is popular resort for members of Haywards Heath and District Angling Society. Centuries ago the river was navigable to Lewes but now it’s fish - like Barbel, Carp and Chub - who benefit from the Fish Pass here at East Mascalls linked to the weir. The river flows down from Paxhill Park Golf Course to this road bridge and on to Henfield Wood near Scaynes Hill. It’s a lovely walk from Lindfield which could be extended to return by Paxhill Park. 

A fire in the woods would normally raise the alarm. This one was attended by foresters and seemingly part of their work. Walking around Haywards Heath day by day for exercise I’m aware of a great deal of thinning out of local woods. It seems to be the season for doing this not least because you can easily see and find your way around the bare trees. When this thinning leaves an acre or two bare patch it is puzzling. You wonder if houses are on the way as there are so many such developments building up around our town.

This inviting green pathway captures my excitement at the arrivals of April. It's accessed at the top of Snowdrop Lane when you cross Scaynes Hill Road and pass between Walstead Manor and the Stud Farm. Two weeks ago the greenery was just beginning to emerge but you had no time to look when walking there save at your feet straddled across the continuum of mud. Yesterday we saw March out walking on mainly dry paths to Scaynes Hill though we caught mud dropping down from there to Slugwash Lane returning to town via Abbots Leigh.

Caught by the sun capturing Oathall Farm - can you spot the photographer? There aren’t many schools that have farms but our local Haywards Heath secondary is an exception. I pass the farm regularly cutting across to Lindfield from our home in Bentswood. It was established during the Second World War and is made up of fields, animal enclosures, a large barn and glasshouse to grow seasonal plants. The livestock include pigs, cattle, sheep and poultry. When we lived in Horsted Keynes we were visited regularly by Oathall sheep put out to grass near the Rectory.