The High Weald I Love - Hidden Gems of Ashdown Forest with Clive Grumett
- Alison Prangnell
- Aug 14
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 18
The High Weald Walking Festival takes place thanks to a huge amount of hard work, dedication and love from local Ramblers groups who help us organise and lead the event. We sat down with our 'lead rambler' Clive Grumett (whose organisational skills help make all this happen) to find out what he loves the most about his beloved High Weald.
"I grew up walking. Walking was a way of life," explains Clive. "I didn't grow up here but when I retired we came to live on the edge of Ashdown Forest. I love the ability to walk wherever I want in this historic landscape. And from that, I’ve learnt more about the High Weald and how it's a landscape worth protecting."
Clive is a member of the High Weald Walkers, a Ramblers Association Group, and regularly leads walks in the area. He has a favourite place. He's almost reluctant to share it but it's already become popular; "I've always loved Bushy Willows near Kings Standing. It has the most amazing views to Friends Clump and the South Downs. Until they removed the gorse, you had no idea the view was there until you walked out."
The hidden clump
The Clumps (or groups of Scots pine which stand out on the ridge lines) are a particular landscape feature of the Forest. In 1813, the Dowager Duchess Arabella installed eight groups of pines as a landscape feature and deer shelter. They also linked limited access routes on the Forest. Friends Clump is a well-known clump but there are others: "Additional clumps have been planted over the years, many to celebrate events or people such as the MacMillan, Kennedy and Millennium Clumps," explains Clive. "However there is another that no-one ever finds…The Greenhall Toll Clump, now situated on the Royal Ashdown Golf Course."
Tabell Ghyll
The forest is criss-crossed by woodland-flanked, often high-sided streams and ravines particular to this sandstone strata. "Tabell Ghyll is an incredible walk," says Clive. "It follows the stream through ancient woodland for a good half a mile. The woodland is packed with birds like woodcock and woodpecker. When I first led it, few people knew about the ghylls, but you can now pick up this guided walk from the Ashdown Forest Centre."
The Chelwood Vachery Forest Garden
Close to the Old Airstrip, The Vachery Gardens were once part of the larger Vachery Estate with a huge walled garden. "The gardens have been recently cleared and restored by the Friends of Ashdown Forest, so you can now start to see how it was meant to be," says Clive. "Millbrook stream runs through the estate. The owner wanted a beautiful garden and to farm fish, so there are two fishponds which feed into brick-built cascades and a bridge. There are stepping stones across the stream further down. The gully is like a fairy grotto!"
All of these hidden gems can be explored on the High Weald Walking Festival Guided Walks. Check out the programme for more information.
