Arlington Bluebell Walk & Farm Trail

About

It first opened in 1972 to raise money for the local primary school and then towards building the new Arlington Village Hall. Over the years it has maintained this close involvement with local charities, who are still employed to run it at weekends. It is they who provide the delicious refreshments with the emphasis on home cooked food.

During the period we are open, the Arlington Village Church provide a plant stall from stock supplied by local residents and Action Medical Research have a large second hand book room for you to browse amongst the many books they have collected over the year. Open during the weekends the RSPB have a stall selling their cards and small gifts, with another registered charity, Hailsham Old Pavilion Society (HOPS) manning a Farmers Mini Market selling a variety of Sussex foods.

Bates Farm

It is all based at Bates Green Farm and from there one can choose between eight interesting walks over three working farms. The main walk through Beatons Wood offers vistas of bluebells established over centuries. This 23-acre deciduous wood is the most southerly block of semi-natural woodland on the Weald Clay and is depicted on Gardener’s County Map 1795, as an ancient site. The McCutchan family have been the fortunate custodians of this lovely part of Sussex since 1921 and long may that continue!

Walks

The first walk is called the Blue Walk 1100m long and level, making it suitable for most wheelchairs, with seats every 140m for you to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this oak and hornbeam wood. Along the walks there are illustrated signs on the flora and fauna to be found in the countryside. Another circular walk called the Green Walk is 2.5 miles long with stiles to negotiate, which takes you to Parkwood Farm where a special viewing gallery allows one to view the milking of a large herd of cows. To assist anyone disabled we do have a small number of mobility scooters and wheelchairs, which can be borrowed free of charge, designated parking spaces and a purpose-built toilet suitable to accommodate any wheelchair.

Amenities

The entrance barn is the hub and start of the walk, with the toilets, refreshments and ample free car parking. We offer a picnic area in a secluded area of the car park field. There are pens of sheep, angora goats and small pigs for viewing close up and a Countryside Exhibition featuring different facets of country life. We were also awarded te 'Hidden Gem 2015' accolade following an inspection by VAQUAS.

Dogs are welcome, but must be kept on leads at all times. We are open 10:00 to 17:00 every day, for this short period in the year when we anticipate the bluebells will be flowering, but it is always nature that decides when the bluebells will look their best, even though the Beatons Wood and the countryside always look wonderful at this time of the year. Our website www.bluebellwalk.co.uk is regularly updated as to how the bluebells are looking.