Country walk: The Mens and The Cut

The A272 winding its way through Wealden woodland three miles east of Petworth passes through what amounts to English rainforest.

Old beech and oak girdle the hillocks and hollows of this sandy land with its trickling streams and aimless paths wandering in all directions. It is a nature reserve, run by the Sussex Wildlife Trust who say that you need a compass not to get lost within its 160 hectares! We shall try to stay safe however.

Look for a scruffy little car-park off-road down Crimbourne Lane, off the main road south-east to Hawkhurst Court at TQ023237. A permissive path runs south-west into the woods, the ‘ge-maennes’ or common land of the Saxons, now called Mens. The other half ‘The Cut’ simply meant that it was coppice wood that is normally cut.

These days high deciduous forest is at a premium. It preserves the habitat for some species of butterfly such as the purple emperor, white admiral, and silver-washed fritillary butterflies: all of these are now flying for another week or so. Wild service tree and Midland hawthorn tree also grow together with spindle and holly. Glades are sometimes created during storms. Stock doves and lesser spotted woodpeckers are among the unusual high forest birds breeding here. Our path joins a bridleway staying vaguely southwest before returning north-east through the edge of the woods and the long meadow called Badlands.

This long glade was a difficult place to cultivate as it remains soggy, hence the name. However, it has become a special home for wild flowers under the SWT’S management with such prize species as lady’s mantle, dyer’s greenweed, and betony.

There are two streams to cross as the path twists as shown on my map before arriving at Crimbourne Lane again, where turn left.

Hawkhurst Court was where Canadian troops were billeted during WW2 and from which they left on that disastrous Dieppe Raid in 1942. The practice trenches they dug all over these woodlands will still be visible for decades to come as a reminder of their sacrifice. There is a memorial there and you can see this if you were to make a diversion on the bridleway that runs off the lane to Hawkhurst Court.